Bremerhaven, February 4, 2008: In the Southern Ocean, large quantities of surface-drifting plankton algae are able to significantly reduce the carbon dioxide content of the surface waters, which can affect the global carbon dioxide cycle. This is one of the results from an Antarctic expedition which has just drawn to a close in Cape Town on February 4, and which was led by the Alfred Wegener Institute, part of the Helmholtz Association. On February 5, an international team of scientists will discuss the results obtained to date and pressing questions of Antarctic research as part of a workshop aboard the icebreaker Polarstern. Federal research minister Dr Annette Schavan will use the opportunity to meet representatives of leading research institutions and South African mini...

12 February 2008 The American Geographical Society and the University of Delaware are pleased to announce that Captain Lawson W. Brigham, U.S. Coast Guard (Ret.), will sign the AGS Flier's and Explorers Globe at 7:30 pm EST on February 12, 2008. The event will take place on the campus of the University of Delaware in Newark, DE The ceremony will be web cast, and can be viewed in real time at http://www.udel.edu/UMS/udlive. The video of the event will be archived and available for future viewing through the University’s web site. The signing of the AGS Globe forms the introduction to the W. S. Carlson International Polar Year Events,a year-long series of public lectures, seminars, exhibits, films, and other events held at the University of Delawar...

Thousands of tourists visit the continent every year, most of them on board large, comfortable cruiseships. Dutch travel photographer Thijs Heslenfeld wanted true adventure. He boarded the Dutch threemast barque Europa for a journey of discovery to some of the loneliest, coldest and most beautiful places on earth. Heslenfeld sailed to Antarctica twice on board the Europa. Last year he did the full two month trip from Argentina all the way to South Africa. His Antarctica images have been published in magazines wordwide, including National Geographic Adventure and GEO Saison. Now his best pho...

Drawing South is a website documenting the visual communication of artist Nicholas Hutcheson from on board the ship Aurora Australis as it visits 3 of the Australian bases on one of the annual re-supply trips. Nicholas will be heading to the Antarctic as part of the Australian Governments Antarctic Arts fellowship progam. Each week of the 8 week voyage, a new set of drawings will be uploaded featuring the weather, interviews with people working in the Antartic, answers to viewers questions and the daily observations of things around him. Part of this project is working with school students who are following the journey, asking him questions and learning about Ant...

Drawing South is a website documenting the visual communication of artist Nicholas Hutcheson from on board the ship Aurora Australis as it visits 3 of the Australian bases on one of the annual re-supply trips. Nicholas will be heading to the Antarctic as part of the Australian Governments Antarctic Arts fellowship progam. Each week of the 8 week voyage, a new set of drawings will be uploaded featuring the weather, interviews with people working in the Antartic, answers to viewers questions and the daily observations of things around him. Part of this project is working with school students who are following the journey, asking him questions and learning about Ant...

The Last Polar Bear records and celebrates one of nature’s most majestic creatures — the polar bear — and examines how global warming is affecting the fragile, complex Arctic environment. Polar bears use sea ice to move about, find mates and hunt for seals. As temperatures warm, the loss of the pack ice directly impacts their ability to survive. Scientists agree that Arctic ice is disappearing at an alarming rate. Last summer, sea ice levels plummeted to their lowest since satellite measurements began in 1979. And a new scientific study by the U.S. Geological Survey, released last fall, predicts that two-thirds of the world’s polar bears, including Alaska’s entire population, may disapp...

Please consider presenting your research results at the Special Session described below on the ASLO Summer Meeting to take place at St. John\'s NewFounland, Canada, 8-13 June, 2008. ABSTRACT DEADLINE FEBRUARY 28, 2008 For more information: http://www.aslo.org/meetings/stjohns2008/ SS34. Impacts of Climate Warming on Polar Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems Organizers: Carlos M. Duarte, IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB, Mallorca, Spain, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ; Susana Agust, IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB, Mallorca, Spain, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it The 4th International Polar Year (IPY, March 2007 - March 2009) is taking place at a time when climate warming is clearly affecting polar regions. Warming rates and the associated ice loss appears to be accelerating i...

As part of International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2009 the University of Alaska Fairbanks Marine Advisory Program and Northwest campus are hosting a speaker series in Nome, Alaska. This series is meant to facilitate discussions of current polar issues between local residents and academic experts. Topics will range from the effects of climate change on fisheries and the sea ice pack, to storm systems and coastal erosion, to preservation of Native languages and art. Despite the importance of many of these topics in our region, experts rarely have an opportunity to interact with local residents because of the remote location of these communities and limited communication systems. The potential for this series to reach rural residents is vastly expanded because ...

A number of Discussion Groups have developed during IPY that are useful ways for members of the IPY Community to interact, discuss, and share information. To sign up, please visit the following links. Open discussion space and announcements, especially regarding outreach and education. IPY Teachers Discussion Group IPY Data and Information Services Discussion Forum ...

"Ivan’s Appeal" is a new book by Catherine Drury which explores global climate change via Ivan, a talking iceberg. Aimed at 8-11 year olds, it is now available for order via this form, which also contains more information about the book (ISBN 978-1-904985-57-0). Below are some reviews of Ivan’s Appeal. Melanie Lister-Kaye Education Manager, Aigas Field Centre:Earnest, informative and sincere: Ivan’s appeal is packed full of information and ideas conveyed through endearing characters and a strong plot that is accessible to most children in the UK today. This book is a must for parents struggling to answer their children’s questions about climate ch...