Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Globalizing Antarctic science
The first IPY of 1882-3 established a platform for the subsequent three incarnations, in that
it was collaborative and interdisciplinary in nature and committed to advancing scientific
knowledge about the polar regions. While the Arctic region dominated the first two polar
years of 1882-3 and 1932-3, the third and fourth (1957-8 International Geophysical year
and 2007-9 respectively) witnessed a greater profile for both the Antarctic and bi-polar
research investigation. Compared to the 19th century, new technologies including satellites,
autonomous machinery, and novel techniques such as DNA profiling have revolutionized
the conduct and scope of Antarctic science.
Akin to a scientific Olympics, the 1957-8 IGY was one of the most ambitious global
programmes of research involving 60,000 scientists and$si
for the most part always be remembered for the launch of the Soviet satellite
Sputnik
.
The legacy of the IGY, apart from generating vast quantities of information about the
Antarctic and outer space, was to outline the possibilities for the globalization of polar
science. Newly created organizations such as SCAR provided a practical mechanism for
coordinating scientific endeavours, at the same time as early negotiations unfolded
regarding a possible Antarctic Treaty. Intellectually, the IGY signalled a shift away from
using knowledge created elsewhere to understand the Antarctic to using the Antarctic to
understand other regions, including outer space. In that sense, the official logo of the IGY
was well selected - a tilted globe with the Antarctic/South Pole prioritized alongside an
orbiting satellite travelling high above the Earth's surface. The IGY logo also portrays a
globe without any political markings and nation states, a reminder again that geopolitical
divisions had no place in the conduct of the earth sciences and the generation of global
scientific knowledge.
