Machu Picchu Base  The Machu Picchu Scientific Base is a Peruvian polar scientific research facility in Antarctica, established to conduct Antarctic research on geology, climatology and biology. More specifically, its purpose is to study the continent's geological past, potential sea resources, wind strengths, air pollution, and the animal adaptation in a freezing environment. The base is named after the World Heritage site Machu Picchu. Being located at 62°S, Machu Picchu Base is one of the northernmost settlements in Antarctica. It, along with Artigas Base, Carlini Base and Villa Las Estrellas, forms the only human settlements on King George Island, on Admiralty Bay. Machu Picchu Base conducts annual scientific expeditions to Antarctica. The base carries out a variety of scientific projects such as research into krill and its potential as an alternative human food source, as well as geological, biological, hydrographic, and geophysical research, under the provisions of the Antarctic Treaty. The base operates radar measuring upper atmospheric winds, and supplying data on the deterioration of the ozone layer. As Antarctica is a continent of valuable strategic, ecological, and economic importance, Peru has an interest in maintaining its status as a non-militarized, nuclear-free zone of peace, and in preserving its environment, which is important to the Peruvian climate. Its frigid waters, the origin of the Humboldt Current, are essential to Peru's marine and coastal ecosystems. Since 1988, maintenance, supply, and transport of personnel for the base have been performed by the Instituto del Mar de Perú's scientific research vessel B.I.C. Humboldt. However, in 2017 the Peruvian government replaced that ship with its new Polar Class 7 research vessel BAP Carrasco. In 1976 the Geographical Society of Lima claimed rights to a sector of Antarctica between the meridians 81°20' W (corresponding to Punta Pariñas) and 75°40' W (corresponding to Rinconada South Beach). This initiative led to a declaration by the Peruvian Constitutional Assembly on 3 May 1979:  However, the claim is not officially recognized as one of the Territorial claims in Antarctica. In 1981 the director of Instituto Peruano de Estudios Antárticos, Luis Vilchez Lara, made a press statement expressing its view that Peru is entitled to an Antarctic sector 600.000 km2 between the meridians 84° y 90° West and to the South Pole.