Polar News and Notes Polar News & Notes

Russian and American scientists have found that the world’s largest lake, located in Siberia, is becoming warmer, another sign of climate change.  
They have expressed surprise because it was thought this lake with its vast volume of water and a unique water circulation would be more resistant to climate change.
Lake Baikal contains 20 percent of […]

For the past 30 years ago, the use of DDT as a freely used pesticide has diminished worldwide. One of the first successful campaigns against the chemical was based on its effects on birds. So, it came as a surprise to scientists that Adelie penguins in the Antarctic have the same levels of DDT in […]

By 2009, Greenland’s Institute of Natural Resources and the University of Greenland expect to open the Centre for Climate Research in Nuuk. The centre will document climate changes and study the impact on Arctic society and the environment. Greenland and Denmark scientists will work from the facility as well as scientists from other countries.
An Institute […]

While the plight of the polar bear deservedly gets most of the attention in Arctic-warming scenarios, the narwhal is even more at risk, according to a study of marine mammals’ vulnerability. Scientists from three countries identified risk factors for 11 mammals that live in the Arctic year-round.  
The narwhal is a pale-colored porpoise with a […]

During the last full week of May, science centers all over the world joined with area students to create “ice caps” from available white materials. At a scheduled time, the large white spots will be measured for reflectivity by NASA satellites. The effort, called the Albedo Experiment, is designed to increase public awareness of the […]

News from the polar regions in May includes continued trouble for Arctic sea ice and the marine mammals that depend on it for survival, research efforts in the Arctic, and analysis from the past Antarctic field season. Missed these stories the first time? Read on!
Data released from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicates that […]

Nancy Etchemendy
On May 26, 2008, published author Nancy Etchemendy will embark on the journey of a lifetime: the first of two research expeditions to Antarctica. On her blog, Etchmendy describes how an “unlikely series of events” resulted in an invitation to join the marine biology expeditions. The trip in May is a month-long voyage aboard the National […]

Climate Change Protest
image created by Grant Neufeld and subject to a Creative Commons license
U.S. Department of the Interior secretary Dirk Kempthorne announced Wednesday that the polar bear will be considered a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. The decision came just before a deadline imposed by a federal court, and three years after the Center […]

Six musk ox are roaming along the shores of the Chukchi and northern Bering Seas wearing their new GPS collars.
The Wildlife Conservation Society and other groups outfitted the animals to study how climate change may affect them. Next year in the four-year project, the research team will collar an additional 30-40 more animals.
“Musk ox are […]

In a recent paper published by researchers at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, scientists report that computer models of climate change specific to the Antarctic may not be as accurate as they were originally believed. Computer models based on data of Earth’s climate help scientists make predictions of climate change over time. From these […]