Sunniva Sorby from British Columbia and Hilde Fålun Strøm from Norway, both scientists of the same name, are the first known women to conduct such a long research expedition in the area without a man. They recorded their mission online, which they called the “Heart in the Ice”.

The remote hut they lived in was built in 1930, named “Bamsebu”, about 140 kilometers away from the nearest community. It has solar and wind energy, but no running water.

However, their time in the camp is more than just an adventure.

“Climate Witness”

They have 46 years of experience in polar travel and expeditions, and they use their skills in the northern climate to collect data for research.

The initial journey started in 2019 and was originally planned to last nine months, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit on their journey, the two chose to spend another winter.

During their 18-month stay, they collected data on sea ice, water, phytoplankton, aurora, clouds, microplastics, animals, and “everything that can be observed in the Arctic world.”

“In the Arctic, climate change is twice as fast as here,” Fålun Strøm said. “So, we are a bit like climate witnesses.”

The changes they witnessed can be seen in ice conditions, animals, and the atmosphere. They handed over the collected data to nine organizations, including the Norwegian Polar Research Institute and NASA.

“It’s very interesting, because many of the things we do, people can’t really see. It’s like we’re collecting things that you wouldn’t normally observe when you just pass by. But over time, we can see changes. ,” Soby said.

Fålun Strøm points out that “the winter is so warm” and there is more rain.

“Last year we didn’t rain at all,” Fålun Strøm said. “And all this has brought challenges to the wildlife here, especially the seals, polar bears and reindeer.”

Close contact

Women are not only watching the wild animals-they are still watching it. The couple saw nearly 90 polar bears in their cabin and had several close calls.

Sobi said that one night when she went to look for the Northern Lights, she opened the door, turned on the small floodlight outside, and then closed the wooden blinds (for the safety of the polar bears, there are nails outside), there was one on her right. .

“I obviously scared the polar bear,” Thorby said. “[It] Came to the corner, right in front of me, and stopped for a full minute.

“My heart suddenly jumped into my throat… It is definitely a beautiful, magnificent, and spectacular marine mammal. At the same time, it is terrifying that I am standing two meters away from this polar bear.”

She said that the bear pushed away with its hind legs and left.

“I will never, never forget.”

Connecting the world and science

One of their goals is to engage the global community in conversations about climate change and what everyone can do to help. Their outreach activities have connected them with thousands of students.

World conservation leaders also joined the conversation, including the famous primatologist Jane Goodall, who had a real-time satellite video call with the women.

Goodall said that science has changed over the years because people who are not formal scientists have been able to contribute to technology. Now, she said, including children is also very important.

“I think it’s very important to help children understand the natural world and truly understand that we are part of this amazing tapestry of life when you involve them. The more they know, the more they interact with it. , The more likely they are to fall in love with the natural world and hope to help protect it,” Goodall said.

“So, this is the key now. We have made a mess of our planet. This is our only home… We are now in the dark age, so it’s really important for everyone to get together and try to slow the climate. Change and loss of biodiversity.”

Paloma Ruiz De La Orden is a 16-year-old student at the Trafalgar School for Girls in Montreal. He was one of the students who met the couple through the Internet.

“Just hearing their enthusiasm for this project is really just inspiring and created a lot of ambitions for young people like me,” Ruiz de la Oden said.

“I have been educating myself and others about what we can do to improve the climate. Obviously, we don’t have to go to the North Pole now, but we can still do small things to make a huge impact.”

forward

While Fålun Strøm and Sorby were studying the Arctic world around them, scientists were curious about how the couple spent the months in isolation and were studying them. NASA is studying their response and isolation technology, which can add valuable insights to future space exploration expeditions.

“It’s not easy to have only one person here. It’s not easy for anyone, but we are very confident that if it is two people, they may now beat each other,” Soby said.

“We have a good daily job, and… we have a lot of manual work to do, such as cutting wood and collecting ice and snow to fetch water,” Fålun Strøm said.

At the end of May, Fålun Strøm and Sorby were leaving. They boarded a Norwegian Coast Guard ship.

These women are already thinking about their next adventure—becoming citizen scientists in the Canadian Arctic.

“None of us is smart enough to solve the world’s problems, but if we cooperate and use each other’s skills, interests, and abilities, we can truly unite,” Thorby said.

“I mean, the heartbeat, the cooperative part of our project, has always been successful.”