This online letter, written by a glacial geologist living and working in Antartica, describes how organisms living there have adapted to thrive in such an extreme environment. In her letters home, Stephanie Shipp shares her work and discoveries, specifically an overview of the physical, chemical, and behavioral adaptations of Antarctica’s organisms, notes about the types of organisms that are notably absent, including amphibians, reptiles, and large trees, and an in-depth examination of the emperor penguin and the adaptations they have made.