Condition 1 weather in Antarctica is nasty!

by Jeremy Kressmann on

The current temperature in the Northeastern United States is 25° F and many of my friends are in full “it’s freaking cold outside” complaining mode. But you know what? I feel lucky to be here right now. Especially after checking out the video above of Condition 1 weather in Antarctica. As you might suspect, Antarctica has some of the most extreme weather conditions on earth. During Condition 1 weather, winds gust at speeds of anywhere from 50 to 60 MPH and the wind chill hits anywhere between 75° F to 100° F below zero. Ouch. Not surprisingly, personnel are prohibited from leaving their buildings during these storms.

By the way, have you had a chance yet to check out Gadling’s newest writer, Jon Bowermaster? Jon has been bringing us firsthand reports from earth’s most remote continent, Antarctica. Jon, I apologize in advance for the weather down there – it looks brutal. Stay warm!

[Via Buzzfeed]

Wrestling over moon and Arctic ownership

by Neil Woodburn on

Someday, hopefully soon, we’ll all be able to vacation on the moon–providing, of course, you have a passport and the necessary visas.

The latter will be required because at some point in the future, some country here on earth is going to claim various swaths of the lunar surface, if not the whole thing itself.

Although the Americans planted a flag on the moon, no laws currently governing ownership of the big cheese. This slight regulatory oversight, however, will have to be solved soon. And a test case is occurring right now in the Arctic.

According to a fascinating essay by Richard Morgan in Wired Magazine, a current battle over ownership of the Arctic by Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia, and the US will set the stage and precedent for future “lunar land grabs.”

The Arctic is the last bit of unclaimed land on this planet and it would have remained that way were it not for global warming and the subsequent melting effect it has had on this otherwise unwanted and worthless piece of land. Increased temperatures, for example, have opened up the valuable Northwest Passage and might also be opening the door to enormous oil deposits–thus creating a rush to stake claims as soon as possible in the potentially lucrative region.

Depending on how things work out, our grandchildren might be taking their summer vacations in the Norwegian Arctic and their winter holidays on the Canadian Moon. Or something like that.

TODAY Show team travels to the Ends of the Earth

by Kelly Amabile on

About this time tomorrow, the ever-adventurous TODAY Show team will take part in a historic first-ever live simultaneous broadcast from the top, bottom and middle of the earth’s surface. As part of NBC’s “Green Is Universal” initiative, the news anchors have been dispatched to the Ends of the Earth to report on climate extremes, wildlife and the limits of human exploration. It’s the very first time that a TV network has linked locations live around the entire circumference of the planet in a single program.

So, of course, you’re wondering, Where in the World is Matt Lauer going to be? It’s no surprise this time — he’s headed to the Arctic, and will broadcast from the Greenland ice sheet. Ann Curry is in Antarctica, and will be broadcasting from the McMurdo Research Station and other extreme locations. And weather guru Al Roker will travel to the Equator and broadcast from the middle of an endangered cloud forest in Mindo, Ecuador. Meredith Vieira picked the shortest straw — she gets to “connect the global dots” from the studio back in New York.

Matt’s yearly whirlwind adventures always leave me wondering why? But at least this team-effort groundbreaking expedition is grounded with the goal of green.

Breaking Ice With the North Pole

by Abha Malpani on

People who travel to dangerous corners of the world not only because they are adventurous and want to conquer a stubborn internal drive, but also because they want their expedition to count for something valuable to the world, never fail to astonish me.

The latest is endeavor is that of British explorer Pen Hadow who will walk 1200-miles journey to the North Pole whilst pulling a scientific sledge on the way that will measure the thickness of ice remaining in the Arctic Circle. Analysis of the measurements will tell us how long the snow will last us.

As you must know, the ice in the North Pole provides a protective shield that helps balance the Earth’s temperature. The more the ice melts, the more disruption will be caused to the world’s weather systems – hence the grave threat of global-warming.

The expedition is called the Vanco Arctic Survey and a team of 3 explorers (led by Hadow) will do it over a period of 100-120 days, beginning in February next year. Expert oceanographers, glaciologists, and meteorologists from the UK Met Office, Cambridge University and the US Navy will all be working with the team to help them accomplish this feat.

Probably the most ambitious, not to mention dangerous, expedition in the North Pole — the sheer curiosity, inspiration and blatantly adventurous desire of purposeful discovery with travel, always leaves me in utter awe.