Physics World. Members of the Institute of Physics can enjoy the full issue Taken from the December 2018 issue of. Members of the Institute of Physics can enjoy the full issue via the Physics World app

Kate Gardner reviews Brave New Arctic: the Untold Story of the Melting North by Mark C Serreze

Climate science is complicated and can cover everything from computer modelling to tracking animal migration patterns to materials technology, and so much more besides that it can be overwhelming trying to understand it all. By zeroing in on one small but key geographical area – the Arctic – climate scientist Mark C Serreze clearly explains the complicated interplay between sea ice, greenhouse gases, flora and fauna. His book Brave New Arctic: the Untold Story of the Melting North maps the rise of Arctic climate science over the past 30 or so years (with a few dips into the longer past).

The crux of the tale is the switch in scientific consensus from “human effects on the climate will cause global warming at some point in the future” to “it’s happening now, and it’s happening fast” – and the gathering of evidence that led to that change. Serreze is knowledgeable and interesting, writing from personal fascination as well as a sense of political urgency. He opens with his own early research trips to the Arctic, which adds a nice touch of colour, but veers a little too far into a “chatting down the pub” vibe that jars with the otherwise serious text.

It is a little unclear who the intended audience of this book is, as Serreze does a great job of explaining the science, from the complex to the most basic concepts – such as a whole page on how peer review works – but also includes lots of the graphs and measurements and other details that might put off the lay reader.

He acknowledges that even with our vastly improved understanding, there are still lots of unknowns. And that there are paradoxically some potential advantages to a warmer Arctic – certain animal species will have more food available as more sea life moves further north – as well as unforeseen challenges such as managing the increase in shipping in the region.

I finished the book sharing Serreze’s fascination with the topic, if a little tired of trying to follow all the details of pressure gradients and ice thickness.

2018 Princeton University Press 264pp £19.95hb