Absolute Zero

Hey, doc, doc, doc, doc!

We're having a, a global warming party.

You do know global warming's supposed to be a bad thing.

Right, Logan? -Yeah.

But not if you've got a semester in Antarctica.

You want a burger?

I got, uh, iceberg lettuce too.

You want that one?

Yes. Yes, sir. No, I'm... I'm uploading

all the information to you now, sir.

Yes. But...

I think you'll find that the situation has, uh...

mutated, sir.

Yes. Yes, sir.

Weather forecast shows yet another warm day, doc.

It may be warm for Antarctica,

but it's still below zero.

Barely. You think this is going to affect

the cave exploration?

Obviously. The face is already extremely weak,

and with the recent seismic activity,

a total collapse isn't far off.

It's just that, I don't think that

this is a very safe situation.

He's trying to get us out of here.

Like he has the authority. -No, but...

The team goes in this afternoon.

I told you he didn't have the authority.

Logan! Get back! Get back!

Hello, out there, Miami. I'm Barbara Summers,

and here's a look ahead to tonight's news stories.

While most of Southern Florida enjoyed

unseasonably high temperatures this week,

Cape Sable was struck with record cold temperatures

and gale-force winds.

Numerous trees were uprooted and power lines

snapped throughout the area.

Insurance companies are reeling from the multitude of

fender-benders caused by the frigid and slippery conditions.

There are even reports of oranges being frozen

on their branches after the storm had passed.

It was enough to confuse several flocks of birds

who began their northern migration

several months ahead of schedule.

Guess they've had enough of our southern hospitality.

This follows a similar storm that ruined a day in the sun

last week for Fort Lauderdale beachgoers.

I guess our friends at the Meteorological Center

have some explaining to do for their lack of foresight

on this one.

Good morning, gentlemen.

Gentlemen.

By flipping the polarity of the room,

we discovered something most unexpected.

We knew we would have some disturbances

in the electromagnetic field, but nothing that could

possibly prepare us for this.

Uh, that's cold, sir.

It's more than just cold, doctor.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you would direct your

attention to the monitor, which digitally shows

the direction of magnetic north...

the temperature in the center of the model

and the amount of time before polarity is neutral.

Now watch what happens when the polarity timer hits zero.

Negative 273 Celsius. Temperatures so cold

that light only refracts at the lowest end of the spectrum.

Well, that can't be. That's absolute zero.

That's exactly what it is, doctor. Absolute zero.

It's time to throw out all the history books

and rewrite everything ever written about the ice age...

because science is never wrong.

Thank you, Dr. Kotzman.

And thank you all for coming and helping

to make Inter-Sci the leading proponent of

weather technology in America.

Now, I'm sure you have lots of questions.

Forgive me. I'm forgetting my manners.

I'm equally sure you're all thirsty.

Why don't I go arrange for some refreshments,

and Dr. Kotzman and I will be right back

to answer any questions you may have.

David, you're going the wrong way. The party's upstairs.

I told you I didn't want any military at the test.

You lied to me.

I think you misunderstood me, David.

I agreed with you that absolute zero

had no military consideration,

I still believe that to be true.

Then why were they here? -Well...

They're as interested in the weather as the rest of us.

So why not take advantage of their very deep pockets

for research and development...

or would you rather I laid off some staff instead?

Book a flight for Dr. Kotzman to Antarctica.

Turn right here.

Hey, Landon! Give us a hand over here.

Of all the research stations in the Antarctic.

Hey! Hey!

Take it easy, buddy!

Hershel!

What the hell are you doing here?

I must have pissed off somebody really good.

What about yourself? -Oh!

Just decided to use up some of my air miles.

That sound plausible. Come on, let's get inside.

It's freakin' freezing out here.

We got to get the camp set up.

What the hell's that? -Oh, that.

That will keep you safe when the weather turns.

Just outside the gates of hell.

We're not there yet. Let's get this done first.

Let's get there.

We're going to bring 'em over for you, okay?

Technically, this dehydrates you

and lowers your body temperature...

but psychologically,

it is just what the doctor ordered.

Well, you haven't changed.

Yeah, but you have.

I read that paper of yours in Science America last month.

It's impressive stuff.

It's like you took a smart pill or something.

Thanks.

Of all my students, I never thought you'd be the one

to take the scientific world by storm.

Well, it's not so difficult when you've got

a billion-dollar company behind you.

Yeah, but truth be told, I always thought

you'd amount to squat.

I'll drink to that.

I always thought it would be Jeff.

Yeah. So did he.

So how is your old-time lab partner?

Oh...

His baby girl there, she must be in her tweens now, eh?

He's got a kid?

Climatology.

I see you're getting acquainted with archaeology.

Dempsy here likes to call everybody by their degrees.

We're here for a job, gentlemen. There's no need to become

emotionally invested in each other.

You'll be briefed in five minutes.

If you open your folders, you'll find data

taken from our last expedition here.

The research team was evacuated due to an unusual event.

A 30-degree temperature spike.

Damn. That's cold. -Spike means up.

Global warming?

Thirty-degree swing here at this time of year? No way.

Then what is it? -We have our theories.

Well, would you like to share that with the rest of group?

No. I want to see what the group comes up with.

That's why you're all here.

Specialists from seven different fields

with no preconceived notions.

So we're just high-paid data checkers?

That's one way of putting it.

Let me take a wild guess.

You guys found something, and you want us to go

and have a look at it so you can figure out

whether or not you're crazy.

And that's another. -And what's this?

That's the reason we're here.

The melting ice uncovered a cave about ten miles from here.

At first, we just thought it was a pocket,

a leftover fissure from a previous warming period,

but as more ice melted, it revealed that the opening may be

a very small part of an expansive network.

Now, due to the fragile nature of the ice wall,

we decided not to risk sending in a team,

but instead a robotic rover for visual images.

Four of you will man the rover from the field...

while the remaining three will stay here with me

and relay the data sent from the site

back to headquarters for analysis.

Any questions?

So, what you're saying is,