Wonders of Arctic & Antarctic springs

The BBC’s Frozen Planet explores the many extraordinary events of the Arctic and Antarctic, many of which have never been seen before.

The second episode, Spring,  provides a first hand look at the amazing transformation of the frozen landscape to a tundra full of life. As the sun’s strength increase  millions of tonnes of frozen water melt and new life begins to emerge. Life like Penguins, polar bears, and Arctic wolves take over the land at each pole, while sea slugs, swimming snails,seals and fish that appear to be covered in hundreds of dancing lights find a home in the sea.

One of the many astounding creatures shown in Frozen Planet is the woolybear caterpillar, which does not build its cocoon until 14 years old. The woolybear only has a short amount of time each spring to eat enough to get it through the winter until the cold creeps in, so it finds a home under a rock for the winter. The caterpillar’s heart actually stops during this time and becomes frozen until the sun reappears four months later and it begins guzzling all it can again before the next winter when the cycle repeats. It is not until at least a decade that the caterpillar makes the ultimate transformation into a moth.

See the life of the woolybear caterpillar and other amazing creatures on Frozen Planet.

Frozen Planet

We are looking forward to the first episode of Frozen Planet from the BBC-it looks stunning and ties in very nicely with our Oceans channel and resources! Supporting growing public awareness of life at the poles, the first episode will air on BBC One shortly.

Frozen Planet takes you on an adventure through the Arctic and Antarctic environment and wildlife through a 7-part series narrated by Sir David Attenborough who has spent quite a bit of time exploring these regions. One of the short clips that links well with our Frozen  Oceans resources is titled On Thin Ice, and discusses the effects of climate change on regions such as the poles and the ways scientists are now trying to understand it.

Check it out at BBC-One Frozen Planet!

Are the oceans the next Greek tragedy?

Our oceans currently face an uncertain future as their chemistry continues to change due to the 22 million tons of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere each day. The carbon dioxide released into the oceans is causing the water to become more acidic, creating conditions not seen since the dinosaurs. Scientists now know that many species, including humans, will suffer unless something is done about the problem.

The NRDC explores the many concerns of ocean acidification in their film Acid Test: The Global Challenge of Ocean Acidification.  Scientific experts on this issue explain how acidification is affecting the oceans, what we can do to prevent further damage, and the future of the oceans if the problem continues.  ’Acid Test’ concludes that we are in the last few decades of ocean life as we know it. If acidification continues many organisms at the bottom of marine food webs will die out creating a domino affect all the way up the food chain, even to human communities who rely on these systems for income and food.

Even with the current state of the oceans, it is not too late to turn the problem around. Ways do exist for humans to cut back on fossil fuels, restore fish stocks, and keep our oceans safe.

Like explained in the video, Greek tragedies are so tragic because we see them coming. So do we continue living in the same ways? Or choose to change and prevent a global tragedy?

Explore 2011

Check out Explore 2011 on 18-20 November at the RGS-IBG!

The Explore 2011 weekend is dedicated to providing the latest information to all of you  interested in planning field work projects and expeditions of your own. Over the course of the weekend participants will hear first hand experiences and advice from leading field scientists and explorers in a range of disciplines through workshops, seminars, and one-on-one sessions. Explore 2011 provides the perfect opportunity to also make new connections and gain inspiration for your own ventures.

So whether an expert or amateur,you should not miss out on everything Explore 2011 has to offer!

Book before 14 October to take advantage of the ‘Early Bird’ fees and also take a look at the event’s website.

Oceans advice to GCSE boards

We are the Blue Planet. The Oceans are the earth’s life-support system, producing most of our oxyg¬en and capturing more than two-thirds of carbon dioxide. The oceans drive climate and weather, regulate temperature, shape Earth chemistry, and hold 97% of the Earth’s water. Covering 71% of the surface of our planet, an estimated 97% of all life on earth is found under the ocean surface, and less than 5% of that area has ever been explored.

So as the oceans are so important, we’ve been through every GCSE specification for science and geography searching for the terms fish, marine, sea and ocean. They should be well represented. This is what we found out.

Top prize for a great section on the urgent issue of ocean acidification goes to the AQA Science team and their new Chemistry GCSE. Loving your work and hope that the rest of the exam boards follow suit. There’s also a nice reference to the issues of over-fishing, but no mention of marine case studies for species adaptation, mutualism, etc. It would also have been nice to connect in the chemistry of ocean acidification with some more on biological impacts say on zooplankton. (more…)

Breaking bread for peace

Pakistani American, Samina Sundas, knows the fears people have all over the world of the unknown. In her own life she has experienced hardships as Americans stopped going to her daycare business after 9/11, as she discusses in a Voice of America article. She believes that the fear those people have is the result of a lack of understanding between cultures that are much more similar than many realize.

Eight years ago Sundas started the organization American Muslim Voice in an attempt for people of all religions and cultures to learn about each other and eliminate that fear we have of the unknown. She bases her organization on the idea that we cannot “just remain me, mine and I. It is us. It is we. It is ours”. She brings people together as one community based on friendship and respect and often holds dinners at her house for people to come together and talk about their lives and cultural backgrounds.

Her journey has not been easy as people of all religions are hesitant to come together as one community. Yet those who have attended her events and dinner gatherings realize that she is a voice of  ”understanding and reconciliation”.

Samina Sundas and her organization is proof that, with face-to-face meeting and interaction, all people can live together in peace and friendship. She is a beam of light in the never ending struggle for understanding and harmony.

Satellite images contradict Times Atlas

An article published a few days ago by Richard Black of the BBC reveals a new controversy over the amount of sea ice present in Greenland. According the newly-published Times Atlas, Greenland has lost 15% of its former ice coverage in just 12 years. This figure has caused concern around the world as it suggests that the climate is warming at a rapid rate and resulting in negative consequences for the environment.

Yet scientists from the Scott Polar Research Institute claim that this figure is exaggerated.  The Scott Polar researchers do not deny that increased temperatures have resulted in loss of sea ice in Greenland, but they do have evidence that contradicts the estimated rapid speed of  melting as shown in the Times Atlas. This evidence comes from new satellite images that show ice coverage and glaciers where the Times Atlas depicted as ice free zones and new land.

The Scott Polar scientists are unsure how the mistake occurred, but they want to make sure that we are only informed with ‘concrete and correct evidence’.

Oceans reveal hidden energy

New studies and research have found interesting patterns in the way the oceans absorb and store energy.  As discussed in a  Science Daily article, even when the atmospheric and global climate conditions appear stable, our oceans are still experiencing great change.

Simulations performed by scientists, using the Community Climate System Model, found that continued emissions of greenhouse gasses caused by humans will result in a temperature increase of 1.4 degrees Celsius between 2000 and 2100. Yet, the more intriguing discovery of this experiment was that there were two 10 year periods of stability during which no obvious atmospheric climate changes occurred. During these ‘hiatus’ periods ocean waters, below 300 meters, warmed 18% to 19% more rapidly than during other times. Researchers attributed their findings to the idea that changing ocean circulations cause deep ocean waters to absorb heat more rapidly.  The results also correspond with patterns of La Nina events and the two occurrences are believed to be connected in some regions.

The article and experiments attempt to show that we cannot ignore the missing heat that the oceans absorb. As stated by NCAR researcher Kevin Trenberth, “The heat has not disappeared, and so it cannot be ignored.”

Loss of Arctic sea ice indicates change

Arctic sea ice hit a record minimum last week, measuring 4.24 million square kilometres. Even though we only have satellite records of sea ice levels since 1972, it is thought that this is the lowest in 8,000 years. We can see that Arctic sea ice is on a downward spiral as last years measure of 4.76 million square kilometres was the third lowest measurement. It becomes only fair to predict that next year we will see even lower results.

As discussed in Quirin Schiermeier’s article, this is very important evidence of the changes going on within our oceans. The loss of Arctic sea ice indicates climate change and scientists from the Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado believe that it may result in “a greater potential for late season ice-loss, caused by warm water melting ice from below or winds that push the ice together”.

Pakistan Expedition alumni – one year on…

I am Elliott Murray, one of the chosen few who was given the incredible opportunity to visit Pakistan late last year. This year, I traveled over 3 months, across 3 countries in Asia, Thailand – Cambodia and India. I should point out that this is the first solo traveling project I have ever done, it would be very fair to say that the Pakistan expedition was a great starting point that gave me the confidence and thirst to explore more of the world.

In Thailand I spent one week volunteering at a self sustainable environmental community, consisting of 12 or so people from around the world. A lifestyle I had never been close to, and being fed on a daily diet of deep fried and oven baked dinners back home, was indeed a shock. Still, an interesting experience that taught me about how an alternative group of people live their life. We then did one week solo travel of Thailand. Pakistan taught me that their is no generalisation that can be made about a whole country, or community, that is always true, and that to learn about these things intimately, one must explore for oneself.

We then flew to Cambodia where we had arranged some time working at an orphanage for disadvantaged children in a small, remote village. We taught English, and knew that even our limited expertise of teaching was doing a great amount of good amongst this small community. Before Pakistan I was cynical in that I always believed if we where to ever make a social change for good, it must be achieved en masse. I then learned how small intimate projects change a selected group’s minds for tomorrow, who may indeed themselves take it upon themselves to re-teach what has been taught, to 20 more, and hence the cycle continues.

Finally I arrived in India, where I traveled independently. What I loved most was exploring other people’s cultures – drinking tea (or chi) with the locals, speaking with them and telling them of all the places I’ve seen in their country, and just understanding what their culture consists of. Whilst traveling I did see many tourists who would keep to themselves, and not be as talkative with the locals, and stay rather in their own bubble (taking private taxi’s opposed to local buses, staying in hotels with a price that could only be for foreigners etc etc..) which is fine, and maybe I would too have been comfortable traveling that way a few years ago, but since Pakistan I yearn to explore countries intimately, and find out what it’s real side is like.

Visiting Pakistan taught me to realise a country is always more than a 10 word headline, and that before passing judgment with a personal opinion, you must embrace it personally. It was without a doubt a huge part of my life, that has shaped the way I look at our world.