EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS

by Kangyu So

DEFINITION OF TERMS
Extreme environments places or conditions that make human survival difficult or impossible. This maybe due to extremely high or low temperatures, presence of high levels of radiation, pressure, carbon dioxide, salt, acidity, alkalinity, no air or no water. Extremophiles creatures or organisms that can live in these places. They are well-adapted and therefore can grow and multiply.

EXAMPLES OF EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS

Desert Polar regions Outer space Volcano Deep ocean trenches

Desert
Driest places on the planet. It usually receives 10 in. (25cm) or less of rain each year. Temperature in the shade can reach more than 130F (55C). Sahara is the worlds largest hot desert. By day clear skies allow the Sun to scorch hot deserts, but with no clouds to trap the heat, the temperature can drop to below freezing at night.

RECENT ADVANCES THAT HELP US ADAPT:

Sunglasses

Sun Lotion
Clothing Ice machines

Canadian contribution
Fog Catchers
Developed in the 1990s by Robert Schemenauer, a cloud specialist. First tested in a narrow desert place in Chile. Huge panels of fine mesh hung to face the wind. It traps the tiny water droplets from the fog that is then collected in a reservoir.

Polar Regions
Antarctica (South) Coldest places on the planet. Has hurricane-force winds that can reach 125mph (200km/h) The only humans who live here are the scientists working in research stations. They have to wear special clothing materials, face mask and goggles when outside.

Polar Regions
Arctic Region (North) Temperature is slightly warmer that Antarctica allowing humans to be able to live (eg Inuits) Scientists believe that global warming/climate change is slowly melting these ice which can then lead to rising sea levels.

Recent advances that help us adapt:

Face masks and goggles protect from glare of snow and blizzards. Clothing windproof outer layers with under layers made of breathable materials.

Snow shoes
Transportation Toboggans, sled

Canadian Contributions
Snow Blower
Developed by Arthur Sicard of Montreal, Quebec in 1920s. The machine allows a single operator to clear snow even if it is hard, soft or packed and can throw it 30m either on the side of the road or onto a dump truck.

Canadian Contributions
Ski Doo
Joseph-Armand Bombardier first began working in 1950s on a 1-person vehicle that people can use to drive anywhere there is snow. Originally called Ski-Dog and was patented in 1959

Canadian Contributions
Snow-depth sensor
Developed in 1980s by Bob Wilson, John Metcalfe and Barry Goodison, technologists working for Environment Canada.

A sensor is mounted at a fixed height from the ground. It sends out an ultrasonic pulse that travels down the snow then bounces back to the surface. The time it takes for the pulse to travel is then measured. The shorter the time, the deeper the snow.

Space
Vast part of outer space is unknown, it is difficult to explore due to : extreme cold temperature, lack of oxygen and gravity, presence of unfiltered solar and galactic radiations and many other things. However, these does not and will not stop us from finding ways and means to study the Universe

RECENT ADVANCES THAT HELPS US ADAPT:

Space suits

Space shuttles
Space food Recycling water in space Satellites

Canadian Contributions
Canadarm and Space Station Remote Manipulator System (Canadarm 2) - Developed by scientists from Spar Aerospace Ltd in Brampton, Ontario. And by the National Research Council of Canada. - Used to maintain the space station, maneuver equipment and payloads, dock the shuttle orbiters, fix the Hubble telescopes and launch satellites. - Because of this innovation, Canada became a world leader in space robotics!

Volcanoes
Vents on the surface of Earth that emits molten rock, debris and gases. Its lava can reach a temperature of 2,000F and can therefore burn everything in its path. About 1,900 volcanoes are considered active and 90% of it exists within the Ring of Fire along the edges of the Pacific Ocean.

RECENT ADVANCES THAT HELPS US ADAPT:

Radios Seismographs Transportation Thermal Imagers

Canadian contributions
ROPOS (Remotely Operated Platform for Ocean Sciences)
A Canadian submersible that is capable of operating to depths of up to 5000 metres. It can explore underwater volcanoes, collect samples, take pictures and videos.

Deep Ocean Trenches

Lowest level in the ocean floor where little or no light penetrates. Some shrimp colonies and other organisms were discovered around hydrothermal vents. Scientists believe that they obtain their energy from chemical reactions associated with changes to mineral deposits

RECENT ADVANCES THAT HELP US ADAPT:

Diving equipment Submersibles Submarines

Canadian Contributions
Newt Suit
Designed by Canadian engineer Phil Nuytten of Vancouver, BC. A diver can breath ordinary oxygen and can talk to the ship above. It has rotating joints to help move the arms and legs and has hands to grip tools. Used to inspect pipelines, sunken ships, repair floating oil platforms and study undersea volcanoes.

REFERENCES
Shhh! Canadian Scientists and Inventors rule: A science ABC by D. Cruchley 2011
Extreme Weather by M. Hynes 2011

Extreme Weather (DK experience) by J. Farndon 2007

Canada Invents by S. Hughes 2002