Page 19 - Abacoa Community News - September '23

Abacoa, Page 19

The Role Of Ice Sheets from page 18 levels by several metres Field Trip Allows Students To
and illustrates that past
Continuous Ice Stream After Tipping Point tipping points may have Explore Scientific Wonders
Major changes in the ice sheets also repeatedly influenced changed the long-term
the climate between 60,000 and 25,000 years ago, the so-called climate evolution.
marine isotope stage 3. This phase was characterised by strong, Our studies underline
cyclical northern hemispheric temperature fluctuations. In the importance of ice
addition, periodic instabilities of ice sheets occurred, referred to sheets for the short- By Sanjana Gupta, 2023 Communications Intern
as Heinrich events, named after their German discoverer. During and long-term climate Twelve enthusiastic students from the West Palm Beach
a Heinrich event, large amounts of icebergs were discharged from evolution. They show Boys & Girls Club embarked on a science-focused field
the North American ice sheet. These icebergs entered the ocean, how important it is to trip on July 13, which led to an unexpected revelation: their
where they influenced, among other things, the ocean circulation, take changes in ice sheets into account for model simulations of growing passion for science.
and led to a significant cooling across the North Atlantic. The the past and future. In future work, we want to identify tipping
exact mechanisms that led to these events are still unclear. points in the climate system that are a result of ice sheet changes
We have carried out simulations to understand how different and have the potential to alter the long-term climate evolution.
climatic conditions influence the timing of a Heinrich event. In These include changes to the jet stream, the Atlantic Meridional
our simulations, Heinrich events occur repeatedly in different Overturning Circulation (AMOC), which comprises the Gulf
regions of the North American ice sheet but differ regionally Stream, and the ice-albedo feedback. The latter refers to ice
in their dynamics. We have also found that a warmer climate reflecting more solar radiation than vegetation, therefore, the
often leads to the crossing of a critical threshold, or tipping point, earth heats up less in areas covered by ice. Our model system
at which Heinrich events may no longer occur and instead a allows us to fully understand and investigate these processes and
continuous ice stream develops. Such a transition can raise sea the feedback between ice sheets and the climate.
The group, including students ages 11 to 14, met with
a postdoctoral researcher and neuroscientist Abhishek
Sadhu, Ph.D. from The Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for
Biomedical Innovation & Technology located in Jupiter, Fla.
The encounter left the students inspired and excited about
possible careers in the world of science.
Sadhu described his studies into how long-term memories
are formed through biochemical processes. Sadhu helped
the students understand complex concepts like DNA, DNA
replication, and the role of RNA. He showed them how memory
consolidation and retrieval occur though these fundamental
biological processes. Students’ eyes were opened as they began
to understand DNA’s genetic information-carrying role. They
heard how mistakes in DNA replication can result in genetic
mutations, and how DNA replication processes maintain
the reliable duplication of genetic material throughout cell
division. The role of RNA functioning as an intermediary
between DNA and the construction of functional proteins was
further highlighted by Sadhu’s presentation. Students saw the
connection between chemical processes and the creation of
long-term memories. The presentation impressed both students
and their advisors. Advisor Kevin Brown from the West Palm
Beach Boys & Girls Club emphasized how the event cultivated
the minds of the participants.
“It exposes our youth to the limitless opportunities that are
within their grasp. Things that may have started as an idea that
have now become a part of their
vision,” Brown said.
Prior to the field trip, he said,
some of these students had vague
notions or fleeting interests
in science. Through this eye-
opening field trip, those ideas
evolved into a real possibility
for their future careers. The
field trip acted as a catalyst for
their curiosity and ignited a
passion for science within them,
Brown said. It allowed them to
witness firsthand how science
is not confined to textbooks and classrooms but is an aspect
of the world around them. By engaging with a postdoctoral
researcher, the students gained insight into cutting-edge
neuroscience research and saw potential to contribute to the
scientific community themselves one day.

Field Trip Allows Students on page 20

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