From May 15-24, 2008, NASA satellites will capture images of mock “ice caps” created by local students at science centers worldwide as part of the Albedo Experiment. This project was developed through a partnership between IGLO and NASA, and will help explain how the polar ice caps regulate the earth’s temperature by reflecting the sun’s rays (a process called albedo). The Albedo Experiment represents a new kind of scientific cooperation between young people from all over the globe, which aims to raise awareness of critical issues by bridging cultures.

Participating institutions include: Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia; Longwood University, Farmville, Virginia; Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences, Peoria, Illinois; Technopolis, Mechelen, Belgium; Institut d’Astronomie et de Geophysique G. Lemaitre, Louvain, Belgium; Henri Bergson High School, Paris, France; Heureka, Vantaa, Finland; MadaTech, Haifa, Israel; Singapore Science Center, Singapore; Techniquest, Cardiff, Wales; Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Dayton, Ohio; Norwegian Museum of Science & Technology, Oslo, Norway; Questacon, Canberra, Australia; Teknikens Hus, Lulea, Sweden; Miraikan, Tokyo, Japan; New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science, Albuquerque, New Mexico; National Museum of Science and Technology, Stockholm, Sweden; Museo Tridentino di Scienze Naturali, Trento, Italy; Discovery Science and Outdoor Center, Ocala, Florida; and Monash Science Centre, Monash, Australia. On June 9, NAUSICAA, Boulogne-sur-Mer, France will host an event as part of the World Ocean Network’s World Ocean Week closing ceremony.

The NASA satellites being used in this project are Landsat 7, Terra, and EO-1. As they fly over the sites, they will take photographs of each white spot and measure its reflectivity versus that of the sites with no "ice caps." Science centers will use ImageJ software to take their own albedo measurements and compare them to NASA's findings. Every participating institution is  organizing a full program of activities in support of the Albedo Experiment. Students will perform demonstrations from the IGLO Toolkit that have been contributed by organizations such as NASA and NOAA, as well as other scientific experts worldwide. These activities and more are available on the IGLO web site. Weather permitting, images of these white spots and the collected data will be unveiled in Toronto, Canada at the 5th Science Centre World Congress hosted by the Ontario Science Centre from June 16-20, 2008.

Landsat 7. Courtesy NASA GSFC



Terra satellite carrying ASTER instrument. Courtesy NASA GSFC



Shrinking ice caps disrupt Earth's albedo.

During Earth Month (April) 2008, the traveling exhibit, Double Exposure: Photographing Global Climate Change, debuted at the Museum of Science (MoS), Boston, Massachusetts. One of the first exhibits to tell the story of glacial recession using high-resolution photographs as benchmarks, Double Exposure reveals evidence of how Earth is changing.

Bradford Washburn, the late explorer and MoS founding director, photographed some of the world's most remote landscapes. Now these dramatic images are considered a valuable scientific record that documents shifting glacial landscapes. In Double Exposure, Washburn's historic images are juxtaposed with more recent photographs taken by environmental photojournalist, David Arnold. To depict the impact of global warming, Arnold photographed many of the icy vistas first shot by Washburn, using identical camera angles, vantage points, and altitudes. The exhibit reveals how art can be used as a tool for studying science — when viewed side by side, these photos clearly demonstrate glacial recession.

MoS’ goals for this exhibit parallel the aims of IGLO – to prompt audiences to discuss the consequences of global climate change and reflect on ways that knowledge, scientific discovery, and innovation can help us design solutions that create a better future for the planet. Double Exposure: Photographing Global Climate Change will be at MoS from April 4 through June 22, 2008. before traveling to other museums across the United States.

Before and after photos of the Matterhorn on August 16, 1960 by Bradford Washburn (above)and August 18, 2005 by David Arnold (below). Photos courtesy Museum of Science, Boston.