It could be said that the northernmost part of our planet holds the secrets of our past as well as our future.
The icy land is, in fact, not a place for the weak. This vast land of wilderness is where people can get up close to nature's extremes. The place is "no joke", US photographer Mark Mahaney told PLAIN Magazine. "When midnight sun is replaced by polar night, everything's different Eyes to the horizon and it's nothing. And then more nothing, in every direction. "
One of the most harsh, yet most pristine (原始的) places on Earth, the Arctic has been affected by human activities-exploration, booming tourism and most importantly, global warming-in recent decades.
But the impact of these changes is not restricted to the inhabitants of this area alone. In fact, it could be said that the weight of the world relies on this icy region.
The Earth's steady climate depends on the Arctic's sea ice, which acts as a huge white reflector at the top of the planet, bouncing some of the sun's rays back into space. The more Arctic sea ice melts, the less light is reflected, and the more the dark oceans will absorb the sun's radiation. The Arctic also helps circulate ocean currents, moving cold and warm water around the globe.
With visible changes in the global climate, the Arctic has given us a wake-up call-what happens up in the North doesn't just stay there. It comes with a high cost to the world at large. It's time for us to pay attention to this chilly region and learn more about what's happening there, as well as its past and possible future.
