The Poles and You

The Arctic in the far North, and Antarctica down South, may seem remote and distant from the places where most of us live. But they are a crucial part of the entire Earth system: what we do in the densely-populated mid-latitudes, emitting carbon dioxide and helping to heat the planet, or curbing CFC emissions and helping to heal the ozone hole, affects the Poles. In turn, changes in the Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets impact weather and climate everywhere on Earth, and - we know - the Poles are changing faster than anywhere else on our entire world. Understanding the Poles helps us make wise decisions about building a sustainable future for our species and our civilization. At the same time, the Poles offer intriguing stories of human and animal adaption to extreme conditions, and insights into the real-world adventure which doing science in such extreme conditions inevitably offers. POLAR-PALOOZA is a multimedia initiative - supported by both NSF and NASA - involving researchers, Alaskan natives, in-person presentations at science centers and natural history museums, video and audio podcasts, and more. Why "PALOOZA"? Like the rock tour, we hope to be a little out of the box, and always on the edge.