Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 07/15/2013 - 19:04
Forums
Arctic Sunlight and Microbial Interactions

Hello Mr. Taterka, I hope your summer is going well so far. I just watched the midnight sunset video and thought it was pretty amazing and would definitely like to visit Alaska sometime in the future. How are the bugs there? Here in NJ they are pretty bad the mosquitoes especially. I thought of envi sci class last week while I was in Kentucky on a mission trip. Most of the license plates on the cars said "Kentucky, we're friends of coal" and "coal keeps the lights on." I thought it was pretty funny seeing how uninformed most people down there were of the harmful effects of burning coal. Have an enjoyable rest of the summer and see you in the Fall.

-John Ricciardi

Mon, 07/15/2013 - 22:08

Bruce Taterka

John -Wow! Coal is King in Kentucky, that's for sure. I don't think it's so much that they're uninformed about the effects of burning coal, it's more that they're totally dependent on it from an economic point of view.
I hope you enjoyed your mission trip! As to mosquitos, I'm confident that the worst mosquitos in NJ never came close to what we have here on the tundra. I haven't been posting the pictures because they're too painful to think about, but if you want to see what they're like check out this video by the other PolarTREC teacher here at the Toolik Field Station.
Enjoy the summer!
- Mr. T

Wed, 08/28/2013 - 13:42

Anonymous

Hello,
I am a new student this year, I just moved to New Jersey yesterday, so I'm afraid I'm getting a bit of a late start here. I saw your video of the midnight sun, and it reminded me of Iceland. I have been reading a lot about Iceland recently, did you know they use geothermal energy to heat their houses? They do quite a bit of interesting enviornmental work there. It's pretty neat that you got to go to Alaska to study the permafrost. I look forward to meeting you and being in your class. The other kids have said good things about you.
Best wishes,
Jasmin

Sun, 09/01/2013 - 08:00

Anonymous

Hello Mr. TaterkaIt was nice to have met you at the schiff nature preserve. After watching the video of the sunset, it made me curious about some of the plant life. After the sun finally sets, are the plants able to live without sunlight or do they die and come back once the sun emerges again?
Aaron Flitcroft

Mon, 09/02/2013 - 13:33

Anonymous

Thanks Jasmin. We talk about Iceland a lot in Envi Sci class, especially all the different ways they use hydrothermal energy. I'm looking forward to meeting you too.- Mr. T

Mon, 09/02/2013 - 13:35

Anonymous

Aaron-
No light, no plants! They can survive the winter but all the growth & reproduction happens during the very short summer. It's really interesting to see how plants have adapted to the cold and dark.
- Mr. T