Journey to the End of the Earth Summary

Tishani Doshi is a journalist, poet, and dancer from India. She has published several collections of fiction and poetry. Her work has received a lot of praise for her poems, essays, and short tales. She has traveled extensively; one of her most thrilling journeys was to Antarctica.

Theme

The Journey to the End of Earth from the Vistas book, written for students of Class 12, provides a fascinating report of the author's trip to the most chilly, windy, and dry continent in the world- Antarctica. Tishani Doshi believes that for a better understanding of the earth's past, present, and future, you should travel to Antarctica. This region is essential to us as the earth's geological past is encased in Antarctica. She accompanied a group of students who visited the continent. She was enthralled by the excitement of exploring the mystery of ice within the ice region.

Journey to the End of the Earth- Summary

Six years ago, Geoff Green, a Canadian, established his "Students on Ice" program. In this program, high school students are sent on an expedition to Antarctica and offered an inspiring educational experience. The trip will aid students in growing consciousness and appreciation for the earth. This program was a massive success since students were able to see the collapse of glaciers and ice shelves receding through their eyes. They understand that the threat of climate change is genuine. Antarctica is a relatively simple ecological system. There is no diversity. This is why Antarctica is the ideal place to investigate how slight modifications in the natural environment could have huge effects.

The Author also got the experience of working in the coldest climate of Antarctica. The narrator of Journey to the End of the Earth travels to Antarctica on board the ship 'Akademik Shokalskiy,' a Russian research vessel, accompanied by a group of school students.

The journey began 13.09 degrees to the north of the Equator in Madras. The journey took her through no time zones, six checkpoints, three oceans, and a variety of ecospheres before reaching her goal. After a journey of over 100 hours, she arrived in Antarctica. The woman was relieved but was awed by the continent's isolation and the time in history when India and Antarctica were part of the same landmass. According to the narrator, six hundred fifty million years ago, Antarctica was part of the giant, integrated Southern supercontinent, Gondwana. There were no people on Earth in that period.

It was a warm climate, and there was a wide diversity of fauna and flora. Supercontinents like Gondwana were present for about more than 500 million years, and after that, the continent broke up. After the dinosaurs' extinction, the landmass split into various countries, forming the countries we live in at present.

From Antarctica, we can gain an insight into the history of the human race on the planet and what direction we are headed now. Also, it explains the importance of Cordilleran folds as well as Pre-Cambrian granite shields: carbon and ozone. The author spent two weeks in Antarctica, where 90 percent of the earth's glaciers are buried. Mites, midges, blue whales, and endless fields of enormous icebergs surrounded her without a trace of living things.

The eerie 24-hour light display and the eerie silence were often broken by the crackling sound of a fantastic iceberg. The narrator claims that humans have lived on Earth for about 12000 years. In that short time, humankind has changed the world in a negative way. Humanity has dominated Earth by creating megacities and urban areas, which has led to humans encroaching on Mother Nature. Rapid growth in the population is causing stress. Humans fight with each other to get the resources they need. The global average temperature is growing, and the layer of carbon dioxide across the globe is expanding.

The author is frightened by numerous unanswered questions regarding the climate, like what will happen if West Antarctic ice sheets melt entirely if the Gulf Stream Ocean current will become disrupted, or if this will be over someday. Antarctica is a significant factor in the current debate about climate. The present and future of this Earth are hidden in Antarctica. One of the most important lessons to learn is that even small changes in the world's environment can have a significant impact on the environment. The tiny phytoplankton provides food for the marine creatures and birds in the area.

Depletion of the ozone layer could alter the activity of the grasses. The same will impact those living in this region as well as the overall carbon cycle. The narrator says that her experience in Antarctica was never-to-be-forgotten. At 65.55 degrees to the South of the Equator, the narrator, along with the pupils, were instructed to descend. It was a fantastic experience to see Crabeater seals on the fringes. Tishani Doshi was awestruck at the beautiful balance that plays out in the world. There are many things in her mind which remain unanswered, but she believes that the next generation of children will be filled with a sense of purpose to help save the Earth.

Within a short period of time, mankind has transformed the planet for the worse. Humans have controlled the Earth by creating megacities and towns and have caused the overgrowth of Mother Nature. The rapid growth in populations has brought more significant stress. Humans have to contend with one another for a limited number of resources. Global temperatures are growing, and the amount of carbon dioxide all over the globe is also increasing.

The main focus of the story is the issue of biodiversity being hampered because of minor mistakes, the layer of ozone being depleted, and the degradation of the environment that is happening. The person who wrote the story was accompanied by Geoff Green. They began the trip in a vehicle of Russian origin. It was an educational trip; with this journey, they discovered that the planet would see its end really soon if the current conditions were not improved. Before the advent of humankind, Gondwana used to have more diversity in terms of flora and fauna. The ecosystem was flourishing at that time.

The tale offers an all-encompassing description of the ecosystem in Antarctica. Every member of the team is exposed to inhabitants of the region, such as sea animals as well as birds. They discover the effect of carbon cycles around the world and how one small change can bring massive changes. It also provides information on the causes that affect climate change, which include the combustion of fossil fuels, pollution, and many more. Antarctica is only able to provide an austral Summer of 24 hours light and is filled with silence.

The writer ponders the times that India, as well as Antarctica, were part of the same continent. In the aftermath of the dinosaur extinction, the landmass was divided into different parts as we recognize it today. The article concludes with an overview of declining ozone levels and the decrease in diversity. The dangers that could be created are also portrayed in the travelogue. The narrative concluded with the author relaxing, admiring seals, and Sunbathing in the ice. She is wondering if anyone would ever be in any way willing to save the beauty of nature or whether the next generation will suffer.

Significance of the Chapter

The narrative depicts a massive shift in the climate as time passes. The place has seen the loss of a great deal of wildlife and plants. Additionally, for more than 500 million years, Gondwana thrived. It was the time when all of the massive living beings, i.e., the dinosaurs, got extinct, and Antarctica and India were separated following the breakdown of the vast landmass. The story reviews the events that could take place and the events that took place. It explains how our environment is in danger because of our own activities and what possibilities the future hold.