All Blog Posts from Tech Talk

Perhaps not surprisingly, as we observe the 100th anniversary of Robert Peary's claim to have reached the North Pole the controversy attached to it remains. It's a tale complete with courage, intrigue, and possibly even deception. There are countless stories, articles and books about it, and there's not nearly enough room in this blog to get into all the details. Suffice to say, there may always be a differing of opinion when it comes to whether Peary or Frederick Cook reached the Pole first -- or whether either man ever reached it at all. But that's all sort of missing the point.

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Working late tonight to finish a story for tomorrow's Early Show about a new warning from scientists about the pace of global warming. The AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science) met in Chicago over the weekend and released a dire warning: previous models of industrial greenhouse gas emissions were low, and the feedback loop associated with warming temperatures will only escalate. What does this mean for the planet? You can read more here, and be sure to watch Monday morning.

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Another week comes to close and it's certainly not without some quirky sci-tech stories to end on a bang. First, you've got to give the Germans credit for trying whatever might work when it comes to staving off the effects of global warming. Scientists are reportedly using a giant screen to trap cold air over a large glacier in the Swiss Alps. If nothing else, they hope the process will be slowed. Technically, it's supposed to make a difference. But obviously on a practical level it's hard to see it used on a much larger scale. Whether you believe it will work or not, that story's got nothing on the believability of the latest Bigfoot tale.

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"Only On The Web": Daniel Sieberg shoots a behind-the-scenes look at his report on the effects of climate warming on coral reefs.

Our colorful story on what one marine biologist in Miami is doing to help save coral reefs airs tonight on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. I hope you'll tune in to watch! He's got an interesting approach to preserving the symbiotic relationship between corals and algae, and he's hoping to really make a difference with his research. Corals are like the rainforest of the ocean, and they're disappearing at an alarming rate at places around the world. And even though they only cover less than one percent of the Earth's surface, coral reefs are vital as a home for massive biodiversity. You can also watch some behind-the-scenes video clips that I shot on my Flip camera, including our trip about 10 miles offshore to Biscayne Bay and how we tried to keep our balance onboard the tiny boat in some choppy waves.

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My weeks can be rather eclectic given all the travel I do and the subject matters I cover, but this past week certainly ranks among the most fascinating and diverse. In the span of several days I snorkeled in waters off the coast of Miami while observing coral samples get collected, chatted with rocket scientists in the Mojave Desert who want to take people into space, and spent time in a famous pool in Mission Viejo as I tried out one of the new Olympic swimsuits that cover most of the body. Yes, my week started and ended with me being all wet.

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It's been three weeks since we returned from our Arctic adventure, and tonight the first in our series of stories will air on the CBS Evening News with Katie Couric. There are four parts in total, with the remainder airing tomorrow, Wednesday and Saturday nights. Do these stories aim to solve the severity of global warming? Of course not. They are meant to shed light on an important subject to us all -- climate change -- and how what happens in the Arctic is tied to those of us in the south. It's a journey to the top of the world.

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With our time on the Louis rapidly coming to a close we’re madly getting as much material on tape as we can. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we’re just trying to take it all in while we can. Plus the time with my dad, Doug Sieberg, at left, has been so special. He’ll be staying on the Louis until Kugluktuk, and then he may leave the Arctic forever after 30 years of coming here. I feel so lucky to have seen his work firsthand after growing up with stories and photos. Sometimes I think he was born about 200 years too late, with his passion for the open seas and wood-hulled tall ships and the life of a mariner.

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NEAR BAFFIN ISLAND -– Ice. We wanted it, and we got it. Last night we began encountering ice floes and pack ice, some only a year old, some much older and therefore likely thicker and harder. It made for a tough night’s rest, banging and bouncing as the Louis broke through it all. But the views are spectacular. As the sun flirted with the horizon around midnight it was almost otherworldly. This morning it’s equally amazing, and we’ve spotted a few seals and Arctic gulls already. We expect it to be like this for a while, surrounded by ice, and that’s just fine with us.

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CBS News science and technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg embarks on a scientific study mission into Canada's arctic area. He is accompanying a prestigious group of scientists studying global warming and its effects in the arctic. Via satellite Internet aboard his ship, he'll file about the ship's mission, life aboard ship, and more as the trip unfolds. Today he talks about getting ready for the trip, which begins Wednesday in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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