Construction of the steel skeleton of China’s fourth Antarctic research station was completed at the weekend. And on Sunday the team began to put together the walls of the Taishan station.

Each wooden board weighs 50 kilograms. The station will be shaped like a traditional Chinese lantern. The 28-strong team arrived at the site of the new base in December. Taishan’s main building is expected to be completed by early February. The station will be used during the Antarctic summer from December to March. Teams based there will provide logistical support and study geology, glaciers, geomagnetism and atmospheric science.