Questions and Answers

Joined: 23 Mar 2004 Posts: 84

The following are questions that the students in Salisbury asked Max, the principal investigator on this trip, about Siberia and the trip in general.

Are you on land or on a boat most of the time?

SOMETIMES WE ARE ON A BOAT FOR MOST OF THE TIME, AND OTHER TIMES WE ARE MAINLY ON LAND. THIS SUMMER WITH AMY, I HOPE THAT WE WILL BE ON THE BOAT FOR AT LEAST 3 DAYS AND 3 NIGHTS.

What kind of food is eaten?

IN SIBERIA (ON THE LENA RIVER), WE EAT A LOT OF FISH AND CARIBOU. ACTUALLY, IN RUSSIA THAT HAVE "DOMESTICATED" CARIBOU - LIKE THE ONES IN THE BOOK I SENT TO YOUR CLASS - AND THEY ARE CALLED REINDEER.

How does your body clock react to the sun not going down? Can you sleep?

IT IS STRANGE TO BE IN A PLACE WITH 24 HOUR DAYLIGHT (OR IN THE WINTER, 24 HOUR DARKNESS). WHEN IT IS LIGHT ALL THE TIME, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO SLEEP, AND SCIENTISTS AND OTHERS OFTEN WORK VERY LONG HOURS. BUT IN THE WINTER, PEOPLE TEND TO SLEEP MUCH MORE. IT CAN BE VERY DIFFICULT NOT TO HAVE ANY SUNLIGHT FOR A LONG TIME.

What will happen to the fish if the salt content in the Arctic Ocean
changes?

GREAT QUESTION! ACTUALLY, INCREASING RIVER DISCHARGE WILL ONLY MAKE THE OCEAN A LITTLE BIT LESS SALTY, BUT EVEN A SMALL CHANGE IN SALT CONTENT WILL IMPACT THE WAY OCEAN CURRENTS FLOW - WHICH CAN ALSO CHANGE THE EARTH'S CLIMATE. BUT THESE SMALL CHANGES IN SALINITY SHOULD NOT REALLY MATTER TO THE FISH LIVING IN THE OCEAN.

Do you see igloos?

I HAVE NEVER SEEN AN IGLOO. MAYBE YOU CAN DO SOME RESEARCH TO LEARN WHERE (IF?) PEOPLE LIVE (OR USED TO LIVE) IN IGLOOS. AND THEN YOU CAN TELL ME THE ANSWER!

What makes a real scientist?

THAT IS AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. I HAVE 2 ANSWERS.

ANSWER #1: A "REAL SCIENTIST" IS SOMEONE WHO DOES SCIENCE FOR THEIR JOB. FOR EXAMPLE, MY JOB IS TO BE A SCIENTIST - THAT IS WHAT I DO EVERYDAY WHEN I GO TO WORK. MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE SCIENTISTS FOR THEIR JOBS WENT TO A UNIVERSITY TO STUDY SCIENCE, AND GENERALLY WENT TO GRADUATE SCHOOL. FOR EXAMPLE, I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS FOR 4 YEARS (UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE), THEN THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN FOR 2 YEARS (MASTERS DEGREE), AND FINALLY ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOR 5 YEARS (PhD DEGREE). AND I'VE BEEN WORKING AS A SCIENTIST AT THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY IN WOODS HOLE FOR 8 YEARS NOW.

ANSWER #2 (I THINK THIS THE BETTER ANSWER): A "REAL SCIENTIST" IS SOMEONE WHO ASKS QUESTIONS AND TRIES TO ANSWER THEM IN A "SCIENTIFIC WAY". A REAL SCIENTIST CAN BE 38 YEARS OLD (LIKE ME), OR 70 YEARS OLD (LIKE SOME PEOPLE I WORK WITH), OR EVEN 10 YEARS OLD (LIKE SOME OF YOU MAYBE). IF I GET TO VISIT YOUR CLASS (AND I HOPE THAT I DO), WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS MORE (I THINK IT IS A GREAT QUESTION!).

How long will the expidition take?

WE ARE STILL WORKING ON THE FINAL DETAILS, BUT WE WILL PROBABLY BE IN RUSSIA FOR ALMOST 3 WEEKS. WE WILL BE IN MOSCOW (A CITY WITH MORE THAN 10 MILLION PEOPLE!) FOR A FEW DAYS, THEN WE WILL BE IN SIBERIA FOR THE REST OF THE TIME. HERE'S A QUESTION FOR YOU - WHERE IS SIBERIA?

Will you see polar bears and penguins?

WE WON'T SEE PENGUINS - THEY LIVE IN ANTARCTICA, NOT THE ARCTIC. AND WE PROBABLY WON'T SEE POLAR BEARS, ALTHOUGH THEY DO LIVE IN THE ARCTIC.

Is the water safe to drink?

IN GENERAL YES, BUT WE WILL BE CAREFUL BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE BAD LUCK AND GET SICK!

What do you do when you're testing the water?

THIS IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION, BUT ALSO A BIG QUESTION. LET'S SAVE THIS QUESTION FOR IF I VISIT. BUT I WILL ALSO SEND YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION BEFORE THEN ABOUT WHAT WE DO WHEN WE TEST THE WATER.

Is it bad that the world temperature is going up?

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY GOOD QUESTION! DIFFERENT PEOPLE WOULD ANSWER THIS QUESTION IN DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT I WILL GIVE YOU MY ANSWER. MY ANSWER IS YES! I THINK IT IS WRONG FOR ADULTS TO CARELESSLY DO THINGS TO THE EARTH'S CLIMATE THAT MAY END UP HURTING THEIR CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN. TO ME, PLANET EARTH IS AN INCREDIBLE, EXCITING, WONDERFUL PLACE - AND IT MAKES ME SAD TO KNOW THAT WE ARE DOING THINGS THAT DAMAGES THE EARTH.

Will there be black flies?

IF WE ARE LUCKY, WE WILL BE ON THE LENA RIVER EARLY ENOUGH IN THE SEASON SO THAT THE BLACK FLIES (AND MOSQUITOES) WON'T BE TOO BAD. BUT IF WE ARE NOT LUCKY, WE COULD BE RUNNING IN CIRCLES TRYING TO AVOID BUGS!

Why don't people live in Antarctica?

PEOPLE DON'T LIVE IN ANTARCTIC (EXCEPT FOR A FEW SCIENTISTS) BECAUSE THE CLIMATE IS EXTREMELY COLD - TOO COLD FOR MOST PLANTS AND ANIMALS TO GROW (AND TOO COLD TO GROW FOOD), ALMOST TOO COLD TO LIVE. AND BECAUSE SEVERAL DECADES AGO THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE WORLD WERE WISE ENOUGH TO SET ASIDE ANTARCTICA FOR SCIENTIFIC (NOT COMMERCIAL) USES.

Are there roads?

YES, THERE ARE ROADS IN THE ARCTIC, BUT NOT A LOT. IN FACT, IN THE VILLAGE OF ZHIGANSK WHERE WE WILL BE, THERE ARE SOME ROADS, BUT NONE OF THEM LEAVE THE TOWN. SO YOU CAN'T DRIVE TO ZHIGANSK - YOU HAVE TO TAKE A BOAT, OR FLY, OR EVEN A DOG SLED! (AND THE "YAKUT" PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED THERE FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS USED TO RIDE REINDEER, AND STILL DO SOMETIMES.

Are there a lot of animals there?

IN THE ALASKAN ARCTIC I HAVE SEEN LOTS OF ANIMALS - GRIZZLY BEARS, MOOSE, CARIBOU, MUSK OX, LOTS OF FISH, ETC. I HAVE SEEN LESS ANIMALS IN THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC - I'M NOT SURE WHY. BUT I HAVE SEEN SOME MOOSE AND LOTS OF FISH IN THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC - AND I'VE SEEN BONES FROM EXTINCT WOOLY MAMMOTHS! IF I COME TO VISIT YOUR CLASS, I'LL SHOW YOU A SMALL PIECE OF A 10,000 YEAR OLD WOOLY MAMMOTH TUSK.

Does the arctic have avalanches?

YES, SOME PLACES IN THE ARCTIC DO HAVE AVALANCHES, BUT WE WON'T BE IN THE MOUNTAINS SO WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.

What foods do you eat in the arctic?

LOTS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF FOOD. SOME OF THE FOOD IS LIKE WE EAT HERE, BUT I HAVE ALSO EATEN SOME STRANGE FOOD - LIKE MOOSE, REINDEER, RAW FISH, RAW FROZEN FISH, FISH LIVER, FISH EGGS, AND EVEN MUSK OX. BUT MOST OF THE FOOD IS NOT SO DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU'D NORMALLY EAT (THOUGH SOMETIMES IT CAN BE HARD TO FIND FRESH VEGETABLES!)

What is the temperature going to be like where you are? How cold will it
be?

IT IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO PREDICT THE WEATHER IN THE ARCTIC. IT COULD SNOW AND BE REALLY COLD WHEN WE'RE THERE, OR IT COULD BE RELATIVELY MILD (MAYBE UP TO 60 DEGREES F).

Do black flys carry diseases?

I HOPE NOT! (AND I DON'T THINK THAT THEY DO)

How fast does water move?

THE WATER IN THE LENA RIVER FLOWS ABOUT 2 METERS PER SECOND.

How much snow do they usually get where we are going?

WHERE WE ARE GOING IS CLOSE TO THE COLDEST INHABITED PLACE ON EARTH. BUT YOU MIGHT BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF SNOW. IN FACT, YOU PROBABLY GET MUCH MORE SNOW IN VERMONT THAN THEY DO IN ZHIGANSK. BUT IT IS MUCH, MUCH COLDER IN ZHIGANSK. EVERY YEAR IT GETS DOWN TO ABOUT -60 DEGREES CELSIUS AT SOME TIME DURING THE WINTER.

What kind of stuff do you work with?

LOTS OF FUN STUFF! BOATS, FUN EQUIPMENT FOR COLLECTING SAMPLES (THERE ARE SOME PHOTOS OF SOME OF THIS STUFF IN THE NOTEBOOK I SENT TO YOU), COMPLICATED LABORATORY EQUIPMENT FOR DOING CHEMICAL ANALYSES, AND MANY MORE THINGS....

Are there any trees where we are going?

YES, WHERE WE ARE GOING THERE WILL BE TREES. I SENT A "POLAR PROJECTION" MAP TO YOUR CLASS (IT SHOULD BE THERE WITHIN A WEEK). ON THE MAP IT SHOWS THE "TREE LINE", WHICH IS THE FARTHEST NORTH THAT TREES GROW. IF YOU LOOK AT THE TREE LINE NEAR THE LENA, YENISEY, AND OB' RIVERS (THE BIGGEST ARTIC RIVERS AND SOME OF THE BIGGEST RIVERS ON EARTH), YOU WILL SEE THAT THE TREE LINE EXTENDS NORTHWARD NEAR THE RIVERS - BUT IF YOU GO EAST OR WEST FROM THE RIVERS, YOU WOULD SOON REACH THE TUNDRA (AND AREA WITH BIG TREES). CAN YOU THINK OF WHY THIS MIGHT BE?
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Do they get a lot of snowstorms where we are going?

AS I SAID ABOVE, IT IS EXTREMELY COLD THERE IN THE WINTER, BUT THEY DON'T GET A LOT OF SNOW. BUT IT CAN BE REALLY WINDY, WHICH WOULD BLOW THE SNOW AROUND A LOT AND MAKE IT LIKE A SNOW STORM.

Do you use boats or canoes?

WE WILL MAINLY BE ON A BIG BOAT, ABOUT 120 FEET LONG. WE MAY ALSO USE A SMALL BOAT (ABOUT 16 FEET LONG) FOR SOME SHORT SAMPLING TRIPS.

Are there any American kids in that area?

I WOULD GUESS THAT NO AMERICAN KID HAS EVER BEEN TO ZHIGANSK, AND AMY WILL PROBABLY BE THE FIRST AMERICAN TEACHER TO EVER BE THERE.

Do the houses ever get iced in all the way so that you can't see them?

I DON'T KNOW - BUT I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF IT SOMETIMES HAPPENS.

Can you ski and snowboard?

I SUPPOSE SO, BUT THEY ARE NOT REALLY POPULAR ACTIVITIES IN RUSSIA.

Is it fun going to the arctic?

I THINK THAT GOING TO THE ARCTIC IS ONE OF THE MOST FUN, MOST EXCITING, MOST INTERESTING THINGS POSSIBLE!

Do you get any of the days off of the week?

I WILL TRY TO ARRANGE IT SO THAT WE HAVE SOME TIME OFF WHEN WE ARE THERE, BUT EVEN IF WE DON'T, I THINK THAT WE'LL BE HAVING A LOT OF FUN.

How hard is it to be a scientist?

SOMETIMES IT CAN BE HARD, BUT ANY JOB CAN BE HARD SOMETIMES. BUT FOR ME, I FEEL LIKE THE LUCKIEST PERSON IN THE WORLD TO BE A SCIENTIST AND TO BE ABLE TO WORK IN THE ARCTIC!

Why do you need good clothing?

BECAUSE IT CAN BE COLD AND WET AND MUDDY AND BUGGY.

Why is the world temperature increasing?

FANTASTIC QUESTION - IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING. BY BURNING GAS AND OIL AND COAL, WE ARE ADDING CHEMICALS TO THE AIR THAT TRAP MORE OF THE HEAT OF THE SUN IN THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE - SO THE EARTH GETS WARMER. THE SOLUTION IS TO BURN LESS GAS AND OIL AND COAL. THAT MEANS WE NEED TO CONSERVE ENERGY AND FIND OTHER ENERGY SOURCES THAT DON'T POLLUTE THE ATMOSPHERE. IF I COME TO YOUR SCHOOL, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS MORE.

Also, a cute question that a student directed towards me that I was able
to answer-- Is it possible that I might freeze up there and never come
back? The answer is no, right? Smile

I HOPE NOT!

And my question for you Max is--from looking at the notebook more closely,
I noticed that you sample the Lena more north than the other rivers--am I
reading that correctly??

OUR ORIGINAL PLAN WAS TO SAMPLE THE LENA RIVER AT KYUSYUR, WHICH IS AT ALMOST 71 DEGREES NORTH (FARTHER NORTH THAN ANY OF THE OTHER SITES). WE WENT TO KYUSYUR LAST YEAR, BUT IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO GET TO (ONLY BY BOAT AND IT TAKES ABOUT 1 WEEK). SO WE DECIDED INSTEAD TO SAMPLE AT ZHIGANSK (AT ABOUT 67 NORTH). THEREFORE, ZHIGANSK IS AT A SIMILAR LATITUDE TO SOME OF THE OTHER SAMPLING SITES.

PLEASE TELL THE KIDS THANKS FOR THE QUESTIONS, AND I'LL BE HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER MORE WHEN THEY HAVE THEM.

CHEERS,

MAX