3.JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE EARTH

JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE EARTH 

(Tishani-Doshi)

(1) BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO THE CHAPTER

In this chapter, the writer describes the experience of her visit to Antarctica which is the coldest, driest and windiest continent in the world. She went there with a group of 52 students. They all went under the 'Students on Ice' programme which aimed at taking high school student to the ends of the world and providing them inspiring educational opportunities. They went on the Russian research vessel named the Akademik Shokalskiy. The programme was headed by a Canadian, Geoff Green. From her experience, the writer says that Antarctica is the place to go to if we want to understand the earth’s present, past and future. There we will also come to know how global warming is harming this earth of ours. We see  there receding glaciers and collapsing ice shelves. As a result, there can be floods and many low island can go under water. Thus a visit to Antarctica can warn us of the dangers arising from deforestation, excessive burning of fossil fuels and overpopulation.

(2) SIMPLIFIED VERSION OF THE CHAPTER

The writer talks of her journey aboard a Russian Research Vessel named the Akademik Shokalskiy. She says that they were heading towards Antarctica which is the coldest, driest and windiest continent in the world. Her journey began 13.09 degress north of the Equator in Madras. It involved crossing nine time zones, six checkpoints, three bodies of water, and at least  as many ecospheres.
By the time she actually set foot on the Antarctica continent, She had been travelling over 100 hours in combination of car, aeroplane and ship. Her first emotion on facing Antarctica's expansive white landscape was one of relief. Its ice immensity and its isolation filled her with deep wonder. She also wondered how there could ever have been a time when India and Antarctica were part of the same landmass.
Six hundred and fifty million years ago, there existed a giant amalgamated southern super continent. It was Gondwana.

It centred roughly around present-day Antarctica. Things were quite different then. Humans hadn’t arrived on the global scene. The climate was much warmer. There was warmer. There was a huge variety of flora and fauna. Gondwana thrived for 500 million years. Then around the time when the dinosaurs disappeared and mammals took their place, the landmass was forced to separate into countries. It shaped the globe much as we know it today.

To visit Antarctica is to be a part of that history. It is to get an idea of where we have come from and where we could possibly be heading. It can be pretty mind-boggling to imagine India pushing northward, jamming against Asia and forming the Himalayas. It is equally mind-boggling to imagine South America joining North America.

On the Antarctic, there are no human signs. There are no trees, billboards or buildings. You lose all earthly sense of time there. Days go on and on for 24 hours. There is silence all around. Only occasionally, one can hear the blowing of an avalanche or the breaking of an ice sheet. There are microscopic insects like midges and mites; and there are also mighty blue whales. There are icebergs as big as countries. The largest recorded was of the size of Belgium.

Human civilisations have been around for only 12,000 years. It is only a few seconds on the geological clock. In that short amount of time, we have created quite a ruckus with our villages, tows, cities and mega cities. The rapid increase of human populations has depleted our natural resources. It has adversely affected the other species also. The unmitigated burning of fossil fuels has now created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world. It is slowly but surely increasing the average global temperature.

Climate change is one of the most hotly contested debates of our time. And in this debate, Antarctica is a crucial element. When we see here the glaciers retreating and ice shelves collapsing,  we begin to realise that the threat of global warming is very real. Antarctica is crucial from another point of view also. It holds in its ice cores half-million-year-old carbon records which lie trapped in its layers of ice. Thus if we want to study and examine the earth’s past, present and future, Antarctica is the place to go to.

Antarctica is also a perfect place to study how little changes in the environment can have big consequences. Take for example the phytoplankton. They are microscopic grasses of the sea. They form the food chain for the entire Southern Ocean’s marine life. These single-celled plants use the sun’s energy to assimilate carbon dioxide. Scientists warn us that a further depletion in the ozone layer will affect the activities of phytoplankton. It will, in turn, affect the lives of all marine animals and birds of the region. From this example, we can learn the lesson that if we take care of small things, the big things will take care of themselves.

The writer says that the ‘Students on Ice’ was highly useful. It offered the future generations of policy-makers a life-changing experience. From their experience, they could learn how to protect their earth from further damage. Before turning back, all the 52 students aboard Shokalskiy had a chance to walk on the frozen ocean. It was stark whiteness that seemed to spread out for ever. Underneath their feet was a metre-thick ice pack. And underneath that, there was 180 metres of living, breathing salt water. At some distance from them, crabeater seals were stretching and sunning themselves on ice floes much like stray dogs under the shade of a banyan tree. The writer says that it was nothing short of a revelation.

हिंदी अनुवाद 

लेखिका अपनी यात्रा का वर्णन करती है जो उसने रूस के अनुसंधान करने वाले जहाज 'अकैडमिक शोकलस्कीय' दवारा की थी वह कहती है कि वे एंटार्कटिका की तरफ बढ़ रहे थे जो संसार का सबसे ठंडा, शुष्क और तूफानी महाद्वीप है उसकी यात्रा भूमध्य रेखा से 13.09 अंश उत्तर में स्तिथ मद्रास (अब चेन्नई ) से शुरू हुई। इस यात्रा में उन्हें नौ टाइम जोनों, छः जांच -स्तलों, तीन जल खण्डों और काम से काम उतने ही इकोस्फीयरों में से होकर गुजरना था।

उस समय से समय से पहले जबकि उसने अंटार्कटिका महाद्वीप ओर वास्तव में कदम रखर, वह कार, हवाई जहाज तथा समुद्री जहाज द्वारा सामूहिक रूप से सौ घंटे से भी ज्यादा समय तक यात्रा करती रही थी।  अंटार्कटिका के विस्तृत सफ़ेद भू - दृश्य को सामने पा कर उसकी पहली मनोभावना रहता की थी।  इसकी विशालता, इसके अकेलेपन ने सूए गहरे आश्चर्य से भर दिया।  वह यह सोच कर भी  चकित हुई  कि  कभी भी ऐसा एक समय रहा होगा जब भारत और अंटार्कटिका एक ही भूमि- पुंज का भाग रहे होंगे। 

पिछले छः सौ मिलियन वर्ष पहले एक विशाल एकीकृत दक्षिणी सुपर महाद्वीप अस्तित्व में था। और वह गोंडवाना था. वह लगभग आज के एंटार्कटिका के आस- पास केंद्रित था। उस समय चीज़ें काफी अलग प्रकार की थी। संसार के दृश्य पर अभी मानव- जीव नहीं आये थे।  जलवायु काफी गर्म थी।  वहां पर बनस्पतियाँ तथा जीव- जन्तुओं की असंख्य किस्मे थी। गोंडवाना 500 वर्षों तक फलता फूलता रहा। तब लगभग उस समय, जब डायनासोर बिलुप्त हो रखे थे और उनकी जगह स्तनधारी जीवों ने ले ली थी। वह विशाल भूमि पुंज देशों में बंटने के लिए( परिस्तिथियों द्वाराबाध्य कर दिया गया।  इसने संसार को लगभग वह स्वरुप प्रदान कर  दिया जैसा कि हम इसके बारे में आज जानते है। 
अंटार्कटिका जाना मनो उस इतिहास का एक भाग है।  वहां जाने का उद्देश्य यह जानना है कि हम कहाँ से आये है और संभवतः किस दिशा में जा रहे है। यह कल्पना करना दिमाग को चक्कर में  है कि   की  सरका होगा।  एशिया  सात गया होगा और इस प्रकार हिमालय की रचना हुई होगी। यह कल्पना करना  ही चक्रा देने वाला होगा कि किस प्रकार दक्षिण अमेरिका उत्तर अमरीका के साथ जा मिला  होगा। 
अंटार्कटिका क्षेत्र में कोई भी मानव चिह्न नहीं है। वहां पर कोई पेड़, विज्ञापन बोर्ड या इमारतें नहीं है। वहां पर आपको समय का सांसारिक बोध नहीं रह जाता।  २४ घंटों वाले दिन एक के बाद एक बीतते चले जाते है। चारों तरफ पूरी ख़ामोशी छाई रहती है। केवल कभी कभार ही आप बर्फ के तूफान या बर्फ की चादरों के टूटने की आवाजें सुन पाते है।  वहां पर अत्यंत सूक्ष्म आकर के कीड़ें होते है और वहीँ पर विशालकाय और शक्तिशाली नीला व्हेल मछलियां भी होती है।  वहां पर हिमखंड होते है जो देशों के आकार जैसे होते है।  अभिलेखों के आधार पर सबसे बड़ा हिमखंड बेल्जियम के आकार जितना बड़ा था।
मानव- सभ्यताएं संसार में केवल १२,000 वर्षों से  है।  भू- विज्ञान वाली घडी पर तो यह समय मात्र कुछ सेकंड के बराबर होता है।  इसी संक्षिप्त समय में हमने काफी हल्ला- गुल्ला मचा दिया है।  हमने अपने गांवों , कस्बों, नगरों और महानगरों से प्रकृति पर आधिपत्य जमा रखा है।  मानव -आवादी में तेज़ वृद्धि ने हमारे प्राकृतिक संसाधनों में भारी कमी ला दी है।  इससे अन्य प्रजातियों पर भी प्रतिकूल प्रभाव पड़ा है।  भूमि से प्राप्त होने वाले ईंधन को अत्यधिक मात्रा में जलाने से संसार के चारों ऒर कार्बनडाइऑक्साइड के एक आवरण की रचना हो गयी है।  ऐसा करना धीरे- धीरे , किन्तु निश्चित रूप से, संसार के औसत तापमान को बढ़ा रही है। 
आज  के समय में वाद- विवाद के सबसे के सबसे महत्वपूर्ण विषयों में से एक जलवायु- परिवर्तन है

Q.1.  How do geological phenomena help us to know about the history of mankind ?

Ans.  Geological phenomena can help us to know where we have come from and where we are possibly heading. For example, geological phenomena tell us how India and South America formed a part of the southern super continent- Gondwana. Then due to some geological changes, India pushed northwards, jamming against Asia and forming the Himalayas. South America drifted off to join North America Similarly, the melting of the polar ice caps can tell us where possibly we are heading.

Q.2.  What are the indications for the future of mankind ?

Ans.  The indications for the future of mankind are not good. Human civilisation is just 12,000 years old. It comes to only a few seconds on the geological clock. And in this short span of life, we have dominated nature with our villages, towns, cities and mega cities. Human population has increased so much that it has come to be called as ‘population explosion’. We have gravely depleted our resources of nature. We have destroyed our forests and many species of wildlife have become extinct. The excessive burning of fossil fuels has created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the earth. The average global temperature is slowly but surely increasing. The threat of global warming is very real. Climate change has become one of the most hotly debated environmental debates of our time. These grave indications don’t augur well for the future of mankind. They may or may not bring about the end of the world. But they are not good.

Q.3. ‘The world’s geological history is trapped in Antarctica.’  How is the study of the region useful to us ?

Ans. The study of Antarctica can tell us how our globe tool its present-day shape. It can tell us how there was a time when India and South America used to be a part of the southern supercontinent- Gondwana. Then, about a million years ago, India pushed northward and jammed against Asia forming the Himalayas. South America drifted off to join North America. The study of Antarctica also tells us that it is the only place in the world that never had any human population. It remains relatively pristine in this respect. It has in its ice cores half-million-year-old carbon records. They are all trapped in its layers of ice. Thus the study of this region can tell us about the Earth’s past. It can also tell us about its present and future. Its receding glaciers and collapsing ice shelves tell us how real the threat of global warming is. Thus the study of the region can help us to learn from our mistakes.

Q.4. What are Geoff Green’s reasons for including high school students in the ‘Students on Ice’ expedition?  

Ans. Geoff Green looks upon students as important and responsible members of our future generation. They are our future policy-makers. They have the ability to absorb, learn and act. That was why he included high school student in his expedition. By their visit to Antarctica, they could see for themselves how real the danger of global warming is. And when they grow up, they could take steps to stop the harms that are being done to the earth. They will take steps to fight such problems as the rapid increase of human populations and unmitigated burning of fossils. It was for these educational reasons that Geoff Green included high school students in the ‘Students on Ice’ expedition.

Q.5. 'Take care of small things and the big things will take care of themselves.' What is the relevance of this statement in the context of the Antarctic environment ?
Ans. The Antarctic environment has been affected by global warming. It is clear from receding glaciers and collapsing ice shelves. But the danger of global warming starts from what appears to be a small thing. It starts from the burning of fossil fuels. No harm can come if we make a wise and judicious use of these fuels. But we have started using them carelessly. There overuse has disturbed the global carbon cycle. the ozone layer has been affected. The very life on this globe has come in the danger of extinction. In other words, the neglect of small things has resulted in a terrible danger. This big danger can be averted only if we become careful about small things like the burning of fossil fuels and fast increase of population.

Q.6. Why is Antarctica the place to go to, to understand the earth’s present, past and future ?

Ans. Antarctica is really the place to go to if we want to understand the earth’s present, past and future. It can tell us how our globe took its present-day shape. It can tell us how there was a time when India and South America used to be a part of the southern supercontinent-Gondwana. Then, about a million years ago, India pushed northward and jammed against Asia forming the Himalayas. South America drifted off to join North America. The study of Antarctica also tells us that it is the only place in the world that never had any human population. It remains relatively pristine in this respect. It has in its ice cores half-million-year –old carbon records. Thus Antarctica tells us of the present state also. It can tell us the Earth’s past. Its receding glaciers and collapsing ice shelves can give us an indication of the future also. They can tell us how real the threat of global warming is. Thus Antarctica is really the place to go to if we want to understand the earth’s present, past and future.