Hi, I'm Dr. Gwen Fenton and I'm the chief scientist at the
Australian Antarctic Division. If you guessed B, you're right.
The icy continent is where most of the world's freshwater is
stored as ice. Researchers estimate if all
Antarctica's ice melted, sea level would rise by around 60m.
Future Earth is the theme for National Science Week this year,
and Antarctica and the Southern Ocean play a critical role in
understanding what might happen on that future earth.
The region is the engine room for global climate.
By studying it, we can unlock the secrets of the past, which can
help us predict future changes. Researchers here at the division
study the chemicals in ice cores, which tell us about past temperature,
sea ice extent, volcanic events and the impact
of human activity on the earth. As part of Science Week,
we are really excited to be hosting a Facebook Live tour of
our Antarctic Krill Aquarium here at the Kingston headquarters.
The scientists are currently undertaking research into how a
changing Southern Ocean will impact krill and the larger
animals like penguins, seals and whales that eat them.
I'd love you to join us and our science team on the division's
Facebook page on Thursday the 17th at 11:30 a.m. Hobart time to get the
Antarctic view on a future Earth.