Extreme Ice Survey Photographs Melting Glaciers

A glacial lagoon in Iceland. This Extreme Ice Survey picture is one of a group of wallpapers available through National Geographic's web site.

For years, photojournalist James Balog was a doubter of the reality of climate change.  It wasn’t until the photographer took on the work of documenting the melting of glaciers around the world did he become a believer.  Balog founded the Extreme Ice Survey and has spent the last few years collecting thousands of photographs from 26 locations around the world including Alaska, Iceland, Greenland, British Columbia, Montana, the Alps, and South America.  Using time-lapse photography, Balog’s team takes a picture every hour of the day as long as there is daylight.  Once the pictures are collected, they are put together in a movie format that allows the viewer to witness what no person on the planet would ever be able to witness with their own two eyes – the rapid melting of glaciers.

The photographs have been used as further scientific proof of the effects of global warming on glaciers.  This evidence of glacial melting is likely the single most visible sign of climate change in the world.  The results of the Extreme Ice Survey can be seen in a Nova documentary that is now available on DVD through PBS.  A book, Extreme Ice Now, has also been published by National Geographic as a “progress report” with a more complete set coming in the next 1 to 2 years.  Balog was also featured in an interview with Terry Gross on NPR’s Fresh Air;  visit the web site to listen the interview here.

You may also visit the official web site for the Extreme Ice Survey here.