Friday, April 26, 2024

What is the place of science in mountaineering expeditions?

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Maria Gill
Maria Gill
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I agree with you in the fact that many expeditions invite scientists to Greenwash their project. I emphasize that this is not the case here. “Heïdi Sevestre defended us after exchanging emails.” I was part of the expedition, invited by Alex Honnold, to collect scientific data along the way A glaciologist wrote to us.

The latter then launched an appeal to various institutes likely to want to collect data in this region of prime importance since this part of Greenland has not yet been strangely affected by climate change. ” Scorsby Sound, the largest fjord in the world, is a scientific mystery
Dr. Sevister explains. During the expedition, 15 projects will be implemented on behalf of different international entities: NASA, the Space Agency (DTU Space), the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), the Environmental Commission of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) as well as the universities (NTNU in Norway, Liverpool in England, Buffalo and Kansas in the states United and Sustech in China).

Samples taken from the swimming pool will be analyzed for brilliance dating And the The history of the cosmic nuclides In order to reconstruct the end of the last ice age in this region where no one has been able to collect such data.” At Ingmikortilaq, temperature sensors for the Danish and Greenland Research Institutes were installed and permafrost melt measurements were made.

It is difficult to evaluate mountaineering performance

At no time in our article is the interest and the work performed in question. Simply put, with regard to our magazine (which deals primarily with mountain sports), we could have expected more technical information about these two openings that were part of the goals of the month and a half spent on the site. The only quoted quote is related to Paul Street, A 450-meter wall against the Rhineland Ice Sheet As Heidi Seifester puts it for usAnd the who was given his way In 7b + max.

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We also learned that three other climbers (Mickey Schaefer, Aldo Keane, and Adam Kegelsen) were present to help the scientist with her rock dig. ” You need rock cores for a billiard wall. Since I had no climbing skills, I was able to work with these climbers to collect my samples tell us. But, According to our American colleagues from climbingtheir presence was also used to “prepare” the tracks and fix a significant part of their lengths.

exaggerated contacts

In this story, had the communication not been so greatly exaggerated by the TV channels promoting this campaign, our coverage would have been without irony. But, as mentioned in the previous article, the titles The most dangerous expedition of his life “,” New record for Alex Honnold ” or even ” One of the greatest first ascent[Honnold ait] didn’t realize It could have been avoided, and the openings led by the American team were communicating like any classic Alpine news.

We just got back from the expedition, and Alex and Hazel are slowly starting to share their impressions of the two big walls. Not everything is instant ”, defends Heidi Seifester. It remains to be seen whether our questions will find an answer in the shared impressions of the climbers, or in the series filmed for Disney +.

legitimate questions

Finally, the glaciologist pointed out the irony of our article on the carbon footprint of the expedition: “ Glad to see this thread brought up. A must have for every travel and adventure traveler now. This is a topic that interests us all, starting with scientists who work in remote areas. “.

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She assures us, in addition to air travel, to use a helicopter and then a motor boat. ” For Scorsby Sound, it’s very difficult to do this kind of job without a helicopter. We have limited its use as much as possible Says Heidi Seifester. Before defining: Of course, producing these documentaries will offset the carbon footprint by working with a carbon capture company in Iceland. We will have more information in the coming months. “, Prepare.

If our article raises controversy Something the editorial team cannot be cheerful about, except that it allows us to spark discussion about the links between mountaineering performance, audiovisual production and scientific research. ignoring contacts National GeographicWe have the right to question the advisability of mixing the three at the same time.

Since they climbed mountains, mountaineers take advantage of their hikes in the mountains to make cartographic, physical or botanical measurements, such as Horace Benedict de Saussure or John Paul. ” This culture of knowledge also made it possible to legitimize this practice “,” Scientist Cedric Dentant told us last year, author of a book called What if Darwin was a mountaineer?.

But today, when the pack of ice and glaciers melts at high speed, mountaineers who wish to “legitimize their practices” find themselves facing a wall that communication based on the virtues of science will not allow them to cross, especially when dictated by the giants of audiovisual production whose fingerprints are being vetted carbon dioxide also closely. What about the scientists? Should they agree to participate in these outreach processes in order to benefit from the resulting funding for their research, at the risk of legitimizing a questionable practice?

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In no way, with my presence, do I want to legitimize these actions and support the spread of tourism in Antarctica, with its disastrous consequences. »the oceanographer Jean-Baptiste Sally crossed a few days ago in article from Reporter About the study of the poles on a luxurious lining, deploring ” bipolar commodification ‘.But maybe that’s another discussion?

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