Featured image: A photo of an ice chunk dug up from a glacier in Alaska; this chunk came from 682 feet below the surface. (courtesy Climate.gov and Mike Waszkiewicz).
In this show, we zoom in on the science of ice core drilling. Scientists have long examined the layers of ice sheets, which are about two miles thick over Greenland; different summer ices and winter snows make yearly trends visible to researchers, so that we can track the climate over the last 100,000 years. How do researchers manage to camp out in the harsh Greenland tundra for months at a time to dig up miles of ice core? What do we learn about the tumultuous climate from this venture? Much of the discussion is based on an excellent book, The Two-Mile Time Machine by Richard B. Alley.
In other news:
- Fingertips sweat a tiny amount when you touch a hard surface, ultimately softening your skin and improving your grip.
- Biodiversity is enormous in the rainforest compared to the polar climes, and scientists are just starting to understand why. It may have to do with seasonality and competition within a species.
- Proactive policing, the practice of increasing police presence in an area to cut off crime, may backfire in some cases. Related: China is increasing police presence in Xinjiang like you wouldn’t believe.
The playlist can be found on WPRB.com or below.
These Vibes Are Too Cosmic 