Ice and Fire
Listen to climate change in Alaska through place-based narrative.
Ice and Fire is a podcast that uses audio storytelling to share cryosphere change as the global climate warms. The cryosphere is all of Earth's frozen surface water including frozen freshwater lakes, glaciers, permafrost and sea ice -- frozen saltwater.
It only takes a small temperature increase for water to melt or thaw from solid into liquid form, yet a cascade of impacts result when we lose ice to fastly flowing liquid.
Season one emphasizes the significance of glacier melt, and connects listeners to distant glaciers rapidly responding to anthropogenic climate change through dialogue with researchers, traditional knowledge-bearers, and by sharing audio of ice-melt in real time.
Season two, available now, is all about permafrost thaw.
Ice and Fire
impermanently frozen soil
As global temperatures increase due to anthropogenic climate change, a myriad of impacts result for people and the planet. In this podcast, we share the ramifications of cryosphere change (melting/thawing water from solid ice) as the planet warms.
In the first episode of season two, we introduce the topic of permafrost thaw, which will be explored throughout this season. In northern latitudes and at colder reaches of Earth, deep soil layers historically remained frozen year-round. Now warmer temperatures are causing this soil to thaw, and the repercussions are significant on local and global levels.
Permafrost Pathways helps us dig into the topic and science of permafrost. Artist Nikki Lindt introduces us to her work which captures sounds of thawing.
topics and purpose: an introduction to permafrost, which is actively thawing in northern latitudes – Nikki Lindt shares her related audio recordings and experiences; local and global impacts of permafrost thaw
terms defined: cryosphere, permafrost; continuous and discontinuous permafrost, thermokarst slump, positive feedback loop
notes: We recommend using over-the-ear headphones or speakers when listening to this episode due to some subtle, low frequency field audio shared. More of Nikki Lindt’s work with the Underground Sound Project can be found here. Learn more about the Permafrost Pathways Program, part of the Woodwell Climate Research Center, here.