Jane Francis on Antarctica
Jane Francis, director of the British Antarctic Survey, talks to Jim Al-Khalili about how studying petrified wood took her from Dorset's Jurassic coast to this icy land mass.
Just twenty years ago, the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) would not allow women to camp in Antarctica. In 2013, it appointed Jane Francis as its Director. Jane tells Jim Al-Khalili how an intimate understanding of petrified wood and fossilised leaves took her from Dorset's Jurassic coast to this icy land mass. Camping on Antarctic ice is not for everyone but Jane is addicted, even if she does crave celery and occasionally wish that she could wash her hair. Fossils buried under the ice contain vital clues about ancient climates and can be used to check current computer models of climate change. The earth can withstand a great range of temperatures: Antarctica was once covered in lush forest. But the question is: can humans adapt? As the ice caps melt, sea levels will continue to rise. And, says Jane, the time to start planning for that is now.
Last on
More episodes
Clip
-
![]()
When the South Pole was a tropical rainforest
Duration: 01:17
Broadcasts
- Tue 31 Mar 2015 09:00Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
- Tue 31 Mar 2015 21:30Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4
Sleep – the mystery state
What is the secret to a good nights sleep? Professor Jim Al-Khalili explores.
Is your mind a machine?
Daniel Dennett thinks so. Here is what we learned from his Life Scientific.
Podcast
-
![]()
The Life Scientific
Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to leading scientists about their life and work.
