Would you believe that once upon a time, thanks to greenhouse gases, Arctic temperatures were balmy -- sometimes over 70 degrees Fahrenheit. In fact, new data obtained from an Arctic drilling expedition indicates that about 49 million years ago, the Arctic was green, with fresh surface water and ferns covering the water -- at least during the summer months. The finding, researchers say, indicates that they may have seriously underestimated the power of greenhouse gases to warm Arctic areas. The subseafloor sediment samples, gathered from 430 meters beneath the Arctic Ocean, also fill in gaps in the Earth's known climate history. We'll talk about the data, and what it means for more modern climate science.

Plus, why some environmentalists are warming up to nuclear power. Can new technologies such as the pebble bed reactor make nuclear power cleaner and safer than in the past? And how best should policy makers weigh the pluses and minuses of nuclear power, offestting reduced greenhouse gas emissions with the longterm safety and storage problems posed by nuclear wastes? Call in with your questions and comments at 1-800-989-8255 (2-3 Eastern). Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.

Guests:
Kathryn Moran
Co-Chief Scientist, Arctic Coring Expedition (ACEX), Integrated Ocean Drilling Program
Professor, Oceanography and Ocean Engineering
University of Rhode Island
Narragansett, Rhode Island

Andrew C. Revkin
Author, "The North Pole Was Here: Puzzles and Perils at the Top of the World" (Kingfisher, 2006)
Environmental Reporter
The New York Times
New York, New York

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Andrew Kadak
Professor, Nuclear Engineering
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Thomas Cochran
Director, Nuclear Program
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
Washington, DC

Kevin Crowley
Director, Nuclear and Radiation Studies Board
National Academies of Science
Washington, DC

Books/Articles Discussed:

"The North Pole Was Here: Puzzles and Perils at the Top of the World" by Andrew Revkin. Kingfisher, 2006.  (read a chapter)

(find books discussed on previous broadcasts)

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This segment produced by Anne Marie Cunningham