Antarctica

Antarctica is warming roughly twice as fast as the rest of the planet, putting its vast ice sheets, surrounding oceans, and unique ecosystems at growing risk. A new study led by researchers from the Australian National University and the University of New South Wales warns that the continent may face sudden and potentially irreversible changes. Without sharp global reductions in carbon emissions, these shifts could reverberate far beyond Antarctica, affecting ocean currents, weather patterns, and coastal communities across Australia and around the world.

In the 1990s, the Greenland Ice Sheet as well as the rest of the Arctic region were observed to be measurably thawing as a result of human-caused global warming. At that time, most of Antarctica’s vast ice cap seemed to be securely frozen. Conventional wisdom was that Antarctica’s ice sheets were going to remain stable and were not going to melt much.

Airmen from the New York Air National Guard are heading to Antarctica on an annual research mission.

On this episode, host Lucas Willard will speak with Cate Larsen, a geologist and science communicator based in upstate New York, about how social media can play a critical role in education.And The Best of Our Knowledge's Ian Pickus will speak with scientist Lija Treibergs, who is embarking on a three-month trip to Antarctica.

Paul Smith's College Adirondack Watershed Institute Research Associate, Lija Treibergs is going to Antarctica for three months to study lakes and dry valleys and conduct lab analysis.

Members of an Air National Guard unit based in upstate New York have departed for the 30th season of supporting U.S. scientific missions at the South…