Rising temperatures and melting ice play a central role in the development of this phenomenon AnthropoceneIn other words, it is the most recent geological epoch in Earth's history. What makes the Anthropocene different from the environmental impacts of prehistoric humans, primarily those caused by the early use of fire, is the fact that humans are more or less aware of what is happening now. is.
Melting ice not only causes sea levels to rise, but it's easy and obvious to measure. immediate effect Not only does it influence human society, but it also serves as a universal indicator of where human habitat, and life on Earth more broadly, is headed. But we've only scratched the surface of what these calculated and thoughtful changes will mean. prediction Usually they keep surprising us with bad news.
in „Subjunctive mood that dissolves in the future” Rice University Professor Simen Haubook chapter ecological nostalgiaattempts to theorize the place of ice in modern life and zoom in on the glacial hydrosphere to fill in the picture. ethnographyEspecially in Iceland. In doing so, she contributes to current efforts to carve out new spaces for anthropology and many other academic communities, including geography and literary studies.
Iceland offers sites to help you explore Hau. The noteworthy part of the surface is Approximately 10%is covered by 400 glaciers and is well documented in both documents. folklore Historical and scientific reports, especially over the past centuries.
![Mýrdalsjökull, a glacier in southern Iceland. (Justin Laberge/Flickr)](https://sotp.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Glacier-2-GH-650x387.jpeg)
![Mýrdalsjökull, a glacier in southern Iceland. (Justin Laberge/Flickr)](https://sotp.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Glacier-2-GH-650x387.jpeg)
So, what significance does melting ice have for the modern world? Polar bears attracted the world's attention several decades ago as tragic victims of climate change. However, recently it has captured the imagination of Icelanders. Although polar bears are not native to Iceland, they have visited the country for centuries, sometimes on ice floes. Now, as their native glaciers shrink, they are increasingly swimming in from Greenland, sparking a lively debate about human and non-human rights and protection.
Howe also highlights how Icelanders' perceptions and dialogue have captured Iceland's stickiness. jokulhlaup, or floods caused by glacial outbursts that occur as a result of geothermal activity.icelandic jokulhlaup It pervades geological language and refers to glacial flooding for a variety of reasons, including those related to the Anthropocene. Similarly, the concept of native Jokultunga, or glacial tongue, an established term in Icelandic, serves as a metaphor for glaciers as speaking beings. These concepts are illustrated in Howe's chapter with her own powerful photographs taken from different regions of Iceland.
Citing philosopher Michel Serres' distinction between „hard“ and „soft,“ Howe suggests that hard ice (as found in nature) can only be softened by human action. However, she adds an important qualification: We're in an even trickier place than that. ”
This „stickiness,“ Howe writes, „has probably always typified the relationship between the natural world, the social world, and their sciences.“ Time also becomes softer and more tenacious. For decades, ice cores extracted in the Arctic and subarctic regions have provided astonishing insights into Earth's deep-time climate and established an extremely useful ecological, historical, and social archive. I've been doing it. Now, as Howe concludes, „ice also foretells the future,“ sticking out its „tongue“ toward the unknown to come.
This is a provocative article, offering incisive observations on the frozen and flowing hydrospheres at a moment of exponential change, and their potential as sites for innovative anthropological analysis and effective environmental politics. Attention is drawn to theoretical and practical implications.
![Svinafellsjökull Glacier is an outflow glacier from Vatnajökull in Iceland, the largest ice sheet in Europe. (Toffehof/Flickr)](https://sotp.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Glacier-3-GH-650x365.jpeg)
![Svinafellsjökull Glacier is an outflow glacier from Vatnajökull in Iceland, the largest ice sheet in Europe. (Toffehof/Flickr)](https://sotp.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Glacier-3-GH-650x365.jpeg)
Gisli Palsson is Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at the University of Iceland. His latest book is “the last of its kind: The search for the great oak and the discovery of its extinction. ”