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A heat wave in Antarctic standards is around 50s degrees Fahrenheit or 10s degrees Celsius -"climate change and the polar regions "

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Terrain is made mostly of ice- "climate change and the polar regions"

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During the summer, parts of the Antarctic warm enough to blossom with small plants, and wildlife roams over flat, mostly treeless pains called tundras. - pg 6 "climate change and the polar regions"

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Meteorologists study the Antarctic-"climate change and the polar regions "

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Backpacks must withstand wind, and cold temperatures of potential -129 degrees Fahrenheit

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There are plenty of cheap and common insulation materials available on the market today. Many of these have been around for quite some time. Each of these insulation materials have their own ups and downs. As a result, when deciding which insulation material you should use, you should be sure to be aware of which material would work the best in your situation. We have considered differences like R-value, price, environmental impact, flammability, sound insulation and other factors below. Here are the 5 most common types of insulation materials:

1. Fiberglass

Fiberglass is the most common insulation used in modern times. Because of how it is made, by effectively weaving fine strands of glass into an insulation material, fiberglass is able to minimize heat transfer. The main downside of fiberglass is the danger of handling it. Since fiberglass is made out of finely woven silicon, glass powder and tiny shards of glass are formed. These can cause damage to the eyes, lungs, and even skin if the proper safety equipment isn't worn. Nevertheless, when the proper safety equipment is used, fiberglass installation can be performed without incident.

Fiberglass is an excellent non-flammable insulation material, with R-values ranging from R-2.9 to R-3.8 per inch. If you are seeking a cheap insulation this is definitely the way to go, though installing it requires safety precautions. Be sure to use eye protection, masks, and gloves when handling this product.

2. Mineral Wool

Mineral wool actually refers to several different types of insulation. First, it may refer to glass wool which is fiberglass manufactured from recycled glass. Second, it may refer to rock wool which is a type of insulation made from basalt. Finally, it may refer to slag wool which is produced from the slag from steel mills. The majority of mineral wool in the United States is actually slag wool.

Mineral wool can be purchased in batts or as a loose material. Most mineral wool does not have additives to make it fire resistant, making it poor for use in situation where extreme heat is present. However, it is not combustable. When used in conjunction with other, more fire resistant forms of insulation, mineral wool can definitely be an effective way of insulating large areas. Mineral wool has an R-value ranging from R-2.8 to R-3.5.

3. Cellulose

Cellulose insulation is perhaps one of the most eco-friendly forms of insulation. Cellulose is made from recycled cardboard, paper, and other similar materials and comes in loose form. Cellulose has an R-value between R-3.1 and R-3.7. Some recent studies on cellulose have shown that it might be an excellent product for use in minimizing fire damage. Because of the compactness of the material, cellulose contains next to no oxygen within it. Without oxygen within the material, this helps to minimize the amount of damage that a fire can cause.

So not only is cellulose perhaps one of the most eco-friendly forms of insulation, but it is also one of the most fire resistant forms of insulation. However, there are certain downsides to this material as well, such as the allergies that some people may have to newspaper dust. Also, finding individuals skilled in using this type of insulation is relatively hard compared to, say, fiberglass. Still, cellulose is a cheap and effective means of insulating.

4. Polyurethane Foam

While not the most abundant of insulations, polyurethane foams are an excellent form of insulation. Nowadays, polyurethane foams use non-chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gas for use as a blowing agent. This helps to decrease the amount of damage to the ozone layer. They are relatively light, weighing approximately two pounds per cubic foot (2 lb/ft^3). They have an R-value of approximately R-6.3 per inch of thickness. There are also low density foams that can be sprayed into areas that have no insulation. These types of polyurethane insulation tend to have approximately R-3.6 rating per inch of thickness. Another advantage of this type of insulation is that it is fire resistant.

5. Polystyrene

Polystyrene is a waterproof thermoplastic foam which is an excellent sound and temperature insulation material. It comes in two types, expanded (EPS) and extruded (XEPS) also known as Styrofoam. The two types differ in performance ratings and cost. The more costly XEPS has a R-value of R-5.5 while EPS is R-4. Polystyrene insulation has a uniquely smooth surface which no other type of insulation possesses.

Typically the foam is created or cut into blocks, ideal for wall insulation. The foam is flammable and needs to be coated in a fireproofing chemical called Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). HBCD has been brought under fire recently for health and environmental risks associated with its use.

Other Common Insulation Materials

Although the items listed above are the most common insulation materials, they are not the only ones used. Recently, materials like aerogel (used by NASA for the construction of heat resistant tiles, capable of withstanding heat up to approximately 2000 degrees Fahrenheit with little or no heat transfer), have become affordable and available. One in particular is Pyrogel XT. Pyrogel is one of the most efficient industrial insulations in the world. Its required thicknesses are 50% - 80% less than other insulation materials. Although a little more expensive than some of the other insulation materials, Pyrogel is being used more and more for specific applications.

Other insulation materials not mentioned are natural fibers such as hemp, sheep's wool, cotton, and straw. Polyisocyanurate, similar to polyurethane, is a closed cell thermoset plastic with a high R-value making it a popular choice as an insulator as well. Some health hazardous materials that were used in the past as insulation and are now outlawed, unavailable, or uncommonly used are vermiculite, perlite, and urea-formaldehyde. These materials have reputations for containing formaldehyde or asbestos, which has essentially removed them from the list of commonly used insulation materials. .

There are many forms of insulation available, each with their own set of properties. Only by researching each kind thoroughly can you discover which will be the right kind for your particular needs. As a quick overview:

Aerogel is more expensive, but definitely the best type of insulation.

Fiberglass is cheap, but requires careful handling.

Mineral wool is effective, but not fire resistant.

Cellulose is fire resistant, eco-friendly, and effective, but hard to apply.

Polyurethane is an all around good insulation product, though not particularly eco-friendly.

Polystyrene is a diverse insulation material, but its safety is debated.

Related Posts: The Difference Between Hot And Cold Insulation Materials Insulation Ratings: Calculating R Factor, K Factor & C Factor

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5 Most Common Thermal Insulation Materials | Thermaxx

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There are plenty of cheap and common insulation materials available on the market today. Many of these have been around for quite some time. Each of these insulation materials have their own ups and downs. As a result, when deciding which insulation material you should use, you should be sure to be aware of which material would work the best in your situation.

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Earlier this month, aerospace company Boeing unveiled what it is calling "the lightest metal ever." Microlattice, as it's called, is so light that a slab of it can sit atop a fluffy white dandelion without disturbing the delicate seeds, as demonstrated in the video below. A slight breeze can send the material floating through the air. It is 100 times lighter than styrofoam but as strong as titanium.

The secret is in the structure: Microlattice is a mesh of thin metal tubes, each hollow on the inside, creating a material that's 99.99 percent air but still incredibly durable. "The trick is to fabricate a lattice of interconnected hollow tubes with a wall thickness of 100 nanometers, 1,000 times thinner than a human hair," said Dr. Tobias Schaedler, lead author of an article about the material that appeared in the journal Science. The material can also be compressed and manipulated, and has " extraordinarily high energy absorption."

The possible applications for Microlattice are vast, and no doubt, Boeing hopes to use it to build lighter planes and reduce fuel costs. "And because it's easy to manipulate and produced quickly, it's perfect for rapid manufacturing," writes Meg Miller at Co.Design.

Microlattice is just one of many innovative materials we humans have created that could shape how we live and operate in the future. Here, a few more impressive examples:
1. Graphene
In 2004, researchers at the University of Manchester isolated graphene, a material made of a single layer of carbon atoms that's one million times thinner than a piece of paper. Graphene is so thin, it's actually two-dimensional. But it's stronger than steel and super flexible. It's also transparent and can move electricity 200 times faster than silicon. Graphene could produce electronics that bend and move like paper, which would be incredibly useful for wearables. For example, researchers recently created graphene-coated fabrics that can detect and alert a wearer to dangerous gases in the air. Graphene could also help produce clean drinking water in developing countries by acting as a filter, removing impurities. Researchers have even tried using graphene to create super-strong spider silk. "The material's long list of superlative traits make it seem almost magical, but it could have very real and drastic implications for the future of physics and engineering," writes Will Nicol at Digital Trends.

But graphene still has a lot of hurdles to clear before it can be considered a practical solution to any modern problems. "Scientists are still trying to devise a cost-effective way to produce graphene at scale," explains John Colapinto at The New Yorker. Right now, "the process is slow, exacting, and too expensive for all but the largest companies to afford."
2. Self-healing plastic
The human body's ability to repair itself after being wounded is remarkable, and researchers have tried to replicate it in the lab for years. So much time and money could be saved if our electronics and homes performed their own maintenance and fixed themselves when broken. "Cracks in water pipes and car bonnets would seal up," imagines James Morgan at BBC News. "Satellites could repair their own damage. Broken electronic chips in laptops and mobile phones would spontaneously sort out their own problems."

To that end, researchers at the University of Illinois, funded by the Air Force, created a gel that can automatically fill and repair holes within 20 minutes, getting the original material back to normal function in three hours. "What we had done is essentially mimic the blood clotting feature you see in humans and other biological systems so that now the fluids don't just bleed out of the hole anymore, they're actually retained in place and we grow on top of them until we completely seal up the damage itself," explains Scott R. White, professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Illinois. "The ultimate goal here is to have a material system that continually generates itself anew."

And because humans aren't the only creatures with magical self-healing properties, earlier this year a team of researchers at Penn State took inspiration from squid teeth to create a material that heals itself when exposed to water. Squid teeth are remarkably strong and can transform from liquid to solid in the presence of water. Researchers broke down the genetic code of the proteins in the teeth and incorporated them into a plastic that could be useful for repairing implants in the human body or deep-sea fiberoptics.
3. Data-storing glass
Japanese research company Hitachi claims to have created a type of quartz glass that can store 40 megabytes of data per square inch, and keep it safe for hundreds of millions of years. Inside the glass are layers of tiny dots where the data is kept in binary form (a series of zeros and ones) and can be read by a microscope. The glass is waterproof, heat resistant, and can withstand radiowaves. "We believe data will survive unless this hard glass is broken," said senior researcher Takao Watanabe. Perhaps by the time this glass can be put to practical use, we'll have created a way for it to heal itself.
4. Permeable concrete
A new kind of pavement could do wonders for areas prone to flooding and heavy rainfall. The material, called Topmix Permeable, is porous and can absorb 4,000 liters of water in just 60 seconds. So instead of sitting on top of the concrete and forming puddles or dangerous pools, the water quickly vanishes into the ground, where it is funneled into the city's drainage system to be recycled.

What makes Topmix Permeable unique is the absence of smaller pebbles and sand that make regular concrete dense and impenetrable. When you take those two things out of the mix, what's left are relatively large pebbles that allow water to seep through.

"The system can also help filter contaminants, such as motor oil, out of water - the multiple layers of porous stone essentially act as a giant filter," writes Emily Matchar at Smithsonian. And Tarmac says it could help create a cooling effect in summer months by allowing stored water to evaporate.

Topmix Permeable is about the same price as regular concrete options, but isn't yet available in the U.S.
5. Vantablack, the darkest material ever
Last year, researchers announced the creation of a new material so dark it can hardly be seen with human eyes. Vantablack, from Surrey NanoSystems, is made by putting a bunch of microscopic carbon nanotubes, each 10,000 times smaller than a human hair, together on a piece of foil. The tubes are so densely packed that almost all visible light is absorbed into the material and the foil appears texture-less no matter how it's bent or crumpled. "You expect to see the hills and all you can see ... it's like black, like a hole, like there's nothing there," explains Ben Jensen, the chief technical officer of Surrey NanoSystems. "It just looks so strange."

Vantablack could be used in cameras and telescopes to block out light when capturing images of objects in space. And because it's so hard to see, Vantablack also has potential implications for stealth military gear.

Here's Vantablack on a piece of foil magically absorbing all the light from a laser beam:

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Metal as light as styrofoam and as strong as titanium - and 5 other amazing new materials

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Earlier this month, aerospace company Boeing unveiled what it is calling "the lightest metal ever." Microlattice, as it's called, is so light that a slab of it can sit atop a fluffy white dandelion without disturbing the delicate seeds, as demonstrated in the video below.

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It's expensive in time and money to do research in Antarctica. We often see research programs put at risk because of simple and avoidable equipment failures.

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LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Alex Gaffikin was just 22 when she boarded a ship destined for the Halley research station on the Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica. It was to be her home for the next two and a half years.

"In the depths of winter waking up was a struggle. With 24 hours of darkness my body clock had gone haywire and I'd usually wake up feeling quite lethargic," she said.

As part of an experiment, she sat in front of a bright light for half an hour every morning which was designed to affect her melatonin levels and make her feel more awake.

Next up, a shower, which Gaffikin soon learned was far from a luxury.

"I'd probably been on the research station a matter of minutes before the plumber Cuz warned me against long 'Hollywood showers'. The usual procedure was tap on, tap off, soap up, rinse off. He was right because later on I'd join a team to dig ice for over half an hour to melt down for water."

Staff at the base all fix their own breakfast. The person on night shift usually makes fresh bread, but when Gaffikin worked nights she made doughnuts, "which made me megapopular," she said.

Gaffikin's official job was as a meteorologist.

"A typical day would start with me putting on my doo suit which is like being swaddled in a duvet and trudging across the snow to the meteorology building. My first task would be the nine o'clock weather observation and I would continue doing them every three hours until three in the afternoon," she said.

Her favorite job was launching the weather balloon. "I'd fill a large balloon full of helium and then release it. Sometimes it was quite a battle against the wind to get it out of the shed. But once it was up I'd track it up into the sky as it measured temperature, wind and pressure."

The average temperature in winter is about minus 35 Celsius, but the coldest day Gaffikin remembers was minus 53 degrees. She said the chef was the most popular person on the base as food is so important in the cold.

Though the station's chef does have to get inventive with rations of dried meat and vegetables, Gaffikin said it is weird eating lunch while it's pitch black outside.

Boredom is kept at bay with a range of extra-curricular activities.

"Monday evenings we listened to audio books in the library, Tuesdays I taught Spanish, Wednesdays was video nights. In the depths of winter there's not a lot to do so we all got inventive.

"I used to spend my evenings knitting presents or making cards. My favorite fancy-dress party was the beach party. Matt came in his waterproofs because, as he bemoaned, it would always rain when he went to the seaside," she said.

Often, scientists and explorers at the research base went to sleep exhausted, but Gaffikin said there are certain things worth getting up for.

"Sometimes the person on the night shift would wake us at two in the morning. This was a magical moment. We'd wrap up warm, grab our cameras and head outside to see the aurora. The Southern Lights are amazing but eerie. White, green and orange lights would flicker across the sky. And with no light pollution the Milky Way was stretched out in a white band."

When Gaffikin came back from Antarctica she realized that the thing she loved most was telling other people about the continent. Her dream is to open an Antarctica Museum.

"I love Antarctica because it is such an alien and magical place. You can see things in Antarctica that you can't see anywhere else like emperor penguin colonies, enormous glaciers and gigantic sea creatures," she said.

Currently working on Ice Station Antarctica - a new exhibition at London's Natural History Museum - she is concerned about the future of her second home.

"I am worried that Antarctica will be harmed by the effects of climate change and over-fishing. I hope that visitors will grow to love Antarctica as much as I do. I hope they will be inspired to help minimize human impact so that Antarctica isn't lost forever," she said.

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A day in the life of an Antarctic scientist

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(Reuters Life!) - Alex Gaffikin was just 22 when she boarded a ship destined for the Halley research station on the Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica. It was to be her home for the next two and a half years.

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Antarctic science and exploration - Discovering Antarctica

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From the heroic age of 19th century exploration to to the present day, Antarctica has been the site for scientific discoveries and cutting edge science.

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Backpack Basics Anders, M. "Backpack Basics". Boy's Life,

Mark Anders talks about what makes good backpack.
We are supposed to make a versatile backpack, this article talks about several different elements that make a comfortable backpack.

Weight and adjustable straps are something to pay attention to.

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thermaxxjackets.com a website
States many different good insulation resources along with their price, and if it is eco friendly or not.
Cellulose is a non-flammable, Eco-friendly, and cheap insulation material.

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Design a versatile backpack for a variety of scientific equipment 

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Design a versatile backpack for a variety of scientific equipment 

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The Icebreaker is customized to be versatile for Antarctic scientists and their equipment.
The Icebreaker is created to be flexible and durable. The materials used are chosen for the job of insulation, protection, and adaptation. The interior is configurable to meet your situation, and is specifically designed to withstand the frigid temperatures of the cryosphere. Overall, to make the backpack more versatile, adjustable shelves are put inside to suit the variety of needs that may come up. The straps on the Icebreaker are designed to keep you as secure and safe along with the vital resources contained inside.

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Revise your paragraph in the following ways:

Write More.

Clearer explanation on how your design improves or solves a specific problem.

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