Innocents In The Arctic The 1951 Spitsbergen Expedition

Driven by the desire for scientific discovery and adventure, ten naive young men ventured north to the nearly uninhabited, ice-covered island of Spitsbergen in 1951. Geological progress ensued, but so did misfortunes wrought by calamitous weather, an unworthy boat, and an entertaining but ill-informed approach to arctic survival. Innocents in the Arctic chronicles this Birmingham University expedition with an absorbing combination of wit and historical insight. Compiled from diaries and field notes, it documents an important period in polar exploration following the social upheaval of World War II. It also brings to life the labors of arctic travel before modern technology: the Birmingham researchers hauled their own sledges and communicated with hand-scrawled notes pinned to their leaky canvas tents. Despite these difficulties, the expedition was a scientific success and helped to unravel a compelling geological puzzle-why were relatively recent fossils entombed within rocks that were twice as old? The answers to this question and others contributed to an understanding of the evolution of the North Atlantic. Bull's realistic, insider account of scientific adventure will appeal to polar enthusiasts, armchair historians, and anyone who remembers what it was like to be young and daring.Bull, Colin is the author of 'Innocents In The Arctic The 1951 Spitsbergen Expedition', published 2005 under ISBN 9781889963730 and ISBN 1889963739.