NightSchool: Arctic Life

Arctic explorers join us from the northern polar regions to talk about life found there—from microorganisms that live in sea ice to belugas and wolverines—and why biodiversity research and conservation in this region have never been more critical.

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

• The MOSAiC expedition was a year-long journey to explore and understand the role of the Arctic climate system. Dr. Allison Fong, a polar biologist, spent more than 250 days on the ice, working in complete darkness and braving sea ice rivers and melt ponds to collect samples of microbial life. She’ll talk about how her team captures the pulse of Arctic life, and what it means to be a witness to melting ice. (Bremerhaven, Germany)
   
• Let Justine Hudson regale you with the wonders of whale snot. As an arctic marine mammal biologist and grad student at the University of Manitoba, Justine studies the effects of climate change and human activity on belugas in the Hudson Bay by measuring the stress levels of belugas—yes, by collecting and analyzing their snot. (Winnipeg, Manitoba)
   
• Wolverines are known as one of the toughest animals on the planet, supremely adapted for life on snow. Wildlife photographer Peter Mather (who calls them “Arctic snow machines”) has documented wolverines for three seasons, and he’ll talk about just a few of the wild things he’s observed, like wolverines chasing down caribou and tackling animals 20-times their size. (Whitehorse, Canada)

All NightLife virtual programming is intended for audiences 21+.

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PAST VIRTUAL NIGHTLIFE EVENTS

Missed the party? Just want to relive the magic? Watch the recorded livestreams on YouTube!