What are the first impressions if one thinks of scientific research in Antarctica? Extreme environmental conditions, high costs, a vast untouched land and therefore a challenge for every possible experimental setup. There are the undoubtable benefits of having an uncontaminated continent that remains untouched and contains direct information about the worlds climatological and geological history for over 25 million years. It is also the last enclave of nature that humans are yet to inhabit. Currently, the Antarctic treaty provides several guidelines to ensure the conservation of the continent. The objective of this review on large scale science in Antarctica is to record the scientific targets, costs, environmental impacts and scientific benefits of IceCube and ANDRILL, by providing an overview of each experiment and listing the main impacts on the Antarctic environment. Most of the information is extracted from the Comprehensive Environmental Evaluation (CEE) of each project that has to be outlined by the nations involved and assessed prior to any action being undertaken by the treaty nations. In order to provide a more complete comparison, the Vostok ice core drilling project is also included in this review.