It’s not a secret anymore; the climate is changing. Weather events are getting more extreme, from forest fires to snowpocolypses, from massive cyclones to extreme droughts. The ice sheet in Greenland is shrinking and the multiyear ice in the arctic is disappearing. It’s easy to get pretty disheartened reading about our changing planet. The articles are full of starving polar bears and plastic-choked rivers and devastating hurricanes and shocking images comparing ice coverage from 30 years ago. That information is important. But it’s not the only data that should be shared.
Where did that data come from? How do we know how the ice has changed over the last 30 years? The answer is science. It is the thousands of researchers and scientists working tirelessly to understand what has happened in the past and what is happening now, so that we can better predict what’s going to happen in the future and what we can do about it. It’s hard work, it’s not sexy, and it’s often overlooked.
The scientists are busy doing research, teaching classes, writing scientific papers and finding funding for their next project. Even with opportunities to share their passion with others, they understand the issues so intimately it’s often difficult to explain their work in language you and I can understand.
So, we’re going to help them.
We are going to share their stories with you in an easily digestible way. Not just the scientific findings, but what life is like on a research expedition, the paths these researchers took to get where they are, what goes wrong when using sensitive technology in harsh environments, and how that fancy technology works. We will explore the conundrum of relying on fossil fuels to study melting ice or using disposable hand warmers to stay warm while measuring plastic levels in the ocean. We will tell inspiring tales of individuals doing their part. We will connect classrooms with scientists in the field to let the students ask the important questions. Our stories will be entertaining, informative and approachable.
Will you help us? Share this with your friends, subscribe to get new stories in your inbox (and that’s the only way we’ll use your email address, I promise), and check out our upcoming project. Next week, we are headed north of the arctic circle during the winter with a research team measuring how waves interact with the ice sheet, especially during big winter storms. It’s going to be cold and dark and beautiful and more cold. Stay tuned!
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