Traveling Home
Flying with the Air National Guard involves loading checked bags and luggage the day before the flight. All cargo is loaded into big wooden crates that are strapped all over, so that…
Christine Urbanowicz preparing to hand-pollinate blueberry plants.
As my expedition nears its end, and I pack to go home, I am reflecting on why Arctic research is so important. We can think about…
A Visit to the Glacier
We knocked off work early the other day because it was too windy to hand-pollinate flowers. Instead we went to 660, the end of the Kangerlussuaq Road. There we hiked through…
So What Do You Do When It's Too Cold and Rainy to Trap Insects?
You go for a hike, of course!
The clouds were so low over the river this morning, that it almost looked like you could reach up and…
Bee Behavior
This project is named for pollinators, but we haven't talked about bees at all. How could that happen? Bees are the least common pollinators in Greenland, but they are also the most…
Permafrost: What Is It and Where Do We Find It?
Permafrost is soil that is frozen (below 0 degrees Celsius) for two years or more; much of the northern hemisphere permafrost has been frozen for…
European Tradition
Midsummer or Midsummer's Eve is a very old holiday in much of Europe. In the beginning it was a pre-Christian celebration that took place on or around the summer solstice;…
Botany is the Study of Plants
Cushion Plant
Since my first evening here I have been fascinated by the cushion plant or moss campion (Silene acaulis)! It's an evergreen plant that blooms shortly…
Dedicated to Mrs. Zaleski's First Grade Class
Mrs. Zaleski's class did science research during May. They learned about Arctic animals, especially Greenlandic ones. Then each group selected a focus…
Dedicated to the Nordonia Hills (Ohio) Garden Club
I spoke with members of the Nordonia Hills Garden Club before my departure. They compiled a list of questions about Arctic conditions and how they…
Longest Day of the Year
June 20, is the summer solstice! This is one of two days during the year when the Earth is at its greatest tilt. Can you guess when the other solstice is? It's December 21…
Doing Science Outside
Field work is important for advancing scientists' understanding of how the world works. People who I have met here are studying so many different things:
Glaciers - depth,…