Rodney David Marks (13 March 1968 – 12 May 2000) was an Australian
astrophysicist who died from
methanol poisoning
Methanol toxicity (also ''methanol poisoning'') is poisoning from methanol, characteristically via ingestion. Symptoms may include a decreased level of consciousness, poor or no coordination, hypothermia, vomiting, abdominal pain, and a specific s ...
while working in
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest cont ...
.
Early life
Marks was born in
Geelong,
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
in Australia and received his education from the
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb no ...
, later obtaining a
PhD from the
University of New South Wales
The University of New South Wales (UNSW), also known as UNSW Sydney, is a public research university based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is one of the founding members of Group of Eight, a coalition of Australian research-intensiv ...
.
["Antarctic Researcher Dies".](_blank)
''National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National ...
Office of Legislative and Public Affairs'', Press release 12 May 2000. Retrieved 19 December 2006.[ Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. . Retrieved on 19 December 2006.] Marks had
Tourette syndrome
Tourette syndrome or Tourette's syndrome (abbreviated as TS or Tourette's) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood or adolescence. It is characterized by multiple movement (motor) tics and at least one vocal (phonic) ...
.
Career
Marks had wintered over at the South Pole station in 1997–1998, before being employed at the
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole, Terrestrial South Pole or 90th Parallel South, is one of the two points where Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on Earth and lies antipod ...
with the
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, working on the
Antarctic Submillimeter Telescope and Remote Observatory, a research project for the
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chic ...
at the
Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station. He was engaged to Sonja Wolter, who was overwintering as a maintenance specialist at the base in order to be with him. Amundsen–Scott Pole Station is run by the
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National ...
, a United States government agency, although much work is subcontracted to
Raytheon
Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an American multinational aerospace and defense conglomerate headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. It is one of the largest aerospace and defense manufacturers in the world by revenue and market capitali ...
's Polar Services.
Death
![pole-from-air](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Pole-from-air.jpg)
On 11 May 2000, Rodney Marks became unwell while walking between the remote observatory and the base. He became increasingly sick over a 36-hour period, three times returning increasingly distressed to the station's doctor. Advice was sought by satellite, but Marks died on 12 May 2000, aged 32, with his condition undiagnosed.
[Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics]
"In Memoriam".
''The CfA Almanac'' Vol. XIII No. 2, July 2000. Retrieved on 19 December 2006.[Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station]
Retrieved on 19 December 2006. The whereabouts of the station doctor, Robert Thompson, are unknown.
The National Science Foundation issued a statement saying that Rodney Marks had "apparently died of natural causes, but the specific cause of death ha
yet to be determined".
The exact cause of Marks' death could not be determined until his body was removed from Amundsen–Scott Station and flown off the continent for autopsy.
["Australian scientist dies during Pole winter".](_blank)
''The Antarctic Sun'' 22 October 2000. Retrieved on 19 December 2006. The case received media attention as the "first South Pole murder",
as
suicide was considered the least likely cause of his death.
He was buried in Bellbrae Cemetery,
Mount Duneed, Victoria
Mount Duneed is a suburb of Geelong, Victoria, Australia. It is divided between the City of Greater Geelong and Surf Coast Shire local government areas. Mount Duneed itself is an extinct volcano and the remains of the crater can be seen in ...
, Australia.
Investigations into death
Marks' body was held for nearly six months over winter before it could be flown to
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...
, New Zealand, the base for American activities in
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest cont ...
, for autopsy. Once in New Zealand, a
post mortem
An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough Physical examination, examination of a Cadaver, corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner o ...
established that Marks had died from
methanol poisoning.
Both the United States and Australia agreed to a coroner's inquest being held in New Zealand.
Jurisdiction issues in the Antarctic are complicated; most American operations within
Antarctica
Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest cont ...
—including the South Pole base—are within the
Ross Dependency
The Ross Dependency is a region of Antarctica defined by a circular sector, sector originating at the South Pole, passing along longitudes 160th meridian east, 160° east to 150th meridian west, 150° west, and terminating at latitude 60th para ...
territory claimed by New Zealand, from where supplies are dispatched. The U.S. Government does not accept New Zealand's claim to territorial sovereignty or the application of New Zealand law to U.S. citizens operating in the Antarctic from
Operation Deep Freeze
Operation Deep Freeze (OpDFrz or ODF) is codename for a series of United States missions to Antarctica, beginning with "Operation Deep Freeze I" in 1955–56, followed by "Operation Deep Freeze II", "Operation Deep Freeze III", and so on. (There w ...
's
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...
base. New Zealand has not questioned the use of
U.S. Marshals
The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The USMS is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforce ...
in relation to crimes involving only Americans in the Ross Dependency.
An investigation was undertaken by Detective Senior Sergeant (DSS) Grant Wormald, of the
New Zealand Police, at the direction of Richard McElrea, the
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...
coroner. A formal verdict has yet to be entered; a 2006 series of Coroners Court hearings and statements to the media raised questions from both the police and the Coroner's Court if Marks' poisoning was intentional. DSS Wormald said, "In my view it is most likely Marks ingested the methanol unknowingly."
DSS Wormald stated it was not credible to believe he had deliberately drunk the
methanol, when he had ready access to a large supply of alcohol. Marks had recently entered a new relationship, had nearly completed important academic work and had no financial problems. He had promptly sought treatment for an illness that confused him, and there was no reason to suspect suicidal intent.
DSS Wormald indicated that Raytheon and the National Science Foundation had not been cooperative.
[ DSS Wormald stated regarding the NSF conclusion that Marks' death was from natural causes: "We wanted the results of he NSFinternal investigation and to get in contact with people who were there to ask them some questions," said Wormald. "They weren't prepared to tell us who was there "... "they have advised that no report exists. To be frank, I think there is more there; there must be",] Wormald said. "I am not entirely satisfied that all relevant information and reports have been disclosed to the New Zealand police or the coroner".
Having obtained details of the 49 other people at the base at the time, DSS Wormald told a newspaper, "I suspect that there have been people who have thought twice about making contact with us on the basis of their future employment position". The U.S. Department of Justice also failed to obtain answers from the two organizations, which appeared to have denied jurisdiction.
In December 2006 the Christchurch Coroner reconvened the investigation, the results of which were widely reported; the coroner's hearing in Christchurch was then adjourned indefinitely. Marks' father thanked the New Zealand police, who he said faced an "arduous task of dealing with people that quite obviously don't want to deal with them".
In January 2007, seven years after the death, the case was again front-page news in New Zealand, when documents obtained under America's Freedom of Information Act Freedom of Information Act may refer to the following legislations in different jurisdictions which mandate the national government to disclose certain data to the general public upon request:
* Freedom of Information Act 1982, the Australian act
* ...
suggested "diplomatic heat was brought to bear on the NZ inquiry".
In September 2008, the written report resulting from the December 2006 inquest was released. The coroner could not find evidence to support theories of a prank gone awry nor foul play nor suicide.
The cause of the fatal methanol poisoning has never been determined, and the Marks family has given up hope of learning what happened. Paul Marks, Rodney's father, is quoted as saying "...And I don't think we are going to try to find out any more in regards to how Rodney died. I'd see that as a fruitless exercise."
Memorial
Mount Marks, a mountain in the Worcester Range with a height of (78°47′S, 160°35′E), is named after Marks. A plaque was erected at the base, and the site of the South Pole in January 2001 is marked by a memorial to him.[. ''mountainclimb.com''. Retrieved on 19 December 2006.]
See also
* List of unsolved deaths
This list of unsolved deaths includes well-known cases where:
* The cause of death could not be officially determined.
* The person's identity could not be established after they were found dead.
* The cause is known, but the manner of death (homi ...
Evidence Locker True Crime Podcast: Antarctica - The Mysterious Death of an Astrophysicist
References
Further reading
* Glanz, James.
''The New York Times''. New York, N.Y.: 17 May 2000. p. A.15. Retrieved on 7 December 2007.
* Mervis, Jeffrey
"A Death in Antarctica".
''Science''. 2 January 2009, vol. 323. p. 32. Retrieved on 2 June 2009.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marks, Rodney
1968 births
2000 deaths
2000 in Antarctica
Australian astrophysicists
Deaths in Antarctica
Deaths by poisoning
People from Geelong
People with Tourette syndrome
Unsolved deaths