How do geological phenomena help us to know about the history of humankind?
Geological phenomena help us to understand where we have come from and where we could be possibly heading towards. It also helps us to understand the significance of mountains and plateau regions; impact of ozone and carbon and gives idea about evolution and extinction of human beings.
What are the indications for the future of humankind?
The rapid increase in population, availability of limited resources and uncontrolled burning of fossil fuels has created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world which indicates a dark future for humankind which can be controlled by implementing quick actions to protect the environment.
‘The world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica.’ How is the study of this region useful to us?
It is true that worlds geological history is trapped in Antarctica. It is because 650 million years ago Gondwana land existed in the southern part of the globe where present day Antarctica is situated. Gondwana land hosted a rich variety of flora and fauna. For 500 million years Gondwana flourished later landmass was forced to
separate into countries, shaping the globe much as we know it today.
Flora and Fauna present in Antarctica is a part of our geological heritage.
What are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students in the Students on Ice expedition?
Geoff Green’s included high school students in Students on Ice expedition because with Students on Ice expedition he offers the future generation policy makers by providing them with a life changing experience at an younger age when the process of learning values occur in their life which will also help them in learning more about their planet thus making the bright future with bunch of teenagers who still have the idealism to save the world.
‘Take care of the small things and the big things will take care of themselves.’ What is the relevance of this statement in the context of the Antarctic environment?
‘Take care of the small things and the big things will take care of themselves.’ Is a relevant statement in context to Antarctica in the modern era. Antarctica because of her simple ecosystem and lack of biodiversity is a perfect place to study how little changes in environment can have big consequences for example Take the microscopic phytoplankton — those grasses of the sea that nourish and sustain the entire Southern Ocean’s food chain. These single-celled plants use the sun’s energy to assimilate carbon and synthesize organic compounds in that wondrous and most important of processes called photosynthesis. Scientists warn that a further depletion in the ozone layer will affect the activities of phytoplankton, which in turn will affect the lives of all the marine animals and birds of the region, and the global carbon cycle. In the parable of the phytoplankton, there is
a great metaphor for existence: take care of the small things
and the big things will fall into place.
Why is Antarctica the place to go to, to understand the earth’s present, past and future?
Antarctica is a place to understand earth’s present, past, future because it holds in its ice-cores half million-year-old carbon records trapped in its layers of ice. Antarctica has rich variety of flora and fauna is a rich heritage of past. Today a great problem faced by humanity is global warming, climatic changes, limited availability of resources and uncontrolled burning of fossil fuels which will lead to increasing level of global temperature. These all factors will reveal that the future will be dark because of limited availability of resources.