In an age where exploration seems long since passed, geology professor Bruce Luyendyk presents a modern story of research and adventure. His memoir “Mighty Bad Land”(Pemuted Press, 2023) chronicles his first expedition of many to the frozen reaches of Marie Byrd Land to uncover how the southern supercontinent broke apart. Working beyond the reach of helicopter rescue, his team braved whiteouts, deep crevasses and interpersonal conflict much like the pioneering explorers of the inhospitable Antarctic interior.

The geologic history of Antarctica was far from Luyendyk’s first academic interest. He was already widely traveled when he joined the faculty at UC Santa Barbara and began researching the landscape of California. He was soon joining expeditions to New Zealand, which had certain geologic parallels with the west coast of the United States. Eventually, he and his collaborator Dave Kimbrough realized that answering their questions about New Zealand would require a voyage to Antarctica. One thing led to another, which led to another, until one cold day in December 1989 Luyendyk stepped out of a cargo plane into the Antarctic wilderness.