In 2016, scientist Rosaly Lopes and artist Michael Carroll teamed up as fellows of the National Science Foundation to travel to Mount Erebus, the world’s southernmost active volcano in Antarctica. The logistics of getting there and complex operations of Antarctica's McMurdo Station echo the kinds of strategies that future explorers will undertake as they set up settlements on Mars and beyond. This exciting popular-level book explores the arduous environment of Antarctica and how it is similar to other icy worlds in the Solar System. The bulk of this story delves into Antarctica’s infrastructure, exploration, and remote camps, culminating on the summit of Erebus. There, the authors explored the caves and ice towers on the volcano’s flanks, taking photographs and generating original art depicting scenes in Antarctica and terrestrial analogs on other planets and moons. Readers will see an intimate side of Mount Erebus and Antarctica while surveying the region’s history, exploration, geology, and volcanology, which includes research funded by the National Science Foundation’s United States Antarctic Programs. Richly illustrated with photographs and stunning paintings showcasing the beauty of the harsh continent, the book captures the spirit and splendor of the authors’ journey to Erebus.

Encyclopedia of the World’s Biomes is a unique, five volume reference that provides a global synthesis of biomes, including the latest science. All of the book's chapters follow a common thematic order that spans biodiversity importance, principal anthropogenic stressors and trends, changing climatic conditions, and conservation strategies for maintaining biomes in an increasingly human-dominated world. This work is a one-stop shop that gives users access to up-to-date, informative articles that go deeper in content than any currently available publication. Offers students and researchers a one-stop shop for information currently only available in scattered or non-technical sources Authored and edited by top scientists in the field Concisely written to guide the reader though the topic Includes meaningful illustrations and suggests further reading for those needing more specific information

A co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize offers a clear-eyed explanation of the planet’s imperiled ice. Much has been written about global warming, but the crucial relationship between people and ice has received little focus—until now. As one of the world’s leading experts on climate change, Henry Pollack provides an accessible, comprehensive survey of ice as a force of nature, and the potential consequences as we face the possibility of a world without ice. A World Without Ice traces the effect of mountain glaciers on supplies of drinking water and agricultural irrigation, as well as the current results of melting permafrost and shrinking Arctic sea ice—a situation that has degraded the habitat of numerous animals and sparked an international race for seabed oil and minerals. Catastrophic possibilities loom, including rising sea levels and subsequent flooding of lowlying regions worldwide, and the ultimate displacement of millions of coastal residents. A World Without Ice answers our most urgent questions about this pending crisis, laying out the necessary steps for managing the unavoidable and avoiding the unmanageable.

The Earth is not the world it once was, and it is not the world it will always be. This book describes the exciting, complex, and occasionally baffling history of our own planet. Over the course of its 4.5 billion years, Earth has undergone astonishing changes to its surface and atmosphere, at times more closely resembling other planets in our Solar System than the habitable, teeming biosphere of today. Through these otherworldly analogs, author-illustrator Michael Carroll teaches readers about different aspects of our own planet’s past. Our nearest cosmic neighbor, Venus, offers insights into Earth’s own young atmosphere and surface, while Saturn’s moon Titan may offer a window into the genesis of life on Earth. Planet Earth, Past and Present explores these and many more connections. Original art accompanies each chapter, depicting major stages of the Earth’s evolution and providing vivid comparisons to other planets or moons. Come along on this journey through the Solar System—a journey that ultimately leads us home.

The continent of Antarctica, shrouded in mist, ice and frightful weather, was a land of mystery for millennia. Ancient and medieval cartographers and scientists pondered its reality, considering the South Pole at the extreme of Earth, the counterpart of the North Pole. But it was only in the 17th and 18th centuries that brave captains, piloting tiny ships (by today's standards) began plying these waters. The myth of Terra Australis was soon debunked as the misty veil of ice and cold yielded its secrets. Soon, many explorers set themselves the task of mastering this secret and unknown land. The story of such exploration is a fascinating tale: of those who braved the ice and cold; those who living to tell the tale of their exploits; and those who did not. Today, waters, seas, mountains and valleys are known by these hardy men and their feats of bravery. The tale of exploration is also coupled with greed, spurred by the advance of territorial claims over land and sea. In this regard, the British were foremost in this quest. They were only halted by the adoption of the Antarctic Treaty System, an international agreement that preserves and protects Antarctica from every mercantile endeavor -- at least until until 2048. There are no human settlements on Antarctica, save for research stations as scientist-explorers further our collective understanding of the continent, its flora and fauna, its many water animals that come here and to understand the story hidden beneath hundreds of feet of solid ice. Of greatest importance is the effect this continent has on the rest of the globe, with its teeming billions and ecological effect the world has on this distant land. This review discusses the explorers who first mapped the land and its waters, who navigated these channels and so, leading to the wider discovery of the continent itself. The expansion of British interests in Antarctica was also spurred by the claim over the Falklands Islands, resulting in the 1982 conflict between Britain and Argentina. The Argentine invasion was repelled by British forces, though Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over the islands. For a time, Britain declared sovereignty from the Falklands to the South Pole, with overlapping claims from other countries. None of these sovereignty claims however, are recognized under the Antarctic Treaty. Of special interest is the science applied to the continent, which requires specialized training and expertise. I review some of the science, appreciating the dedication and determination of the men and women to understand this icy continent. Speaking of women, I was surprised to learn that women were forbidden from participating in exploration and scientific efforts based on nothing more than machismo - men who decided this was no place for women. The first women who pioneered and came to Antarctica faced a host of male-dominated and demeaning attitudes until these attitudes changed. I also explore a Jewish conundrum - how to visit Antarctica, either during its long summer or its dark winter and remain true to Jewish tradition. That tradition mandates following laws that are time-sensitive by the rhythm of day and night, which do not apply in this remote region. Ancient precedent is used to apply a modicum of reality to this remote region. I then discuss my two visits to the continent, once about Holland America's Prinsendam, and the second aboard the Amsterdam. While both journeys were memorable, the second voyage was overshadowed by Covid-19. In fact, the latter journey ended in late March, just two months later, when all passengers were required to disembark in Perth Australia and had to immediately return home. Unless one is a research scientist, travel to Antarctica is commonly by cruise ship. Even then, the Antarctic mainland is not seen. Instead, the ship will visit various points in the Antarctic Peninsula, a location that is closer to Ushuaia, Argentina or Punta Arenas, Chile. These locations are Fin del Mundo - the end of the earth, the last human habitation before reaching the Antarctic land mass. My visits were to the Peninsula, with each trip lasting just four and one half days. Combined, these nine days remain memorable for the uniqueness as for their stark color extremes. White and dark predominates here with few other colors marring the landscape. If ever I had a 'bucket list', these nine days filled the void of the only landmass on earth where extremes of ice and snow, of dark-colored penguins, whales and seals contrasted with the icebergs and high granite peaks atop snow-encrusted mountains. I remain grateful for this incredible opportunity to visit this remote land, cocooned aboard a large and warm vessel, with fellow passengers seeking the see this remote and distant land. I hope this review does justice to the beauty and cold silence of this remote land.

The acclaimed science writer presents a wide-ranging exploration of Antarctica’s history, nature, and global significance in this “rollicking good read” (Kirkus). From the early expeditions of Ernest Shackleton to David Attenborough’s documentary series Frozen Planet, the continent of Antarctica has captured the world’s imagination. After the Antarctic Treaty of 1961, decades of scientific research revealed the true extent of its many mysteries. Now former Nature magazine staff writer Gabrielle Walker tells the full story of Antarctica—from its fascinating history to its uncertain future and the international teams of researchers who brave its forbidding climate. Drawing on her broad travels across the continent, Walker weaves all the significant threads of life on the vast ice sheet into a multifaceted narrative, illuminating what it really feels like to be there and why it draws so many different kinds of people. She chronicles cutting-edge science experiments, visits to the South Pole, and unsettling portents about our future in an age of global warming. “We are all anxious Antarctic watchers now, and Walker's book is the essential primer.”—The Guardian, UK

What happens with something becomes someone? In the aftermath of an asteroid impact, Earth’s power grid is damaged nearly beyond recovery. The survival of our world may well depend on energy sources collected from an abandoned undersea settlement beneath the icy surface of Enceladus. Earth-raised Colonel Carter Rhodes, in charge of Earth’s recovery efforts, calls upon Gwen Baré, a Venusian engineer, to regain control of the deserted moon outpost and collect fuel for Earth’s collapsing power grids. However, what Gwen discovers churning in Enceladus's subsurface waters brings her and Colonel Rhodes' straightforward plans to a crashing halt. Soon, Gwen finds herself in the middle of an interplanetary standoff. Win, and give the last humans on Earth a chance to survive. Lose, and risk the permanent dismantling of human society across the Solar System. Forced to take sides in this war for power, resources, and species survival, Gwen must make choices that not only affect her own life, but also force her to question what "life" itself might really mean. Will the promise of Enceladus energy be enough to salvage what is left of Earth‘s society? Are these humans worthy of salvation?.

Come along for the captivating hunt for planets like our own Envisioning Exoplanets traces the journey of astronomers and researchers on their quest to explore the universe for a planet like Earth. Exoplanets--worlds beyond our solar system--were once dismissed as science fiction. But now, with more than 4,000 confirmed exoplanets, countless possibilities exist for what remains to be uncovered in the universe. This book follows the exhilarating progression of exoplanet research from its earliest stages operating on the fringes of scientific research to the newest developments of renowned agencies around the world searching for planets capable of hosting life. Featuring provocative questions about the universe and more than 200 remarkable illustrations from Michael Caroll, Ron Miller, and other key members of the International Association of Astronomical Artists, Envisioning Exoplanets is an intergalactic visual voyage.

“On this land of ice, where we are thousands of miles of ice and mountains, it’s really beautiful.” Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, driest, and most remote part of the world. No one owns it. Only peaceful and scientific endeavors are permitted. It is a true wilderness. Delve into the incredible geography, biodiversity, and exploratory history of the world's coldest continent through the diary entries of George W. Gibbs, Jr., the first Black person to set foot on Antarctica. Author Leilani Raashida Henry, Gibbs's daughter, shares the importance of protecting and understanding the Antarctic landscape and ecosystem as climate change advances. The Antarctic Treaty, which protects the continent from environmentally destructive practices such as mining and drilling, will be up for renewal in 2041, and The Call of Antarctica prepares readers with the knowledge of why it is necessary to reinstate that treaty and help protect this unique wilderness.

In Science on Ice, award-winning science broadcaster and writer Veronika Meduna follows deep-south scientists who huddle in tents and dive under ice to study ancient mud, fat fish, migrating penguins and fossilised forests. Meduna presents us with a fascinating frozen land - Antarctica's ice cap holds three quarters of the planet's fresh water, its layers of ice and sediment record past climate conditions going back millions of years, and the oceans around it drive the global food chain and a giant conveyor belt of currents that transports heat around the globe. The creatures that call Antarctica home have evolved to survive in conditions hostile to life, and the continent's permanently ice-covered lakes may even hold the secret to how life began on Earth - and what it might look like elsewhere. And though it is the only continent without permanent human habitation, Antartica may yet hold the key to our survival. In this lavishly illustrated book Meduna introduces us to an exhilarating landscape, to fascinating discoveries and to the people making them - those scientists tackling fundamental questions about life and the world around us from the frozen continent.