In a surprising turn of events, the sub-Antarctic Heard and McDonald Islands have become an unlikely focal point in the realm of international trade due to sweeping tariffs imposed by United States President Donald Trump.
These remote, uninhabited islands, located 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles) southwest of Australia, are known primarily for their king penguins, which have become viral sensations on social media.
However, the territory boasts much more, including active volcanoes and a rich diversity of wildlife, such as elephant seals and various seabirds.
Despite their ecological significance, the islands present harsh conditions that deter trade and re-exporting activities for the United States in search of a tariff loophole.
No human is known to have set foot there since 2016, and access is allowed only with permission from the Australian government.
"There is no infrastructure or commercial industry of any sort on land," said Justine Shaw, a researcher who camped on Heard Island for two months in 2003. There is no port, no runway.
To get there, scientists approach in inflatable boats or fly in by helicopter from a research ship docked offshore, said Shaw, a conservation scientist with Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future.
The only signs of human occupation are the wood-and-metal remnants of a research station abandoned in 1955 and battered ever since by the freezing rain and wind.
"It's a true wilderness," said Shaw.
But also the "most amazing place", with sweeping cliffs and glaciers groaning as they melt, populated by thousands of king penguins, elephant seals and sea birds.
On the ground, there are 70 types of lichen, huge leafy plants, and cushion plants that resemble lush green carpets.
Marine ecologist Andrew Constable oversaw a 40-day research expedition to Heard Island in 2004. For days, a fierce storm stopped them from landing.
"At one point, we had to point the ship into the sea for nine days as storms raged, and we couldn't do anything," said Constable. "The waves were pretty big: they were 10 metres (32 feet) tall."
But Constable said scientists were able to study its melting glaciers, seal and penguin behaviour and how human activity impacted its pristine ecosystem.
One of the key aims for future research trips will be to find out how much more of Heard Island's icy terrain has turned green, he said.
Researchers will also need to probe changing food webs and document marine debris and fishing gear washing up on the coast, said Constable.
With so little human activity, it is one of the few places "where you see the world in action".
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