The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi in collaboration with the National Centre for Antarctic & Ocean Science, Goa, and the Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromso, are hosting a weeklong photo, installation and text exhibition on the polar region at National Science Centre on Bhairon Road here these days.
The polar exhibition showcases Norway's polar history, expertise in polar science and challenges ahead. It seeks to take visitors on a journey from the polar adventures of Norwegian explorers Fridtjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen at the beginning of the past century to the daily life of Norwegian scientists who survived in the “world's coldest laboratory” for months to conduct research that today is crucial in understanding the impact of climate change.
The exhibition also highlights animals living in the Arctic and Antarctica such as polar bears and penguins. It stresses the fact that polar bears, “the King of the Arctic”, are affected by climate change as the ice-covered areas are being reduced substantially in the Arctic. Consequently the polar bears find it difficult to move between hunting areas, and this may have negative impacts on polar bear populations in the near future.
Similarly, climate change may also have a profound impact on seals, whales, and sea birds.
‘From Pole to Pole'
A seminar titled “From Pole to Pole: Indian and Norwegian Exploration and Research in the Arctic and Antarctic” will be held at the National Science Centre on Thursday. The exhibition that opened this past Saturday is on till February 4.
