(Antarctica Blog Series Part 3) We’ve reached our final post in this series on the links between Antarctica and our global future. I closed our far-ranging conversation by asking polar oceanographer Dr. Mark Brandon about his vision for the future. Spoiler alert: despite everything we’d talked about, he has hope. Read on to find out why!

(Antarctica Blog Series Part 2) | After hearing polar oceanographer Dr. Mark Brandon’s key insight for policymakers—that Antarctica is coming home to us through rising sea levels, weather changes, and more—I asked him the trillion-dollar question for futureproofing: How would he uncover human impacts in the far South, and extract better insights into how changes in the polar regions are likely to affect us back home?

(Antarctica Blog Series Part 1) | In my previous post in this series, I pointed to Kim Stanley Robinson’s claim that “First you fall in love with Antarctica, and then it breaks your heart.” Here, I ask polar oceanographer Dr. Mark Brandon about the most important thing for policymakers to know about how Antarctica affects the rest of the world.

“First you fall in love with Antarctica, and then it breaks your heart.” That’s what renowned science-fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson wrote about the White Continent.

I discovered the truth of that quote firsthand when I journeyed to Antarctica in late 2023. There’s no other way to put it: Antarctica is astonishing. It is home to stunning glaciers, a dramatic coastline, and diverse wildlife. But while this remote continent may seem far removed from daily life, what happens there impacts us all.

Voyaging to Antarctica with Homeward Bound this November certainly makes this year's Thanksgiving an unusual one. But for me, this holiday isn’t about a particular American narrative and all the complexities that come with it. Rather, I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to deeply engage in gratitude, with the people I care about most, no matter where we call home.

Looking for inspiration about leadership and the most fragile ecosystem on Earth? Take a look at my Antarctica-inspired book recommendations!