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A Quebecer breaks a speed record at the South Pole
Does the South Pole seem like an ideal destination for a vacation? For some people, it is normal to go on such expeditions…rather extreme. Even a world record exists for the person who manages to reach the South Pole the fastest! And it’s a Quebecer who has just taken up this challenge for women: Caroline Côté. We explain it all to you!
Some information about the South Pole
The South Pole is the southernmost point on the planet, the complete opposite of the North Pole. It is located on the continent of Antarctica.
There, there are no hotels or restaurants: the South Pole is one of the coldest places on Earth, in addition to being completely deserted. So you can imagine that getting there shouldn’t be an easy task! In addition, the South Pole is at an altitude of 2835 m. To give you an idea, Mont Tremblant, the highest mountain in the Laurentians, is only 875 m high.
A fearless Quebecer
PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK
Caroline Côté traveled the 1100 km that separate Hercules Inlet from the South Pole in 34 days, 2 hours and 53 minutes.
To win the world record, like Caroline Côté, you have to get to the South Pole as quickly as possible from Hercules Inlet, a place near the coast of Antarctica. You have to face the wind, the snow and the cold on skis, all this completely alone! And guess how long it took the Quebecer to make this 1100 km trip? Precisely 34 days, 2 hours and 53 minutes. She broke the women’s speed record set in 2016 by a Swedish adventurer.
Facing atmospheric pressure
Caroline Côté, who was not on her first polar expedition, however, found the last few days very difficult. You may have climbed a mountain and experienced what is called “low air pressure”.
Atmospheric pressure is the amount of air in a place. And the higher you are, on a mountain, for example, the less air there is. It is therefore a little longer to catch your breath and more difficult to make physical efforts. You can then imagine that at an altitude of almost 3000 m, we do not advance as quickly as at the beginning of the expedition. “I had difficulty breathing and keeping going,” Caroline said. When she finally arrived at her destination, it was -30℃. We are all very proud of the achievement of this Quebecer! And you, do you dream of breaking world records? In what discipline?
Watch out for spies!
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
RCMP Critical Infrastructure Program Coordinator Rudin Gjoka and Sergeant Camille Habel
Did you know that in recent years, the number of computer attacks has exploded in Canada? In fact, it is often the work of spies from China and Russia. To protect us, the Canadian police and intelligence services are currently making the rounds of Quebec institutions to make them aware of the danger. Here’s what you need to know about it!
A costly mistake
When we talk about spies, we often think of James Bond. But in real life, spies are much more subtle – and unfortunately, less spectacular. They use techniques few people know about, which makes more people fall into their traps.
For example, a spy enters a place he wishes to infiltrate. The National Assembly of Quebec, let’s say. Intentionally, he drops a USB key that contains a computer virus.
A little later, a curious person picks up the USB key and inserts it into his computer to see what’s inside. Immediately, the virus infects the entire network of the establishment, which becomes easier to access for hackers. They will now be able to collect valuable information from the government!
Such a mistake can cost an institution dearly. It is for this reason that it is necessary to know how to recognize the shenanigans of the spies and to protect its data.
Prevention, the key to success!
To deal with this outbreak of espionage, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) have set up a new program.
They travel around Quebec to instruct those in charge of the province’s most important infrastructures on the good habits to adopt to prevent spy attacks. For example, beware of employees requesting access to confidential data. They might have bad intentions.
It is also recommended to pay attention to the places where you plug in your electronic devices, as well as to the WiFi networks to which you connect. You have to ask yourself: do I know this place? Is it sure?
Canada is swarming with spies!
Several spies working for other countries have been arrested in Canada in recent years. The most recent case dates back to November 2022: a researcher who worked for Hydro-Quebec was accused of being a spy who sent confidential data to China. We must therefore continue to be vigilant!
And you, did you know that there were spies in Canada? What would you do to unmask them?
Based on a text by Vincent Larouche, The Press
At 9, she discovers a megalodon tooth
PHOTO FROM ALICIA BRUCE SAMPSON’S FACEBOOK PAGE
At age 9, Molly Sampson made a huge discovery: a fossilized megalodon tooth.
Imagine walking along the edge of the beach, rummaging through the water and discovering a fossil from the time of the dinosaurs! It is certainly the dream of many children and many adults (like me). That’s what happened to 9-year-old Molly Sampson, who just made the discovery of her life.
Where did it happen?
Molly lives by the sea in Maryland, USA. His passion in life: to go in search of treasures buried in the ocean. But not just any, shark teeth! She has also collected more than 400!
A fishing outfit for Christmas
To be able to live her passion to the fullest, Molly had asked her parents for waterproof waders for Christmas, like those used by fishermen to keep their clothes from getting wet. But it wasn’t speckled trout that Molly wanted to catch. This time, she was looking for a megalodon tooth! On Christmas Day, the young girl had only one thing in mind: put on her waterproof suit and spend the day at the beach in search of fossils with her father and sister. The absence of tourists might give him a better chance of making discoveries.
30 minutes
Once at the beach, Molly stepped into the sea up to her knees. Thanks to her waterproof suit, she did not feel the biting cold of the water. In a Facebook post, Molly’s mother said that after just 30 minutes of digging in the sand, Molly spotted a huge tooth. She even had to dive into cold water to retrieve it!
12cm
With a length of 12 cm, the tooth belonged to a megalodon! It is a species of giant shark that has now disappeared. The megalodon is also considered one of the largest predators to have lived on Earth. It is estimated that it could measure up to 20 m, that is to say, it was even longer than a school bus!
This is still incredible when you consider that paleontologists can spend years looking for fossils without making the slightest discovery! Bravo, Molly, for your great find!
And you, what would you like to discover on the beach or in the sea?
Daily news
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