Lodamun

[imperialpearl]

Scientists and researchers from the National Centres for Health Research (NCHR), the University of St. Christopher (UoSC) and the Handal National University (HNU) are set to embark on an ambitious effort to enhance the scientific community’s understanding of climate change and its potential impact on numerous areas of research including virology and the global cooling phenomenon. This “expedition” as it is being coined by HNU is the first major Lodamese-Baekuk effort to venture into the arctic tundra in centuries and represents the beginning of a major refocus on scientific research within Lodamun itself. Prior to this moment, there had been significant discussion within the Lodamese scientific community as to whether there would ever be an eagerness/interest in a more permanent mission to the Arctic as many missions to the region had been largely temporary and were based intermittently from the numerous vessels, predominantly icebreakers which brought the researchers to their designated area. 

“Without investment into a more permanent structure in the Arctic, we would undoubtedly find ourselves scrambling each time to organise ourselves to conduct crucial climatic research,” Dr Michael Graham, a climatologist and the expedition’s Director lamented in an opinion piece several years prior. With the backing of the Lodamese Coast Guard, who has provided the provision of an icebreaker as an auxiliary vessel alongside guaranteed air drops from a Lodamese Air Force Globemaster and a team from the Baeguk Army’s Engineer School, the expedition will also establish a major research centre in the area which will become the future base of operations from the International Climatic Research Centre, a joint project between the National Centres for Health Research, Handal National University and the University of St. Christopher. “This expedition seeks to achieve numerous tasks as various pieces of research will be conducted simultaneously. From epidemiological research to climatic research; all of this will be happening as we build out a permanent research centre,” Dr Graham clarified. Although the NCHR has provided some financing to the construction of the aforementioned Climatic Research Centre, much of the expedition is being financed by the UoSC with some assistance from HNU.

The Dankuk/Bae continent of scientists is uniquely connected to the expedition as their research into determining the validity of the “global cooling” phenomenon had been of particular interest to Dr Graham and the UoSC. Global cooling refers to a mystifying climatic phenomenon wherein it has been reported throughout modern Terran history that certain regions of the Northern Hemisphere have experienced inclement periods of below-average temperatures which lead to deep periods of cold weather. This phenomenon directly contradicts prevailing knowledge related to the nature of climate change, wherein the established literature has noted that over the past millennia, the world’s climate has undergone gradual, yet noticeable transformations, from the melting of polar ice caps to more severe weather events. In the case of the Arctic region, the effect of rapidly increasing global temperatures as a result of industrialisation has been long documented in periods of glacial deformation and sliding alongside the melting of massive chunks of the polar ice which blanket this part of the world. 

In retracing documented instances of this “global cooling” phenomenon, scientists such as Dr Alta Sə̄ksənur, a climatologist with HNU, alongside members of his team including Dr Go Yumin (Geologist), Dr Kwak Minji (Meteorologist) and Dr Yoon Haechan (Oceanographer) believe that these events are natural “false-starts” to an ice-age that never came. Dr Sə̄ksənur explained that similar to the natural seasons (spring, summer, autumn and winter), the earth undergoes similar cycles of heating and cooling. Archaeological evidence discovered at a site in Dankuk/Bae points to the fact that ever-expanding layers of carbon deposits point to evidence that throughout Terra’s long history, likely prior to the formation of advanced civilisation, the planet had undergone numerous periods of global warming (as a result of increased CO2 concentration in the atmosphere) following by periods of global cooling. This discovery augments existing knowledge on the natural global warming phenomenon. “Whilst we would not give credence to the natural global warming theory, we believe that there is an answer to global cooling in studying the triggers of historic ice ages.” Dr Sə̄ksənur explained.

Scientists from the University of St. Christopher’s Department of Virology and NCHR’s National Centre for Infectious Diseases are set to team up during the expedition to potentially uncover the secrets of frozen diseases in the Arctic region. It is said that various animals including caribou, bears and muskox which have been frozen in a layer of permafrost in some parts of the Arctic region could hold key answers to understanding the nature of viruses, especially those which have been frozen in a sort of stasis for hundreds of years. This area of virology has become of particular interest recently as the NCHR has expressed concern at the fact that despite clear evidence of the effect of climate change (particularly the melting of polar ice caps), knowledge of the various “ancient” viruses/diseases remains limited. According to the NCHR, the melting of polar ice caps left the nation open to significant risk as this could potentially release ancient viruses/diseases to which the human immune system has become inept. 

Dr Matthew Pearce, a virologist from UoSC confirmed that although their research does not centre around awakening potential viruses, it primarily focuses on discovering whether there are said diseases in the first instance. “Data found in tissue and blood samples from caribou, bear and muskox frozen in the permafrost has been of particular interest, however, we believe that there is utility in going to the Arctic to determine what kinda of diseases we may find.” Dr Pearce explained. In total, some 300 scientists, engineers and associated/auxiliary personnel are expected to embark on the expedition. The civilian icebreaker “Northwind” has been leased by the expedition and will act as its intermediate base of operations until the research centre has been constructed. In its entirety, the expedition, which has been coined the “Graham-Sə̄ksənur Expedition”, is set to cost UoSC some 300 million LOD (481 million DRA). The expedition will launch from Baeguk in the coming months.