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As of June 2016, the Arctic sea ice has decreased down to 11 million square kilometers. This is lower than the last 30 years's average (Photo Credit Christopher Michel CC via flickr)

The steady increase in global temperatures has been particularly disastrous for the polar ice caps. Experts warn that if this trend continues, there will be no late summer ice in the Arctic region by the 2030's. The most effective solution, of course, is to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions before it's too late. But since that is not happening, scientists are frantically trying to come up with alternative ways to try to reverse the situation.

The latest idea comes from a team of researchers led by Arizona State University's Steven Desch. In the proposal outlined in the journal Earth's Future in December 2016, the team suggests using large pumps to draw water from beneath the ice and spray it on the surface. Since that is the coldest part, it will cause the water to freeze rapidly. The pumps, kept afloat with buoys, will be powered by the high Arctic winds, harnessed by windmills. To maximize the impact, the process would take place during winter. The scientists believe their idea will help increase the thickness of the ice sheet within days, rather than the months and years it takes to refreeze naturally.

Average concentration of Arctic sea ice for November 2016. Opaque white areas indicate the greatest concentration, and dark blue areas are open water (Photo Credit: NASA)

The researchers estimate that ten million pumps would be required to increase the thickness of the ice sheet by about 1-meter over the course of a winter. Given that sea ice normally grows by just two to three meters every winter, the extra meter would make a substantial difference. "Thicker ice would mean longer-lasting ice," says Desch, "In turn, that would mean the danger of all sea ice disappearing from the Arctic in summer would be reduced significantly."

Though the idea is certainly intriguing, it is not easy to implement. Desch and his team estimate that the refreezing would cost at least $50 billion USD annually. Since it would take about a decade to restore the Arctic ice shelf entirely, the total cost would add up to over $500 billion USD! Even if the researchers could somehow obtain the funding, many experts are skeptical about the idea, which, thus far, is purely theoretical.

Photo Credit: NASA

Julienne Stroeve, a senior scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, is among the skeptics. The expert says that global warming caused by the increasing carbon dioxide levels cannot be stopped, even if the ice refreezing works as planned. Also, since the Arctic would continue to receive the excess heat from the lower latitudes through atmospheric and ocean circulation, it would mitigate any refreezing efforts. Desch agrees and admits that his idea is a band-aid, not the solution. However, the astrophysicist argues that the Arctic ice shelf is crucial for our future well-being and we should do everything we can to restore it.

The ice is not only essential for the area's marine life but also to help combat global warming, since it reflects sunlight. Water, on the other hand, absorbs it, causing temperatures to rise further. Additionally, when the ice thaws, it releases the methane trapped inside further contributing towards the greenhouse effect.

Furthermore, the ice helps regulate temperatures on Earth. Jet streams - the high winds that result from the temperature difference between the polar and tropical air masses - help move weather systems around the world. When sea ice decreases, the jet streams weaken, altering global weather patterns. Many researchers suspect that the anomalous weather witnessed in recent years, such as California's extended drought, Siberia's 'Snowmageddon' winters and the UK's extreme flooding, have been triggered by the melting of polar ice caps.

This isn't the first time scientists have suggested a radical idea to combat the adverse effects of global warming at the Arctic. Previous proposals include artificial whitening of the poles by spraying aerosol particles to reflect sunlight back into the atmosphere and creating artificial clouds to stop the sunlight from reaching the surface altogether. Unfortunately, none of the projects have seen the light of day due to the astronomical costs associated with each. But Desch and his team are not discouraged. They are currently working on building a prototype to show the world that the plan is not as outlandish as it sounds.

Resources: Guardian.co.uk, itechpost.com, Gizmodo.com

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Can Giant Pumps Help Refreeze The Arctic?

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The steady increase in global temperatures has been particularly disastrous for the polar ice caps. Experts warn that if this trend continues, there will be no late summer ice in the Arctic region by the 2030's. The most effective solution, of course, is to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions before it's too late.

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Ants soak up honey using sponges (Photo Credit: University of Szeged (Gábor Lőrinczi)

The phrase "good things come in small packages" certainly appears to hold true when it comes to ants. The tiny creatures can survive floods by morphing into rafts, find their way home using an internalized GPS system, and even lift up to 20 times their body weight. In 2013, scientists discovered that the insects, whose brains are smaller than a quarter of a small pin's head, could even use tools, a skill that was once believed to be the realm of "intelligent" species like humans and a select number of animals. Now, researchers from the University of Szeged in Hungary have discovered that when given a choice, the clever insects even have the smarts to select the most efficient tool for the job.

The team, led by István Maák, conducted experiments on two species of funnel ants: A. subterranea and A. senilis. To test for tool selectivity, the insects were presented with various liquids containing both pure and diluted honey, along with an assortment of instruments to help transport it to their nests. These included tools the insects would find in the wild, such as twigs, pine needles, and soil grains, as well as artificial ones, like sponge and paper.

Testing tool selectivity in Aphaenogaster ants (Photo Credit: István Maák)

The team then observed the ants' behavior for over three hours. The members of the subterranea quickly settled on using small soil grains for the diluted honey, and sponge, to soak up the pure honey. They even learned how to tear the sponge into smaller, more manageable pieces. The senilis, however, carefully tested each option before switching solely to paper and sponge, indicating they were learning and analyzing the properties of the different tools at their disposal.

The researchers, who published their findings in the journal Animal Behavior in January, think that while weight may have played a factor in their choice, the ants ultimately chose their tools based on how easily they could be carried and how well they absorbed liquid. The ants also treated diluted honey and regular honey differently, showing they were aware of how different liquids interacted with the various tools.

Image Credit: István Maák

Image Credit: István Maák

In the past, ants, which have the largest brains of any insect, have been observed using mud or sand grains as tools to transport liquid. Though impressive, these are commonly found in their natural environment. What surprised the scientists is their ability to select from foreign objects like paper and sponge, a complex cognitive task.

Maák and his team, believe that the funnel ants evolved this cognitive processing because unlike other members of their species, they can't expand their stomachs to hold more food. Hence finding an alternate way to transport food is critical for their survival. Valerie S. Banschbach, an ant expert at Virginia's Roanoke College, believes the insects may be open to experimenting with new materials because the tools available in their natural habitat vary according to the season. The findings that raise new questions about our understanding of the relationship between the size of the brain and the ability to conduct sophisticated cognitive tasks, are a reminder not to underestimate anyone, especially ants!

Resources: dailymail.co.uk, zmescience.com,dailyant.com

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Clever Ants Use Sponges And Paper To Transport Honey

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The phrase "good things come in small packages" certainly appears to hold true when it comes to ants. The tiny creatures can survive floods by morphing into rafts, find their way home using an internalized GPS system, and even lift up to 20 times their body weight.

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Behold, The World’s Most Dangerous Tree!

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With its wide canopy of leaves, the majestic 50-feet tall manchineel tree that is native to the Caribbean, Florida, the northern coast of South America, Central America, and the Bahamas, looks particularly inviting, especially on a hot summer day. But you may be wise to heed the warning signs given…