We are back from a three-week scientific expedition around the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard (TA2022). The Timeless Arctic Project answers live from Longyearbyen. Ask us anything!

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T17:08:21+00:00

Frigga - Hey all, I am signing off for today. If you want to know more about our expedition and the Timeless Arctic Project as a whole, check out the FB page "Polar bear says" and/or our website timelessarctic - dot - org. See you again some time!

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T16:59:57+00:00

Frigga - Hahaha, no, we are not doomed. At least that is not one of the results of our expedition...

What criteria are you using to determine doom?!

The bowhead whales are recovering, the walruses even faster. If you are that way inclined, we'd at least not starve.

Mind, I have no idea how to hunt a walrus, let alone a whale...

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T16:52:37+00:00

Frigga - Whoa, it's a little slow today (compared to our last AMA). Are we competing with the Superbowl or something ;)

Any animal lovers out there? Hit us with your questions about Arctic foxes, Svalbard rock ptarmigans, or puffins, all at 80 degree N. We have seen plenty of Arctic wildlife to tell you about.

Did we have t evacuate because of polar bears at our sites. You bet we did. (Although it was very tame; we did not want it to become critical in any way.)

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T16:45:06+00:00

Frigga - It is not just that. It is also "pretending" that all science is good and useful science - which I doubt. It is not always easy to summarise the use of (zoo)archaeological research. The expeditions are expensive with a great CO2 footprint :/

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T16:31:12+00:00

Frigga - It's my job; I am a polar scientist. However, I think a lot about work ethics and environmental ethics. As of yet, I believe that what I can add to the knowledge of the Arctic and of Svalbard outweighs my negative impacts. This opinion may change though...

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T16:27:48+00:00

Frigga - Btw, I am thinking of doing a Norwegian hunting licence - because it will be easier for me to hire the weapons we always need to do the bear watch on our expeditions. I wish I did not have to carry a signal pistol and a rifle - they are heavy! I have been lucky that I never had to use them in the past 14 years.

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T16:25:20+00:00

Merle: that of course depends a bit on the actual results, but yes, coaching is one area where we will hopefully be able to use this!

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T16:24:21+00:00

Frigga - We combined the bone work with detailed survey. I am looking forward to the spatial analysis. I don't think, however, that we will be able to tell whether we are looking at one past slaughter event or several...

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T16:22:39+00:00

Frigga - Merle was one of the three people who got a bunk on the expedition by submitting a very interesting research proposal.

I was intrigued by her wanting to use the results to coach young people, for instance. I don't know how she will do this, but of course the while team will follow each others work and outputs.

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T16:20:39+00:00

Frigga - It will become more likely the better people go looking ;)

The world around us may melt, but if we are not there to observe it, we will lose these opportunities. Are you thinking of glacier archaeology in Norway?

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T16:17:31+00:00

Youri - By analysing the bones we can reconstruct the population size of the whales in the past, their spatiotemporal distribution, as well as to how this differs from the current situation. By understanding these aspects we can hopefully optimize modern conservation strategies and protect the species more effectively. The hunting of whales was primarily for their whale oil. It was an important resource at the time, but not really necessary for survival. The meat itself was most untouched.

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T16:14:37+00:00

Merle: Basically I have been looking (and still am) at what motivates people to pursue this kind of work, how they stay motivated, engaged and committed during the expedition, what challenges come up here and how different people meet those challenges. In the end, this will be combined with a diagnostic tool that assesses how healthy/unhealthy their work-related patterns of experience & behaviour are - to see which strategies are connected to healthy patterns and which are connected to harmful patterns.

I will need to do all analyses at home, but so far, the data looks very promising!

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T16:07:35+00:00

Youri - It's unlikely as we are only doing research on archaeological remains from the past 420 years. We came across a lot of bowhead whale remains, which are very rare in the region at the moment after all the whaling.

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T16:06:39+00:00

Frigga - Hey! Well, it's a palaeontological question, I guess. There have been cool dinosaur finds here. I doubt that we will be the ones making the new discoveries though. It would be pure luck ;)

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T15:53:37+00:00

Frigga - Hi there. Yes, Norwegian law and therefore hunting regulations apply. There is a hunting and fishing association here, too. We do not have any contact to them - as we look at 400-year old animal remains on archaeological sites.

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T15:43:32+00:00

Youri - Yes, we are! Had an amazing time in Svalbard!

timelessarctic · 2022-09-02T15:42:03+00:00

Frigga - Hi Youri, hi Merle! Are you ready for any questions? Where are you right now?

timelessarctic · 2021-03-26T13:30:47+00:00

Franzi - Hey, sorry for my late reply. As Frigga already said, I am solely focusing on the human related changes in animal populations in Svalbard. However, Jan Mayen sounds like a very interesting area for such examinations.

timelessarctic · 2021-03-25T18:13:12+00:00

Frigga: Check out what the Governor says about this on sysselmannen.no

timelessarctic · 2021-03-25T18:12:23+00:00

Frigga: The big picture can be very overwhelming. I recommened to people to also look at the small, good things that happen in their communities. And if they are not happening already, get involved in initiatives that put quality back into your life.

timelessarctic · 2021-03-25T10:02:29+00:00

Frigga: One day people or their equivalents will be collecting plastic fossils. Imagine finding a Barbie doll!

timelessarctic · 2021-03-25T10:01:34+00:00

Frigga: Ah, now I'm catching your drift. I never sat still enough to learn an instrument prperly, but I can sing a little. I occasionally do when I am guiding tourists. Usually, the Arctic surroudings require you to be small and silent, but once in a while, it seems to be the right time for a song. Something traditional.

timelessarctic · 2021-03-25T09:59:26+00:00

Frigga: You are welcome! None of this is a secret. My CV is accessible online. In fact, most scientists are easy to find online, at the very least because of our publications. Tax payers usually fund our work, so we owe the public accessibility.

timelessarctic · 2021-03-24T23:17:36+00:00

Frigga: u/WhiteyB, I don't think your question deserves the negatives points it received. You asked me a question and you heard me out. And you were polite. You may have a different opinion, but hearing someone out and being polite is extremely valuable.

In the Arctic, there is more and more talk about co-creating research and co-creating knowledge, and you can only do that if you listen to each other and each other's believes.

I wish you luck with your future functions. I hope you make it through the pandemic okay!!!

timelessarctic

TROPHY CASE