The break up of the once huge continent of Gondwana to form Antarctica and Australia and the resultant changes in oceans and currents had huge impact on global climate. If Australia had not broken away from Antarctica, worldwide climate probably would have remained warm. Determining the role of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in global climate is the focus of a series of ocean drilling expeditions. From January to May this year, two expeditions carrying scientists and technicians from various nations sailed into waters south of Tasmania (ODP leg 189) and into Australian Antarctic waters (ODP leg 188) to take sediment samples that give an account of Earth's climatic history. Co-chief scientist of leg 188, Dr. Phil O'Brien and co-chief scientist of leg 189 Dr. Neville Exon (both from AGSO) give a brief summary of their expeditions.