Sea Ice: Losing in the Arctic, but Gaining in the Antarctic

Polar Bear

Polar bears are the poster children for the rapid loss of sea ice in the Arctic. ©Eric Rock

Cute, adorable animals are often used to garner support for environmental causes in places that are remote. After all, it’s hard to have concern for an area that is at the opposite end of the Earth from where you live and for which you have no plans to ever see. It’s why polar bears, for example, have been used as the poster children for the rapid loss of sea ice in the Arctic ever since “global warming” became a household phrase decades ago.

Today, scientists largely agree that humans have been major players in that loss. Recently, in fact, researchers have found that neither natural climate fluctuations nor self-acceleration can explain the observed Arctic sea-ice retreat. Instead, they’ve found a strong, plausible correlation with increasing greenhouse gas concentrations — increasing as a result of human activities.

What is surprising, though, is that at the opposite end of the Earth, no such link between greenhouse gas concentrations and retreating sea ice has been found. In truth, Antarctic sea ice is actually gaining ground.

So, if we’re losing ice at one end of the planet, but gaining at the other, is there cause for concern?  Continue reading →

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Candice Gaukel Andrews
Written By Candice Gaukel Andrews.

We Have a Geo Quiz Winner!

Thanks to everyone who took a stab at our obscure geography trivia quiz! We’re not kidding when we say Explorers’ Corner runs trips to the lesser-known parts of the planet.

And congrats to Michael Ferrara, who was the first person to correctly name the home country for each of the 10 locations on our “Where in the World?” quiz. We’ll be sending Michael an Explorers’ Corner T-shirt for his efforts.

While several entrants got close, Michael accurately named all 10 countries – it wasn’t enough, for instance, to know that Post Office Bay is in the Galapagos or that the Zhupanova River runs through Siberia. Kudos to those who got these specific regions, but to win, you had to also identify Ecuador and Russia as the actual countries.

Here’s a recap — the destination, plus the country:

1. Masoala National Park — MADAGASCAR
2. Zhupanova River — RUSSIA, on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Siberia
3. Sermilik Fjord — GREENLAND
4. Ushuaia — ARGENTINA
5. Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave — BELIZE
6. Tbilisi — GEORGIA, as in Republic of, capital city
7. Douro River — runs through PORTUGAL & SPAIN. EC floats the Portugal portion.
8. Luang Prabang — capital city of LAOS
9. Elaphiti Islands — CROATIA
10. Post Office Bay — on Floreana Island in ECUADOR’s Galapagos

Surely this exotic list has whetted your appetite for an exciting, ‘path less traveled’ global adventure… Check out all of these, plus our full array of exciting expeditions on our website, and get planning!

Happy Travels,

Wendy

 

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Wendy Worrall Redal
Written By Wendy Worrall Redal.

Where in the World?? Test Your Geo-Savvy & Win an Explorers’ Corner T-Shirt!

Been to the Back of Beyond? Tackled the Ultima Thule? If you’ve traveled with Explorers’ Corner, you might have! Because our whole mission is to unveil exciting and unusual destinations to travelers with a serious sense of adventure.

If you’re reading our blog — even as an armchair vagabond — we bet you know your way around the world better than most folks. So here’s your chance to prove it.

Below are 10 destinations that Explorers’ Corner travels to, as part of our global slate of unusual adventures. So, even if these places seem too far “off the beaten path” to succeed at our quiz, you can find all the answers on our website!!

Name the country that each location lies within. Reply with your answers in the Comments field below, and we will contact you if you are the first person to get all 10 correct, so we can send you your free T-shirt!

1. Masoala National Park
2. Zhupanova River
3. Sermilik Fjord
4. Ushuaia
5. Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave
6. Tbilisi
7. Douro River
8. Luang Prabang
9. Elaphiti Islands
10. Post Office Bay

And now… check out our website and start planning your next trip to one of the above! Then stump your friends, when they ask you where you are going!

Yours for real adventure,

Wendy

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Wendy Worrall Redal
Written By Wendy Worrall Redal.
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