We're Melting the Arctic and Reviving Deadly Germs
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Provided by: Vox|Published on: April 27, 2021
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Synopsis
- This short video describes the impacts of melting permafrost in polar regions including the release of greenhouse gases and the release of pathogens that have been frozen for thousands of years.
- The video describes an anthrax outbreak in Siberia amongst reindeer and humans that is believed to be linked to a thawed reindeer carcass and discusses that the release of pathogens from permafrost may become more common as the planet gets warmer.
Subjects: Biology, Health
Authors: Vox
Region: Polar Regions
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This video addresses a topic that is not often discussed related to climate change and students that are interested in medicine or health may understand how climate change is relevant to their studies.
- This video also presents a concrete example of climate change feedback loops with melting permafrost, which can be a tricky concept for students to understand.
- Some of the visuals in the clip show a diorama of Arctic regions and the physical effects of melting permafrost, which is an interesting and accessible example of how to model physical change.
Additional Prerequisites
- Students should be familiar with the climate and geography in Arctic regions.
- There may be a commercial before the video.
Differentiation
- Some students could be bothered by the images of dead animals that are shown, so take that into consideration when showing this video.
- After showing the video, consider discussing other public health concerns related to climate change. This could be a good area for further student research, especially if they do not see other impacts of climate change, locally.
- An additional resource that could be helpful is How Permanent is Permafrost.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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