New to science: studying microscopic life in the Polar Regions

Life in the Polar Regions is harsh: during the summer season, organisms experience continuous sunlight, combined with relatively high levels of ultraviolet radiation, whereas during the winter temperatures permanently drop (far) below 0 °C and there is no sunlight for months on end. Consequently, the number of macroscopic plant and animal species living in the Polar Regions is small compared to the rest of the planet. Nevertheless, the Polar Regions harbour a huge diversity of microscopically small life.

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New category: Polar View

After launching our Map Overviews of where Belgian polar research happens (in Belgium and in the field) on last Antarctica Day, and after adding our category of Data Tutorials in February, we are glad to present yet another initiative:

 

The Polar View

 

 

In this new category, we are sharing insights, thoughts, and stories from polar research. Often these include science and activities of Belgian polar researchers, but not exclusively. We were originally inspired by the amazing job that APECS Portugal does on their website: Science in the clear!

Now, APECS Belgium board member Eveline has written the first entry for our “Polar View”. Check it out! You can find this alongside our other categories under “Research” in the main navigation panel of this page.

(Picture by Mario Hoppmann, one of the winners of our photo competition)

Belgium and Antarctica… Researchers’ views

We are happy to get to know about another great initiative: Archives Antarctiques Belges – Belgische Antartic Archives (AABBAA)! The main goal of this non-profit organization is to collect all available documents and objects linked to the history of Belgium in Antarctica.

Mr. Philippe Antoine introduces AABBAA to the general public.

The very first evening conference from AABBAA was organised on 21 March with the theme “Belgium and Antarctica… Researchers’ views”! The conference began with an introduction of AABBAA and its importance in Antarctic research, followed by our introduction of APECS and APECS Belgium 😀 It was a great pleasure! Click below for a short report.

Happy Polar Week!

It’s polar week right now! Check out some of the amazing activities put together by APECS:

•  #PolarPride Photo Contest (deadline extended, you can still submit a picture until tonight!)
•  #PolarPride Polar Week Blog (updated daily)
•  #PolarPride online party (coming Saturday)

And much more all around the world…

Twelve positions in polar climate research available in Belgium

Not one, but twelve (!) positions including PhD student, post doc, and computer scientist become available at universities throughout Belgium (UCL, ULB, KU Leuven, VUB, ULiege).

Find all details here.