Walk along the edge of the icefjord at Ilulissat and stand staring out at the ice field and calving icebergs. The weather and appearance of the landscape change completely four times in the space of our three hour walk. People here live in a very dynamic environment, and cope with some unique hazards. A sign on the approach to a little beach warns ‘Extreme danger: Do not walk on the beach. Death or Serious Injury may Occur. Risk of Sudden Tsunami Waves Caused by Calving Icebergs’. We giggle a little at finding such an alarmist sign on a seemingly innocent little stretch of sand and rock. People up here know from toddler age upwards that their environment is always changing – and dangerous.
Read on and more of Joe’s posts, and his colleagues’ responses, on the Science, Technology and Nature Blog.
