On October 22, science students from around Chile congregated in Punta Arenas for the start of the the IV Feria Antártica Escolar (Antarctic Students' Fair), which this year focuses on the effects of climate change on the wildlife of Antarctica. FAE was inaugurated by Dr. Juan Carlos Castilla, who spoke about "Climate Change in Chile: how can we adapt and help mitigate its impact". Castilla is professor at the Catholic University of Chile, a specialist in experimental marine ecology and marine conservation. Castilla is a member of the Chilean Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences (US). In this FAE, six experimental works and 18 bibliographical ones will be presented by students, with topics covering places like Eastern Island and Puert...

EcoKids is Earth Day Canada’s program for kids who care about the planet. Our website has tons of fun and educational games and activities on a range of environmental topics. Our 2007 theme is ‘Exploring Canada’s North’. We have created a new informational section for this theme along with the following online features: Northern Seasons – A glimpse of the landscape through the four seasons in Canada’s north. Mush Rush – A game that puts you in the driver’s seat of a dogsled team. Canada’s North Quizzes – Three challenging quizzes about the environment, wildlife and people in the north. Eco-Field Guide Northern Organisms – Information about 24 different species of fl...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ANTARCTICA: LIFE ON THE ICE explores life at the bottom of the world What is it like to live in the most desolate place on the planet? The newest collection from outdoorswoman and writer Susan Fox Rogers brings together twenty scientists, writers and workers who tell their dramatic, funny, often moving tales of daily life amidst the ice and isolation of Antarctica. Realizing her childhood dream of walking in the footsteps of Antarctic explorers, editor Rogers spent six weeks on the Ice learning the ways of the penguin researchers, ice diggers, atmospheric scientists, cooks, pilots, and others who are drawn, almost mystically, to the most foreboding climate one can imagine. “I traveled to the Antarctic bec...

A new listserv is being created to facilitate the exchange of information among graduate students conducting research on the circumpolar North in the social sciences and humanities. Those with interests in environmental history are particularly encouraged to participate. The listserv will provide the means for building professional relationships, communicating funding and conference news, sharing resources, and facilitating dialogue on the unique challenges of northern research among young scholars. Participation by researchers in all fields of the humanities and social sciences is welcome. If you are interested, please contact the coordinator Brad Martin. Brad Martin PhD Candidate Department...

The exhibition has been open for over four months now and has seen the graduation of countless ice cadets. If you are yet to visit the exhibition, here is a virtual tour showing some of the exciting things you are missing out on. It all begins with a briefing from Sanjit, our Ice Station Commander, who will guide us through our Antarctic adventure. We soon learn of the perils that lie ahead as we enter the freezer room. This is set at a chilling -10ºC and you wou...

Contents: 1. Reminder: Joint Committee Assessment 2. Reminder: AGU 3. IPY Science Days 4. Young and Early Career Polar Researchers 5. Polar Ambassadors 6. Observational Legacies From: IPY International Programme Office To: IPY Project Coordinators cc: IPY Community Google Groups 1. Reminder: Joint Committee Assessment As described in our September 2007 report, we solicit input from IPY Project Coordinators and from IPY National Committees for the IPY Joint Committee meeting later this month. The Joint Committee will assess the overall IPY programme as it exists, and welcomes comment on any aspects of IPY, particularly on actions or changes that could he...

Who says you can't be green in Antarctica? At the Australian Mawson station in East Antarctica, two wind turbines have been generating part of the station’s electricity since 2003. At wind speeds above 12 m/s — a common occurrences during eleven months of the year — the wind turbines are capable of generating 100% of the electricity needed by the station for long periods of time. The wind turbines have led to monthly savings in diesel fuel use of up to 58%. Over 10,000 litres of fuel are saved per month, significantly reducing the emissions of carbon dioxide that contribute to global warming. For more information on renewable power sources tried and tested for the polar regions, check out the ...

Fundació Caixa Catalunya in collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History is organizing a travelling exhibition entitled “Trapped in the Ice: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition” containing the original pictures taken by James Francis Hurley during the expedition. This exhibition also presents information about research and the current situation in Antarctica together with details of the International Polar Year, and is accompanied by a series of lectures and educational activities addressed to primary and secondary students. This exhibition is touring Spain for two years, coincidi...

France is commemorating the 50th anniversaries of International Geophysical Year (IGY) and the "conquest" of space by Sputnik with a special philatelic issuance. To commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of IGY, which was launched July 1st 1957, France has produced a special pre-stamped envelope with a special temporary cancellation that was in use July 1st, 2007. On October 4, 2007, a stamp will be issued in France to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the beginning of the "space conquest" by Sputnik. . The "space race" really started in October 1954, when the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) - the initiator of IGY - adopted a resolution calling for artificial satellites to be launched during the IGY to map the Ear...

Come October 1, the U.S. Postal Service will issue this pane of 20 41-cent stamps with two designs that feature photographs of the polar lights, often known as auroras. The polar lights are a luminous glow seen in the night sky at high latitudes surrounding the north and south magnetic poles. These auroras are the result of a magnetic storm - when Earth's magnetic field is unusually active due to a dynamic interaction with the sun. During magnetic storms, energetic electrons descend from space and collide with molecules in the upper atmosphere, leading to the emission of green and sometimes red light. Auroras come in different visual forms, including arcs, curtains and rays, and are a relatively common sight in Alaska, Canada and northern Europe. During particularly intens...