NowThis Earth's journey to Antarctica

A behind-the-scenes look at the reporting trip of a lifetime.

Photo: NowThis
Photo: NowThis

Hey, y’all! It’s Alejandro Alba, senior correspondent at NowThis. In March, the NowThis Earth team had the unique opportunity to travel to Antarctica with Intrepid and the World Wildlife Fund to shadow ecologists as they conducted whale research.

The trip, simply put, was that of a lifetime. It’s hard to capture the experience with just words, which is why this newsletter will showcase all the videos we captured during our journey to the Antarctic Peninsula.

We were literally at the end of the world, traveling through remote waters, surrounded by stunning views, and in the company of fellow explorers who were all yearning for wildlife encounters.

There were definitely moments when I felt like I was David Attenborough narrating a wildlife documentary. We got to see everything from whales splashing water with their tails to skua birds eating penguins (sorry for the visual, but it was one of the most unexpected things I saw).

A not-so-fun fact to go with that visual is that penguin chicks are now struggling to survive because of the climate crisis. Warming temperatures are starting to affect when penguins hatch and that might be at a time when food, such as krill, is already scarce. Those penguin chicks then become dinner for skuas.

I know, it’s sad. Penguins are the cutest. I couldn’t get through a standup without getting distracted by them. But there is a big takeaway here: The climate crisis is having an undeniable impact on wildlife in Antarctica, a place that’s supposed to be unaffected by human behavior. Yet what we do at home does end up having repercussions around the world.

To better visualize the issues Antarctica is facing, but equally highlight the solutions, here’s a roundup of our coverage during our trip of a lifetime:


 

Photo: NowThis

Our main focus in Antarctica was to produce an episode of our ongoing series “Can It Save the Planet?” and learn more about whales, their impact on the planet, and the threats they face. Throughout a four-day period, we went out on daily Zodiac cruises to look for whales, tag them, collect biopsies, and photograph them. I never thought I'd be so close to this many whales, but I was so enthralled by the whole experience that I forgot how cold and wet it was. Don’t worry, we had the proper gear on to stay warm.

Photo: NowThis

It’s been so hot over the past 10 years that even Antarctica is struggling to form ice. Scientists worry that the amount of ice that forms versus how much melts is not balanced. Obviously, Antarctica won’t fully melt overnight, but if we don’t slow down the planet’s warming, then one day we could cross an irreversible tipping point. It’s not all doom and gloom though, and there are ways you can get involved — click the video to learn how.


 

Photo: NowThis

Did you know that you can help NASA scientists with their research? Call it nerdy, but one of the coolest things I learned on the trip was how to become a citizen scientist. It’s an easy way to help professional scientists with data collection. For example, we were snapping photos of clouds, identifying them, and sending all that over to NASA so they can complete the satellite imagery they have of the same clouds from above. You see, in places like Antarctica, they don’t have easy ways to take pictures of clouds from below, and it’s expensive to send scientists to do so. Instead, they rely on tourists traveling through the Southern Ocean to complete their database. If you don’t believe me when I say it’s cool, then watch the video and you’ll see my fellow passengers agree with me.


 

Photo: NowThis

We saw a lot of penguins on our trip, but we also saw a lot of penguin poop (a.k.a. guano) and we had to make sure we didn’t step on it. In fact, we had to aggressively clean our shoes before getting back on the boat just in case we stepped on it—I almost did. This practice is known as biosecurity, and it’s to prevent the introduction or spread of organisms and diseases between different ecosystems in Antarctica. The decontamination process actually started on the ship by cleaning all the gear we were bringing on land, which included vacuuming and brushing backpacks, clothes, outer layers, boots, and especially anything that had velcro because things easily get stuck in there. If you had tripods or walking sticks, you had to dip them in a solution that kills viruses, bacteria, and fungi. I know it might seem like a tedious process, but it wasn’t that bad. I’d do anything to protect the penguins who already have it hard.


 

Photo: NowThis

Now, it wasn’t all serious climate reporting while we were there. We also had some fun while looking for whales—like taking a bite out of a piece of an iceberg. It’s important to note that we were fully cleared to do this. Ok, time for a quiz. Glaciers are made out of freshwater, but the chunk we took a bite from was floating in saltwater. What do you think the ice tasted like? Hint: It went great with my cocktail. 🍸


 

Here are some other great pieces from our time in the Antarctic Peninsula:

  • Ever wondered what whale poop looks and smells like? It might not seem pleasant, but it helps feed the ocean.
  • We traveled through the infamous Drake Passage — and we got both the ‘Drake lake’ and the ‘Drake shake.’
  • We did a polar plunge 🥶 (it was -1*C!!!)
  • Here’s why marine protected areas are needed in places like Antarctica
  • Whale biopsies are collected with a crossbow — but don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt the whales.

Our journey to Antarctica might’ve been short, but our coverage on the environment, climate, and sustainability is available every single day. Check out the rest of our daily coverage, as well as our ongoing web series, at the following links:


NowThis Earth
NowThis Earth TikTok
UpCycleThis
Can It Save the Planet?


As always, thanks for reading. Let’s save the planet.

— Alejandro Alba, senior correspondent, and the NowThis Earth team.