Encyclopedia Article
Extreme Scientists; Donna M. Jakcson; 2009
Intro
In the book "Extreme Scientists", the author, Donna M. Jackson, shows us some dangerous scientific jobs. She gives examples of questions asked about those jobs and real people who work them. This book is about "exploring nature's mysteries from perilous places."
Hurricane Hunter- Paul Flaherty
A hurricane hunter is someone who chases hurricanes to track their patterns. In order to chase storms, you must be a scientist known as a meteorologist. "A meteorologist is a scientist who studies and forecasts weather."(11) Paul is an example of a hurricane hunter. "Hurricanes that occur west of the International Date Line in the Pacific Ocean are called typhoons. Hurricanes that occur in the Indian Ocean are called cyclones."(15)
Cave Woman- Hazel Barton
A speleologist is a scientist who studies caves, and Hazel Barton does just that. "Hazel hunts the earth's hidden frontiers for some of its tiniest inhabitants."(29) "Microbes all look the same, but they do things different chemically. That's why they can live in extreme environments."(35) According to "Extreme Scientists", "millions of uncharted caves await exploration beneath the earth's surface."(37) Sometimes it is harder to get to a cave than to explore it. "The entrance to Nichol Creek Cave is hidden beneath lush foliage and a fifty foot rock cliff."(39) That is what makes this job extreme.
Skywalker- Stephen Sillett
This type of scientist is called a ecologist. Steve Sillett is an example of an ecologist. He climbs trees like "maples, oaks, and white pines." "Steve Sillett is the first scientist to climb to the tops of tall redwoods in old-growth forests."(47) "Old-growth redwoods often reiterate after they've been damaged. New trunks and branches sprout and fan up and outward like the original tree."(51) Redwoods are among the world's tallest trees, so it takes a while to ascend one. "Some redwood journeys last a day, while other missions last longer and require stays in high-rise hammocks called tree boats."(54)