An insider account of how scientists unraveled the mystery of the
thawing Arctic
In the 1990s, researchers in the Arctic noticed that floating summer sea
ice had begun receding. This was accompanied by shifts in ocean
circulation and unexpected changes in weather patterns throughout the
world. The Arctic's perennially frozen ground, known as permafrost, was
warming, and treeless tundra was being overtaken by shrubs. What was
going on? Brave New Arctic is Mark Serreze's riveting firsthand
account of how scientists from around the globe came together to find
answers. In a sweeping tale of discovery spanning three decades, Serreze
describes how puzzlement turned to alarm as researchers concluded that
the Arctic is rapidly thawing due to climate change--and humans are to
blame.