More than 25,000 scientists traveled to San Francisco for the week-long conference to present their research on classic hard-science subjects and a few surprises, including the migration of creatures ranging from Alaska earthworms to humans threatened by rising sea level.
The thermometer reads 40 below zero, the only point at which the Fahrenheit and Celsius scales agree. The red liquid within his thermometer is alcohol; mercury freezes at 38 below.
The Alaska blackfish is an evolutionary loner that fins through lakes and tundra ponds across much of the state. Not much larger than a banana, the fish is different from others in the state because in addition to gathering oxygen through its gills, it can pull oxygen from free air.
Mellisa Johnson is a Native woman who grew up in Nome and now lives in Anchorage. She came to San Francisco at the invite of scientists to tell of changes more bizarre in her world than a tornado would be in downtown San Francisco.
In August, UAF scientist Ben Jones was hiking near Drew Point on the northern coast of Alaska. He noticed pilot Jim Webster walking toward him, while flicking a little yellow frisbee his way.
In addition to helping with oil spill response, Alaska ShoreZone data assists with fisheries research, recreation reconnaissance, climate change research, and even helping calibrate drone software for NASA.