Will Gerber

11/7/16

INTD: Science Writing

Dr. Jessica Fenn

Appendix 1 of Ernest Shackleton’s The Heart of the Arctic focuses on the discovery of microscopic living organisms in Antarctica’s frozen lakes. At the time, in the early twentieth century, this was a novel discovery, as people were shocked to find out that life could exist in such a harsh climate.

I thought it was fascinating to read about this discovery from a primary source. Learning about life that can survive in such severe environments puts our human ego into perspective. While we do need to make radical changes to our ways of living in order to save the environment, there is nothing we can do to end life on earth. The Heart of the Arctic blends the arts and sciences with its illustrations, depicting a barren wasteland that is actually a thriving ecosystem.