A major exhibition and an interesting question
Published on 24.06.2010 - General Info
Traditionally speaking, not many polar expeditions take place during the summer months. But this year, in July and August, Explorapoles will be tracking the exploits of Borge Ousland as he circumnavigates the pole. And from time to time we'll also have some nice little snippets of news like the ones we're publishing today. For lovers of the poles, of course.
EXCITING EXHIBITION
First snippet: the announcement of a huge exhibition that is currently on at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. This event tells what must be the most fascinating story of all in terms of polar conquests (along with Sir Ernest Shackleton in 1914-15): the race that took place from December 1911 and spring 1912 between the famous explorers Roald Amundsen and Robert F. Scott to be the first to reach the South Pole.
'Race to the End of the Earth' has been organised in conjunction with the Musée des Confluences, Lyon, France, and the Royal BC Museum, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The exhibition opened on 29th May and will run until 2nd January 2011. Any lover of polar exploration should make an effort to go and see this extraordinary show.
- View the expedition website
- See our pages devoted to this era (at our old website antarctica.org)
- Visit the AMNH website
WHY WOULD WE GO AND MEASURE THE THICKNESS OF THE ARCTIC SEA-ICE?
Second snippet: This website is very well done. It answers a question that isn't asked very often, but which still crops up every season, because virtually every professional sporting expedition that sets out for the Arctic has a serious science-based side to its programme.
So the question is an extremely simple one: what justifies sending seasoned researchers out into the Arctic? What do these expeditions provide in addition to all of the many highly accurate satellite observations in this region?
To understand the reasons properly, we'll be setting out with 30 international scientists aboard a former Soviet icebreaker to find out about the aims of their expedition. It will include evaluating the way the planet is heating up, as well as predicting the way the climate will change in the future and the geostrategic consequences, etc.
