Antarctic Expedition Invites Children of All Ages to Take Part

Award-winning writer posts two interactive blogs from the ice, one for kids
ages 8-12, the other for teens and up

MOSS LANDING, Calif., April 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In the darkness of
Antarctic winter, a team of scientists on a lonely icebreaker will soon
explore the mysterious icebergs of the Weddell Sea, with a twist. Children
are invited.

Global warming in the Antarctic has recently caused ancient ice shelves to
shatter into thousands of free-drifting icebergs that affect the air, the
water, and possibly Earth's climate in complex, unknown ways. As the
NSF-funded researchers seek answers, writer Nancy Etchemendy will recount each
day's events via daily posts at www.icebreakerblog.org. Readers can ask
questions and receive answers while the expedition is at sea, May 31 - June
30.

"The initial plan was to write at least one K-12 book about the expedition. I
still intend to do that. But books and most websites communicate in only one
direction. Scientists and teachers go to Antarctica and talk to students when
they return. But while events unfold, kids are out of the loop. Not enough
students choose to go into the sciences, so I hope this opportunity to ask
questions and get answers in real time will show how cool life as a scientist
can be, pun intended," says Etchemendy.

The project's two blogs for different age groups are already underway.
"Unarctica" combines science fact and adventure fiction for children ages
8-12. "Rime of the Modern Mariner" uses Etchemendy's gothic sensibilities to
draw in teens and adults. Both blogs include photos and allow readers to ask
questions using a "comments" feature.

"We're thrilled to have a writer of Nancy's stature with us. The science
we're doing is cutting edge. Properly presented, the basics can be understood
by anyone, but it takes talent to do that well. Nancy has that talent," says
oceanographer Kenneth Smith, the expedition's chief investigator.

As the icebergs melt and release dissolved nutrients, they become "hotspots"
for ocean life, with thriving communities of seabirds above and a web of
phytoplankton, krill, and fish (and possibly marine mammals, though none have
been observed yet). The researchers will use various means -- including
remotely operated underwater vehicles, sonar, radar, aerial videography, and
sampling devices -- to learn as much as they can about the icebergs
themselves, nearby air and water, and surrounding "halos" of life, which may
be affecting greenhouse gas levels.

According to the National Science Board's Science and Engineering Indicators
2004, there is "...a troubling decline in the number of U.S. citizens who are
training to become scientists and engineers, whereas the number of jobs
requiring science and engineering training continues to grow. These trends
threaten the economic welfare and security of our country."

For further details and a press kit, see www.icebreakerblog.org, or contact:
Nancy Etchemendy
www.etchemendy.com
nancy@etchemendy.com
Please email for phone number

SOURCE Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute

Nancy Etchemendy of Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, +1-650-561-9511