Antarctic Protection and Tourism
The hot topic of this week is protecting the Ross Sea. I'm excited that John Kerry, along with New Zealand's ambassador to the United States, Michael Moore, asked for the protection of one of the last pristine oceans in the world. At this rate, the Antarctic Treaty of 2041 could easy to uphold for another 100 years!
Tourism is controversial. I'm still formulating my feelings on it. It's controversial because, now, increasing numbers of people want to do extreme sports, rather than walk around and look at ice and penguins. I believe we need to pull together to take action that respects and protects the environment, at the bottom of the world. I've read two books that claim people should go to the continent and experience for themselves. Another author says absolutely not! Scientists have mixed feelings.
Is Antarctica left defenseless to tourism? Rod McGuirk interviewed Alan Hemmings, an environmental consultant on polar regions. Mr. Hemmings say yes.
From The Independent UK-
Tourism is controversial. I'm still formulating my feelings on it. It's controversial because, now, increasing numbers of people want to do extreme sports, rather than walk around and look at ice and penguins. I believe we need to pull together to take action that respects and protects the environment, at the bottom of the world. I've read two books that claim people should go to the continent and experience for themselves. Another author says absolutely not! Scientists have mixed feelings.
Is Antarctica left defenseless to tourism? Rod McGuirk interviewed Alan Hemmings, an environmental consultant on polar regions. Mr. Hemmings say yes.
From The Independent UK-
The USS Bear leaving for Antarctica
I'm celebrating today for two reasons: This is the Mayan day for the USS Bear ( Queen of the Polar seas and 'forerunner of modern icebreakers') leaving for Antarctica. The Gregorian date was November 22, 1939. But today is Deer, which is community service day, with the 13 being transcendence as well as, the last day of the Mayan week. Their weeks are 13 days long.
My goal is to continue to write and reflect on the six month journey the crew of the USAS experienced, beginning today. Any good wishes on finishing this book in the next six months, is appreciated!
The other reason to celebrate is I've already had the beginning of the first chapter translated into Japanese. Writing this book continues to feel like a huge challenge. I'm up for the task, anticipating days where I might want to 'go home', as George Gibbs, wrote in his journal.
My goal is to continue to write and reflect on the six month journey the crew of the USAS experienced, beginning today. Any good wishes on finishing this book in the next six months, is appreciated!
Bob Inglis: the Republican who believes in climate change
I don't focus on the polarization of climate change in the politics. But, I apparently that's naive. I understand the term global warming was changed primarily by Republicans to climate change some years ago. Bob Inglis went to Antarctica in 2006 and saw climate change first hand. In my research an experience, the Ice seems to have a message no matter what your politics! 'In an interview with Yale Environment 360 editor Roger Cohn, Inglis talked about his own evolution from being a climate change denier.' http://bit.ly/16xLsLp
Ozone Hole Low in 2012!
I admire Susan Solomon for her remarkable work identifying the cause of the ozone hole (atmospheric thinning), in Antarctica. What an individual and collective success story! 2012 shows the thinning of the atmosphere lower than in the past 10 years. This is due primarily to the banning of Chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere from aerosol-spray propellants, refrigerants, solvents, and foam-blowing agents.
Susan is quoted in The Boise weekly- "I think the difficulty that some people have in relating to environmental change has something to do with the fact that an awful lot of people spend their lives not really noticing the natural world around them."
I wholeheartedly agree. My partner and I are outdoors more than ever, camping and retailing kaleidoscopes at Art Fairs. What a difference to make part of your living and working outside. Antarcticans (people who visit and love the continent have a love of the outdoors too!
Susan is quoted in The Boise weekly- "I think the difficulty that some people have in relating to environmental change has something to do with the fact that an awful lot of people spend their lives not really noticing the natural world around them."
I wholeheartedly agree. My partner and I are outdoors more than ever, camping and retailing kaleidoscopes at Art Fairs. What a difference to make part of your living and working outside. Antarcticans (people who visit and love the continent have a love of the outdoors too!
Optimism: Abundance is Our Future
Peter Diamandis- inspiring from Feb. 2012. Fits with the theme I've been noticing: abundance all around us
Crossing the Ice in 2014 in Shackleton's Footsteps
The ITACE 2014 is recreating Sir Ernest Shackleton's intended journey more than 100 years ago. PBS has a great segment about the trip.
Antarctica and Clues from Space
I think of abundance, when I see these headlines, read these stories. I hope that these findings will ultimately help the human race.
Huge meteorite found, largest in 25 years in East Antarctica
Salty Antarctic Pond May Hold Clues to Water on Mars. and speaking of water, did you know about finding water in moon rocks?
A year ago, I was just back from the South Continents. I retook the journey in my body and soul. A life changing year, so much learning. This is my 100th post.
Whole Planet Mindset
The Overview Institute created a video with footage from space. Seeing the earth inspires a whole earth mindset, similar to a shift in perspective when going to Antarctica. Most everyone who goes to space and to Antarctica see the interconnectedness of us all with the fragile environment.
The UK is linking the business of space with the business of climate change.
Differences on Opposite ends of Saturn's poles
In 2007, the Cassini space craft spotted different shapes on Saturn's poles. I'm seeing it for the first time. Check it!
The picture is Snowball Fight in Saturn's Ring from Space.com.
The picture is Snowball Fight in Saturn's Ring from Space.com.
Inside a Meteorite
It's easy to spot meteorites in Antarctica. I recently learned, from CBS Sunday Morning show, about their color inside.
This is a meteorite picture through a microscope. The actual image is 2mm.
Our Henry Bergeson Kaleidoscopes remind me of the inside of meteorites.
What a beautiful and unexpected surprise to find a connection between my Antarctic work and my partner Henry's kaleidoscopes!
Mass Extinction
I didn't know that most species (99%) that have been on this planet are now extinct.
More About Life in Antarctica
I'm rereading the news of "life buried under Antarctic lake".
Three lakes are now drilled. Vostok, Ellsworth and Whillans. See photos of Ellsworth.
Subglacial Lake Whillans is on the southeastern edge of the Ross Sea. The first ever, useable water samples from below the Antarctic ice sheet. They confirmed about 1000 bacteria per 1/5 of a teaspoon of lake water. This means life can live in most any condition. "Everywhere we look, whether it is in the sunlit coral reefs of tropical waters or beneath Antarctica shrouded in eternal darkness, we find unique ecosystems that we need to understand and protect." -Professor Alex Rogers of Oxford University's Department of Zoology
Where will life be in 40 years?
Celebrating My First Trip to Antarctica, 2/15/2012
I'm forever changed by my trip to Antarctica. The date is easy to remember because it's Sir Ernest Shackleton's birthday. I hardly slept or ate while I was there. Our starting point was Russia's Bellinghausen scientific base. The trip utilizes cooperation between Argentina, Chile and Russia. Every cell in my body remembers the sweet stillness from the lack of thought forms. Not to mention the grandeur of the landscape. I'm honored to be a person to have gone to the bottom of the earth. Thanks and blessings to those who supported my journey through donations. My working book title is We are All Antarctica: Adventures of the First Black Explorer on the Icy Continent. I'm told it will definitely change. I do have another title in mind. It's a challenging project, but I'm making progress. Have an amazing day!
Kate Upton in Antarctica
A little mainstream news on Valentine's Day!
Last year this time, I was in a meeting to find out whether our plane would fly to Antarctica the next day. I never imagined, a year later, that a super model would be (in Antarctica) on the cover of Sports Illustrated in a bikini! It looks like the beach I was on (wink), and it's cold. Kate, you're brave!
Chasing Ice Calving
The film Chasing Ice was in Denver Nov. 2012. It's not showing anywhere near here, at the moment. So, we can watch the calving of the Ilulissat Glacier in Western Greenland, to comprehend the magnitude of glacier melting. The glacier is not frozen in time any more! Watch about 3 min. in to see a surprise emerge.
My plan is to host a screening mid 2013. You can too. http://www.chasingice.com/
Antarctica's Future
To date, Antarctica's history consumes most my research time. There's plenty to learn about the USASE (Admiral Richard E. Byrd's III expedition to the South Pole), in order to keep writing.
I'm happy to say my brain is now tuned to future possibilities of our amazing continent.
See this video about the robot in design to explore Lake Vostok , The Lost World.
It may be 5 years to launch! Go about 5 minutes into the video to see the robot plans and animation.
I'm happy to say my brain is now tuned to future possibilities of our amazing continent.
See this video about the robot in design to explore Lake Vostok , The Lost World.
It may be 5 years to launch! Go about 5 minutes into the video to see the robot plans and animation.
My First View of Ice Cores
Yesterday, after my African American History presentation to the Bureau of Reclamation, I receive an unexpected gift.
The librarian reminds me that the National Ice Core Lab is nearby. I head over and get a tour from Richard Nunn, Assistant Curator and Geologist of the ice cores. What a knowledgeable resource, he is! This lab stores the world's collection of ice cores in a room -36°F. My interest is of course the Byrd expeditions. In the very back, where the temperature, with windchill, was about -60°F ( Calculated from the old formula- On November 1, 2001, a new formula was adopted, which makes it a little warmer :-).
We're there for about 10 minutes. It takes me an hour to warm up! Totally worth it.
The tubes from the 1940s and 50s are made from metal. The new tubes are cardboard.
They keep the first ice cores, from Admiral Byrd's 1947 expedition for posterity sake. Since the most of the air is gone from the samples, the data they collect isn't accurate.
What a thrill to see the cores, with ice anywhere from 10,000 to 70,000 years old.
In the summer, the faculty plays in the thousands of year old 'snow' from the shavings they discard. My mind is racing with climate science questions and possibilities!
The librarian reminds me that the National Ice Core Lab is nearby. I head over and get a tour from Richard Nunn, Assistant Curator and Geologist of the ice cores. What a knowledgeable resource, he is! This lab stores the world's collection of ice cores in a room -36°F. My interest is of course the Byrd expeditions. In the very back, where the temperature, with windchill, was about -60°F ( Calculated from the old formula- On November 1, 2001, a new formula was adopted, which makes it a little warmer :-).
We're there for about 10 minutes. It takes me an hour to warm up! Totally worth it.
The tubes from the 1940s and 50s are made from metal. The new tubes are cardboard.
They keep the first ice cores, from Admiral Byrd's 1947 expedition for posterity sake. Since the most of the air is gone from the samples, the data they collect isn't accurate.
What a thrill to see the cores, with ice anywhere from 10,000 to 70,000 years old.
In the summer, the faculty plays in the thousands of year old 'snow' from the shavings they discard. My mind is racing with climate science questions and possibilities!
Colleen O'Connor Wins CABJ Award for Frozen in Time!
It's been almost a year since I left for Antarctica. I woke up this time last year, wondering what the Denver Post article was going to say. Colleen said "baring a major world event, I'd be on the front page." Since it was SuperBowl weekend, I wasn't expecting it! Congratulations to Denver Post's extraordinary writer, Colleen O'Connor for writing this story- Frozen in Time. Last August, I was at the Colorado Association of Black Journalists banquet to see her receive the award.
Sea LIfe Buried in Antarctica?
Exciting news released today in our Amazing Planet, about water trapped deep in Antarctica may have life! From US scientists, about 800 meters down. The Scientist reported the samples taken this morning.
More information probably coming from the Russian's ice core samples from 4,000 meters below the ice. I'm especially interested in their findings, because I stayed in Bellinghausen, the Russian Base on King George Island. Just a random, fun synchronicity :-)
More information probably coming from the Russian's ice core samples from 4,000 meters below the ice. I'm especially interested in their findings, because I stayed in Bellinghausen, the Russian Base on King George Island. Just a random, fun synchronicity :-)
George Gibbs Entry into American National Biography Online
Author and Polar Historian, Glenn M. Stein calls today. "Hello Leilani! I'm looking at the new published entry for George W. Gibbs Jr., in the American National Biography. "Google it!"
Here's the link. Happy 2013 MLK Holiday weekend.
Here's the link. Happy 2013 MLK Holiday weekend.