Antarctic News and Announcment

Good news for inhabitants of this planet and the environment.  "Antarctic Ozone Layer is Finally Healing", says Chris Mooney in the Washington Post. http://wapo.st/2bOo9Zi

.."And the Ozone Layer over the Antarctic continent is getting better directly because of our choices and policies." I think it's important to celebrate our small wins. 

Also, Colleen O'Connor, who was killed by a car last week. She won an award for the article on George W. Gibbs, Jr., right before I left for Antarctica in 2012.

bit.ly/zCajcA

She inspired and helped me in many ways. RIP Colleen.

World's Largest Canyon Spotted Beneath Antarctic Ice Sheet!

Today, 76 years ago, is the historic day that George W. Gibbs, Jr, set foot on the West Antarctic Ice Shelf, making him the first man in the world of his race to do so.  I woke up wondering what I would write to commemorate the day.  Only to see this new discovery in the news,  just announced on 1/14/16 in the Australian press.

“Our analysis provides the first evidence that a huge canyon and a possible lake are present beneath the ice in Princess Elizabeth Land,” (East Antarctica) Dr Jamieson said.

“It’s astonishing to think that such large features could have avoided detection for so long."

Read more here and here 

"The results of this analysis, published recently in the journal Geology, reveal a chain of winding features over 600 miles long and half a mile deep buried beneath miles of ice." This discovery will be confirmed later in 2016, trumps the latest finding in 2013 of Greenland's Grand Canyon.  Due to satellite sophistication, "the age of discovery is far from over."

The canyon is over twice the size of the USA's Grand Canyon.  Hello Mother Earth!

Glacier Melting Changes the Earth's Gravity

Yes, collectively humanity weighs 316 million tons ( 287 metric tons).  Each year for three years, the glacial melt was 204 billion tons (185 metric tons).  Can you feel the shift?

Read more

DailyBeast - Bluegreen Pictures/Alamy

Global Warming Controversy

Since the recent rescue of the ships in Antarctica, climate change conversations include the sea ice around Antarctica.  Pundits have made clear their continued skepticism of the concept that the planet is warming.  Here are four myths debunking the notion that no significant warming is occuring. From The Weather Channel : Polar Vortex and Climate Change

NASA/GISS

http://wxch.nl/1huuTVx

The Perceived Value of the Poles

Christian Science Monitor published a thorough article on the Poles, 1/12/14.  My hope is that by 2048, when the mineral and mining policies expire, the demand for natural resources will have changed.  China and other countries are ready to pounce on the mineral rich areas of Antarctica.
What solutions might emerge to balance our need to mine, with a balance of protection for all life on the planet?

Current reality at the Poles--great summary slide show. http://bit.ly/1hT6UBT


AND today, George W. Gibbs, Jr, made history by landing on Antarctica in 1940. He was the first man off the ship and became the first person of African descent, in the world, to land on the continent.

Antarctic Bedrock Revealed

It was 1929 when Admiral Richard E. Byrd navigated the first flight over the South Pole, with Bernt Balchen as pilot.  Here's what we know about Antarctica now from a team lead by the British Antarctica Survey: