Letter from Ocala, FL

Ocala's Cassandra Freiberger wrote: "In response to this global warming thing - Captain Cook discovered and just about made it through the Northwest Passage. It did exist in the 1700s, then it disappeared. And now, it has opened back up again. I call that history repeating itself. I have a very near and dear friend who has been an environmental engineer for well over 30 years and he says there is no such thing as global warming. He is a well-respected engineer and travels throughout the world to consult with his expertise. So, am I going to believe Al Gore, who is just another politician; or am I going to believe someone who is in the field every day?"

Question: If the Antarctic is melting so quickly, why do research stations get buried in snow over the years?

Germany's new research station could change the way we build in Antarctica. The lifespan of earlier research centers was limited because structures were buried in snow over the years and crushed by ice. The latest station, though, uses hydraulic stilts that can adjust to the rising snow.