Clown of the Sea

Our last full episode for season one of the hello X podcast will be in Norwegian, but fear not, you can find an english transcript of the episode if you scroll down to ‘English transcript, The innocents”. Christine will be back in a few weeks with a short 'podlet' with an update on the the AR story experience, climate strikes and more. Googler en bilder av ‘arktisk tundra’ vil en kanskje med første øyekast tenke at “her finnes det ikke mye liv”. Men ser en litt nærmere, vil en finne et mangfold av dyr og planter. Noen av disse er truet på grunn av klimaendringer. Hva skjer hvis en art minsker i antall eller...forsvinner helt? Hva kan det gjøre med resten av økosystemet den er en del av? Kunstner Marit Landsend (keramiker basert på Troms Fylkeskultursenter, Tromsø) og forsker Dorothee Ehrich (Klimaøkologisk Obsersvasjonssystem for Arktisk Tundra - COAT, UiT) ønsker begge å utforske disse temaene, fra hvert sitt ståsted. Vi blir med de inn i en samtale om klimaendringer, fjellrev og smågnagere på den arktiske tundraen, og spør: hva kan vi mennesker gjøre?   LENKER FOR MER INFORMASJON Dorothee Ehrich: https://uit.no/om/enhet/ansatte/person?p_document_id=41186&p_dimension_id=88165 Marit Landsend: http://www.maritlandsend.no/file/Welcome.html COAT - Klimaøkologisk Observarsjonssystem for Arktisk Tundra: https://www.coat.no Arktiske arter kan dø ut: https://framsenteret.no/arkiv/arktiske-arter-kan-doe-ut-5062774-146437/ Smågnagere på tundraen: https://www.coat.no/Smagnagere Dyr og klimaendringer: https://www.wwf.no/klima-og-energi/dyr-og-klimaendringer https://www.miljostatus.no/tema/klima/klimainorge/klimaendringer-norsk-natur/ https://www.artsdatabanken.no/Rodliste/Klimaendringer https://www.miljostatus.no/isbjorn Filosof Arne Johan Vetlesen: https://morgenbladet.no/profil/arne-johan-vetlesen Polarrev/Arctic Fox: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_fox Lemen/Lemming: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemming     ENGLISH TRANSCRIPT The innocents If you google pictures of ‘the Arctic tundra’ you might think there’s not much life in this part of the world. But if you look closer, you will find a diversity of animals and plants. Some of these are threatened because of climate change. What happens if a specie decreases in numbers or...disappears completely? What might that do to the ecosystem it is a part of? Artist Marit Landsend (based at Troms Fylkeskultursenter, Tromsø, Northern Norway) and researcher Dorothee Ehrich (working for COAT, UiT) both have a wish to explore these topics. We join them in a conversation about climate change, polar foxes and lemmings on the Arctic tundra, and ask: What can we humans do? DOROTHEE: ...it takes time, and we humans are creatures of habit. MARIT: We’re also very greedy. It’s the greedy side of humans that has created this, I believe. DOROTHEE :Yes, greedy and lazy. I mean, I drove here today, because I was too lazy. There you have it. MARIT: (laughs) Yes, there we have it. NARRATOR: Hello X and welcome to a new episode of the hello X podcast! I’m Anneli Stiberg. In this episode, you’ll meet artist Marit Landsend and scientist Dorothee Eirich, who I invited to talk to me about climate change. Both of them deal with human-induced environmental changes in their respective works, but each of them from their particular perspective. I was curious to learn more about which projects they were working on. I remember hearing about Marit’s project with the animals in Norway that change colours and how climate change is affecting them. That made me stop and think, and I wanted to hear more about it. When meeting Dorothee during a public event at Fram - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, I thought it would be interesting to hear from her perspective as well, as a researcher with a special interest in arctic ecosystems. Fast forward to a few months ago, when the three of us sat down here at Kysten for a conversation that includes, among others, lemming, polar fox, ceramics, gratefulness and adaptation. DOROTHEE: My name is Dorothee Ehrich and I work as a scientist at the University of Tromsø, at the institute of arctic and marine biology. For the last years I’ve been working on a project, COAT - Climate-ecological Observatory for Arctic Tundra. The goal is to build an observatory, which isn’t an actual building, but a knowledge institution that does research on how the tundra ecosystem changes with climate change and what the most important drivers are...and what kind of management measures are needed to manage the ecosystems in the best possible way. NARRATOR: Dorothee is originally from Switzerland, and I was wondering what brought her so far North. DOROTHEE: I’ve heard from many that once you’ve been to the Arctic, you either love it or hate it. After I went to the Siberian part of the Arctic as a student, I was always thinking of how I could get back. I wanted to live above the Arctic circle and then I moved to Tromsø. MARIT: My name is Marit Landsend. I work as a ceramist here in Tromsø. For the last years I’ve worked on a project, “The innocents”. It’s my way of working with my environmental interest. This is something I want to do, like so many others. NARRATOR:Dorothee isn’t the only one who chose Tromsø as her second home. Marit tells me about why she moved from the south of Norway to the north. MARIT: It was because of family...I never thought I would stay here. It was trial period and I just stayed longer. I liked it more and more. Originally, I come from a farm in the countryside, in Valdres. Nature has always been close to my heart. It’s the most important thing to me. I’ve lived in cities for longer periods. Coming here was kind of like coming home, back to nature. Through my project I’ve become more conscious of that we humans are part of nature. We believe that when we live in cities we are apart from nature, but we aren’t, because everything in the city is also nature. NARRATOR: With her project The Innocents, Marit chose to focus on the five animals in Norway who change colours in the winter: ptarmigan, polarfox, least weasel, ermine and hare. These animals are more vulnerable now because of climate change, and that’s what Marit wanted to highlight in her work. MARIT: I talked with scientists at the University, because I was wondering why these animals were changing color. I thought it had something to do with the snow. They told me that it’s the darkness that makes them change. Because of hormones. They’ll change color whether or not the snow comes...when it gets darker in winter. Then, they become easier prey for carnivores, easier to spot. I thought this was interesting. The environmental changes happen faster than the animals manage to adapt to. NARRATOR: In the beginning her art project took the shape of two boxes placed in the exhibition space, one black and one white. The black one was made of plastic, which also smelled quite bad. Inside that dark, black box, she placed plexiglass boxes in which animals made in ceramics were ‘trapped’. This represented the bad side of humans. On the other hand, the white box… MARIT: The white room, the snow world, the natural world. A table with a white cloth with all these white birds. It’s a symbol of the balance of nature. It’s from the nature we get our food. That’s why there’s this table there. It’s not about the birds, but about nature. There needs to be seasons, so we get food on the table. NARRATOR: The main point of intersection between Dorothee and Marit is that Dorothee’s research is also linked to the challenges that climate change pose to the Arctic fauna. She works primarily with the tundra. DOROTHEE: The tundra is the mountain plateau or northern Arctic plateau, meaning the areas that are north of or above the tree line. We work mostly with the Arctic tundra, the area north of the tree line. On the mainland of Norway, you’ll find most of it in east of finnmark, in Varangerhalvøya. NARRATOR: There are many animals that live on the tundra, everything from small insects to bigger animals, like reindeer and moskus. But we’re about to hear about one animal in particular, who used to spend its winters relatively safe under the thick layer of snow until global warming started threatening its survival, as Dorothee tells me. DOROTHEE: Very important animals are the small rodents, especially the lemming. It’s called a keystone specie. It’s a herbivore, and if you think of it in terms of food webs, the lemming connects the plants with the predators. It eats plants and is also a desirable food source for the predators. During winter time it’s very active, living under the snow. At the bottom, you can find a layer of crumbled snow. This layer is created due to heat from the earth and when the layer above is very cold, the water molecules evaporate and rise, making the snow crumble. This creates a nice space for the lemming, where it can move around, find plants and get protection from predators. The lemmings need this to increase in population, because the summers are short, with predators hunting them. Least weasel and ermine also lives under the snow and hunts the lemming, but most predators move away during winter time, and snow owl and polar fox don’t manage to get a hold of the lemming so easily when the lemming is protected by the snow. That’s why the snow is important. What we are observing now is that periods of mild weather is happening more and more often. It rains so much that the rain goes all the way through the snow and to the ground. The water freezes on the ground and the lemming gets trapped in small areas and can not get to the plants. They then move to the top of the snow to go to other areas, but then they are vulnerable to predators, or can freeze to death. NARRATOR: And since the lemming’s population is directly affected by climate change, this also means that the entire ecosystem is in turn affected, like the polar fox. DOROTHEE: This has been a huge problem for the polar fox population on the mainland of Norway. The polar fox is usually a very flexible specie. You find it everywhere in the Arctic. It can utilize all kinds of food sources. The polar foxes on Svalbard manage well without lemming. But, on the mainland of Norway you’ve got a lot of other predators, like the red fox, which is much stronger and bigger than the polar fox. It takes over. At the Varangerhalvøya by the sea, you will find only red foxes. So, in Norway the polar fox will only manage in the places which are too harsh for the red fox. There’s two things that endanger the polar fox, the increase of red foxes and fewer years with high population of lemming. MARIT: Everybody should know about this. When you explain about the lemming, I’m thinking “This is serious!”. It’s horrible to think about it. There’re so many things we don’t know...if people only knew...I think many people would be engaged and understand that this has something to do with the way we live our lives. I often think, “Why aren’t we happy with what we have?” Why do we feel the need to have everything? What if we could find a way to be happy with what we got. Just be happy to have enough food, not starve, to be warm, have a place to live….this is what’s ruining our world. So many in the world can’t even imagine being able to take an airplane somewhere. It’s unthinkable, due to lack of money… DOROTHEE: And the thing is, they also have the right to do this at least once in their lifetime. The big paradox is, on the one hand, we want growth for everybody, but on the other hand, the kind of growth we have now...it’s not sustainable. MARIT: No, I wonder why…. DOROTHEE: We live in a world where there’s an abundance of information, so many facts. We as scientists produce mostly facts. I think people read what we write and just turn to the next page. I think most people have quite a lot of knowledge about climate change...but, I think people protect themselves, because it’s really frightening. It’s easier to think about the plans for the evening, instead of….I do the same. It’s really sad what’s happening, and maybe we have the feeling that we can’t really do anything about, at this moment. NARRATOR: Hearing Dorothee and Marit exchange so many interesting reflections about changes to the environment, the complex connections in an ecosystem and the feelings it may trigger in people, I’m brought back to the idea of adaptation. What about animals, for example the polar fox, do they have a chance to adapt to the fast changes that are taking place now? DOROTHEE: When it comes to the polar fox on the mainland we don’t see any adaptations, unfortunately. We’re trying to implement conservation measures and at the Varangerhalvøya, the polar fox would have become extinct if we hadn’t helped it. It didn’t manage to adapt. Other places, like at Svalbard, the polar fox manages quite well. If there’s no food on the sea ice, because the sea ice is gone, it’ll find other kinds of food by the coastline. Maybe it has stored bird eggs in the ground. They’re good at adapting…. MARIT: So, it has basically put the eggs in a freezer. DOROTHEE: Yes, they do this all the time. MARIT: Clever. DOROTHEE: I think it’s interesting…animals can adapt in different ways. Either they have a certain behaviour or physiological reaction...if the temperature changes, they can change behaviour or change their fur. They can do this within a certain frame, which is genetically decided. Then, it’s also genetically decided that they can’t change beyond this. Some things aren’t very flexible. They’ve discovered, like you mentioned, that the time in which animals can change the color of their fur or feathers, like hares and ptarmigans, is not flexible. If you consider a longer time span...there are variations concerning individuals within a population. Through evolution, a more flexible or phenotypic plasticity, which it is called, they can increase the time span of change...this takes a lot of time though. NARRATOR: Dorothee insists that many variables play a role in the capacity of species to adapt to the fast changes that global warming has triggered. And one factor that is as important as it is still uncertain, is the degree to which temperatures will rise in coming years. DOROTHEE: Especially here in the north, a rise in 1,5 or 2 degrees, it has a very different effect depending on where it’s on the temperature scale. For example, if the winter temperature changes from -15 to -13, it doesn’t really have a big impact on the ecosystem...but, if it changes from -1 to +1, it changes a lot. That limit where the water melts is really important. MARIT: Do you think we can stop this? DOROTHEE: I hope we can slow it down. I had hoped more would have come out of this conference...was it in Krakow?...anyway, there’s a lot of people who have the will to make a change. We just have to support them, repeat and talk about why this is so important. We need to do something. We can’t say that it doesn’t help. The temperature will increase, we can’t stop it, but we’ll have to try and slow it down as much as possible. We need drastic political decisions. NARRATOR: The question that remains is...what can we do? Why are we as a society and as individuals so slow to react? MARIT: It’s obvious that we as humans have a lot to do with this. We’re controlling our consumption and demand. All the things we produce…if we stop demanding it, there won’t be any production. DOROTHEE: Yes, it’s interesting to think about what is happening concerning the issue of plastic in the ocean. Because it’s been visible in the media, so frequently, the consciousness surrounding it has grown quite a lot. This has lead to national measures, things have stopped being produced. Many people have stopped using plastic bags. All this have evoked changes of behaviour. Climate change is a more complex issue. The polar bear floating on a piece of ice has been used a lot in the media, but...it doesn’t have the same effect on people’s behaviour. It’s interesting to think about why this is the case. MARIT:Yes. When the computer became standard in most private homes, people were talking about not having to fly all the time, because we could just skype, to save the environment. But we don’t to stop...we want to fly too. DOROTHEE: Yes, but in our jobs we try to use video conferences more and more. I believe that as long as it is as cheap as it is now, people will continue to fly. MARIT: They need to turn up the prices... DOROTHEE: I do the same. Especially here in north, we don’t have that many options. MARIT: The alternative is to stay home. Go on mountain hikes and be happy with this (laughs) NARRATOR: Besides the material actions we can take, Marit also shares the idea that gratitude can make a difference in building a more sustainable future. MARIT: If you think about it in a philosophical or artistic way, or poetic...do we show gratitude to the organisms that give up their life to give us life? All the time something is killed so that we can get food. It’s in a way fantastic...or strange...that this is how it is. Animals eat each other. We eat animals and plants. I feel that we’ve forgotten how to be grateful for this. In my childhood we had to give thanks before eating. To show respect and humility for what we had, both for the food and for everything else. Maybe this kind of attitude is needed. DOROTHEE: Maybe this would have given us a greater respect in terms of taking care of our resources. To not waste so much. MARIT: It was unheard of before, to throw away food. At least where I was growing up. Probably all over Norway. Before the oil. I try to be happy for what I’ve got. DOROTHEE: It’s a nice idea, but...I’m a mother of two teenagers...it’s a difficult to convey to them; “We’ve used up all the resources. You just have to be grateful for what you have”. I believe it’s better to convey the message in a different way. Maybe to say “We’ve destroyed a lot. You have to create a new society, build something new. Use more sustainable methods”. I think it’s difficult for young people to be grateful for what they have. It’s we who have seen and done most things in life who is able to sit here and say these things. NARRATOR: What inspired me about both Marit and Dorothee is that they feel a responsibility to play their part in fighting against global warming, not only in their private lives but also in their profession. They highlight the role that artists and researches can play and the synergy they can build together. DOROTHEE: Some of the reasons for why people do so little, is because knowledge is not conveyed correctly. Me as a natural scientist might not be the best person...maybe you as an artist...there’s also social scientists who work on these issues. How to convey a message in the best way, so that people take action? MARIT: We need all the good forces we have. Each in its own way. I was attending a very inspiring lecture by a philosopher, Arne Johan Vetlesen. He is very engaged in environmental issues. His lecture was called: “Why do we do so little, when we know so much?”. He believed that artists could do a lot. He thought that scientists need to focus more on outreach, using a popular language. Scientists talk and share their research, but it might not be understood by others than scientists. He believed that art could awaken people, at the same time as we need both art and science. When I listen to you talk, it’s really inspiring. Really. DOROTHEE: I also think it’s interesting. MARIT: It should reach out to people... NARRATOR: Thanks for listening to the next to last episode of season 1. Next month, Christine Cynn will tell you about the production of X50, the new augmented reality story experience where you can play X in 2070 in downtown Tromsø this autumn. Christine speaks with guest artists Emma Tornero and Steven Keeler who are making images for X50 and who also talk about taking part in Extinction Rebellion's occupation of London in April. Until then, follow us on facebook (hello X) and our website hellox.me. See you around!   CREDITS En spesiell takk til Marit Landsend og Dorothee Ehrich Hello X sine partnere inkluderer: Tromsø kommune Polaria Arven etter Nansen Nordnorsk kunstmuseum Framsenteret - Nordområde­senter for klima- og miljøforskning med sine flaggskip Effekter av klimaendringer, fjord og kyst Klimaeffekter på landskap, samfunn og urfolk Miljøkonsekvenser av næringsaktivitet i nord Miljøgifter - effekter på økosystemer og helse Havisen i Polhavet, teknologi og styringssystemer Musikk av Metatag og Lothar Ohlmeier/Isambard Khroustaliov på Not applicable Ice-9 er støttet av: Norsk Kulturråd Sparebank Nord-Norge Fritt Ord Innovasjon Norge KORO - kunst i offentlig rom Hello X er produsert av Ice-9, med: Christine Cynn, Anneli Stiberg og Valentin Manz. Produsenter inkluderer Marina Borovaya og Annika Wistrøm. Lydmix av Nathanael Gustin. Digital design av Ismet Bachtiar Historiegenerator er utviklet av Furkle Industries

How do you feel...now, dig deep...how do you FEEL about a world without polar bears, bees or whales? How much should we care about the decline of seagulls who annoy us at outdoor cafés? Are we all in the same boat? Listen to scientists and others philosophizing, talking science and emotions at Fritt Fram, an open day at FRAM - the high north research centre for climate and the environment, in Tromsø, Northern Norway.In this episode we meet Rosemary, Ken and Katherine from the UK chatting and laughing about turning 70, about the past, future and being in the same boat. We talk to marine biologist Pedro Duarte (Norwegian Polar Institute and member of Fram flagship on Sea Ice), dancer Mathilda Caeyers and producer Marina Borovaya (Ice-9) about whales, climate change and species disappearing. We talk about the link between science, art and emotions.Pedro brings up the neuroscientist Antonio Damasio @damasiousc, who wrote ‘Descartes Error’, where he demonstrates that emotions are essential to rational thinking and normal social behaviour. Links:Blue whale: physical description, behaviour, history and recovery of populations: http://wwf.panda.org/knowledge_hub/endangered_species/cetaceans/about/blue_whale/Trailer to the theatre play ‘Sykle i snøstorm’, at Hålogaland theatre in Tromsø (referred to by Marina): https://youtu.be/_oeyCR2D_CkDescartes Error, by (neuroscientist) Antonio Damasio: https://www.amazon.com/Descartes-Error-Emotion-Reason-Human/dp/014303622X Credits: HelloX partners include:Tromsø municipalityThe Nansen legacy research projectThe North Norwegian Art MuseumNorwegian art councilSparebanken KulturnæringsstiftelsenFram - the High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment with it’s flagships:1. Environmental impact of industrial development in the north (MIKON)2. Effects of climate change on sea and coastal ecology in the north3.Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, technology and agreements,4.Hazardous substances – effects on ecosystems and human health,5.Effects of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems, landscapes, society and indigenous peoplesMusic by MetatagHello X is supported by:The Norwegian art council,Sparebank Northern Norway,The free speach foundationInnovation Norway  Koro -public art norway.   Hello x is produced by Ice-9, with:Christine Cynn, Anneli Stiberg and Valentin Manz.Associate producers include Marina Borovaya and Annika Wistrøm.Sound mix by Nathanael Gustin.Digital design by Ismet Bachtiar Storygenerator developed by Furkle Industries  

Tavaha! Find out what it means to take care of our oceans with Vilma Havas, the founder of the Nordic Ocean Watch and the Lofoten Diving Club, cleaning up Nusfjord harbour in Lofoten, in North of Norway. You will also meet marine biologist Marthe Larsen Haar, who does research on marine litter at SALT. The plastic problem is accumulating at 15tons per second, so we need your help! Plastic! Toothbrushes, car tires, diapers...chewing gum? We are surrounded by plastic in our everyday life. Sometimes in surprising places. Unfortunately a lot of the plastic we make end up in the ocean, creating vast floating islands of plastic and microplastic mistaken for food by the smaller organisms living in the sea. According to UN Environment 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the world’s oceans every year. What kind of effects does this have on the environment? And what can we do about it? Special thanks to Vilma Havas of Nordic Ocean Watch and Marthe Larsen Haar of SALT. Thanks also to Lofoten Diving and the team of divers including: Daniel Visnovsky, Aleksander Burns, Andreas Neverdal, Damian Cwik, Marius Magnussen and Welat Horori. Episode artwork by Valentin Manz / Ice-9. Watch Lofoten Diving Club and Vilma of NOW dive for trash on hello X YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9775UtZIl0&t=5s   The Plastic Code of Conduct Be prepared– bring your canvas bag when shopping Conscious eating – bring your cutlery and cup Recycle plastic bottles, ‘pant’ as we say in Norway Say no to microplastics Look down – pick it up! Plastic is a resource – not garbage The Plastic Code of Conduct is created in collaboration between Nordic Ocean Watch and Spire. Read more about it here: http://nordicoceanwatch.no/en/projects/plastic-code-of-conduct/     TAVAHA plastic whale by Ice-9 artist Valentin Manz in front of Polaria science centre and aquarium in Tromsø. Commissioned by Nordic Ocean Watch and the Norwegian Miljødirectorate. Photo by Marina Borovaya for Ice-9.     #tavaha #iamfromthefuture #helloX #plastic #Pollution#WaterPollution #PlasticFree   LINKS: Nordic Ocean Watch (http://nordicoceanwatch.no/en/front/) Lofoten Diving (https://www.lofoten-diving.com/) SALT (https://salt.nu/en/)Mapping study by SALT with GRID Arendal (https://news.grida.no/mapping-marine-debris-on-the-lofoten-coast)   More info on plastic pollution: https://www.unenvironment.org/interactive/beat-plastic-pollution/ https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/05/plastics-facts-infographics-ocean-pollution/ http://web.unep.org/unepmap/un-declares-war-ocean-plastic https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-42264788 https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/what-is-in-chewing-gum/ The Great Pacific garbage patch explained https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EyaTqezSzs   Microplastic: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/mar/12/microplastic-pollution-in-oceans-is-far-greater-than-thought-say-scientists   Ghost fishing: https://www.thedodo.com/in-the-wild/ocean-animals-dying-in-lost-fishing-gear https://www.ghostfishing.org/the-problem/ https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/06/heather-koldeway-explorer-nets-plastic-philippines-ocean-culture/ https://arcticwwf.org/newsroom/stories/hunting-for-ghost-nets/ http://wwf.panda.org/knowledge_hub/where_we_work/baltic/threats/marine_litter/   Cleanup efforts: https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/9/18175940/ocean-cleanup-breaks-plastic-pollution-silicon-valley-boyan-slat-wilson   HelloX partners include: Tromsø municipality The North Norwegian Art MuseumFram - the High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment with it’s flagships: Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, technology and agreements, Effects of climate change on sea and coastal ecology Effects of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems, landscapes, society and indigenous peoples hello X theme music by metatag on hel audio https://helaudio.bandcamp.com/album/surrender Tavaha episode music by theta orogen on nopatience records (https://theta007.bandcamp.com/album/theta ) and Tom Arthurs / Isambard Khroustaliov on Not Applicable(http://not-applicable.bandcamp.com/) Ice-9 is supported by: Fram High North Research Center (https://framsenteret.no/) The Norwegian Arts Council (https://www.kulturradet.no/)Innovation Norway (https://www.innovasjonnorge.no/en/start-page/) Koro-Public Art Norway (https://koro.no/) Hello x is produced by Ice-9, with Christine Cynn, Anneli Stiberg and Valentin Manz. Associate producers include Marina Borovaya and Annika Wistrøm. Sound mix by Nathanael Gustin.Digital design by Ismet BachtiarStorygenerator developed by Furkle Industries

Will your grandkids build only digital sandcastles? What ghosts may roam the riverbanks of tomorrow's virtual nature? Hear Sami-language novelist Sigbjørn Skåden and game designer Ismet Bachtiar and host Christine Cynn how the idea of virtual nature entered the X fiction world, now being developed for publication in 2019. Personalize a scenario with the online story generator on the hello X WRITE page at https://hellox.me/write/ Virtual nature was originally proposed by writer Sigbjørn Skåden as a substitute for the actual outdoors for X in 2068 in Northern Norway. Ismet and Christine are currently setting a new short story within the fictional virtual nature for an augmented reality story experience X50, to be launched in central Tromsø autumn 2019. Listen to the three discuss privatization, sea level rise, nostalgia and loss in the Arctic. We discuss what places we might like to upload into virtual nature for X, and the stories attached to these places. Virtual nature is one element in a fiction world being developed in experimental story workshops with writers, artists, scientists and young people in Northern Norway and internationally. The first story experiments date back to 2011 and became intensive in 2016 as the core project of the startup arts/media organization Ice-9 in Tromsø, Northern Norway. For more information listen to episode 1: Who is X? and read ABOUT hello X and Ice-9 here.   More from Sigbørn Skåden on the ghost children that live on the riverbanks by his childhood home in Northern Norway (from https://www.versopolis-poetry.com/poet/67/sigbjrn-skden) Notes From a Backwoods Saami Core (from 19 to 24)Note 19Down by a place where two rivers meet there is a meadow. If the time is right he who passes here will hear infants crying. These are the unwanted new-borns, left here to die by a desperate father or mother. Every seventh year these children return to the place where they were abandoned. We call them eahpádusak, human apocrypha trapped between existing and never having existed. That is why they return. That is why they cry. Only by performing an ancient baptising ritual all may be alleviated. Only then it will all be over.   Original text prepared for a workshop with teenagers in Longyearbyen, Svalbard October 2018 by Sigbjørn Skåden with performance maker Leo Kay (UK). More about the development of this character and scenario in the hello X MEET forum: X is a young woman, 23 years of age. She lives in a town by the sea. X is single, but shares a three bedroom flat with two other people. Her work is an administrative officer position at the local branch of a global clean water resource company called Mountain Fresh. The company owns all lakes and waterways in the region surrounding X’s town, and clean water is being carried in pipes down to the seashore and pumped onto tanker ships that transport Mountain Fresh clean water to destinations around the world.Question 1: What would X be like if you were to decide? Describe her in 3 words.Question 2: How does X feel about being single?Question 3: What is it like to work for Mountain Fresh?X’s town is governed and regulated by the municipality, but in addition to the surrounding water resources Mountain Fresh has bought up all land in a huge belt completely surrounding the town, so every passing in and out of town by train, bus or car is taxed by the company. If you however travel by air you avoid the Mountain Fresh travel tax, so air travel is cheaper and preferred by most people in town even for relatively short distances. Also the sea has not yet been opened for private ownership, so it is possible to travel for free by boat to places outside the Mountain Fresh Belt, by locals simply referred to as “The Belt”. But boats are in demand, and thus expensive.X is an only child and was not raised in the town where she lives, so she has no family there. Her parents live in a smaller township 25 minutes away by mini plane, 1 hour by train, 1,5 hours by bus. When X goes travelling outside The Belt it is most often to visit her parents.(Consult X’s economy below to answer questions)Question 4: How does X travel when she goes outside The Belt?Question 5: How often does X go to visit her parents?Question 6: What are X’s parents’ jobs?X adores nature. “Nature” is also the name of a nature reserve developed by Mountain Fresh, a part of the The Belt that has not been developed for industry. Here it is possible to experience unspoiled nature, there are spots for camping, a lush forest with loads of paths and also a lake and a river that haven’t been piped. Since X works for Mountain Fresh she gets discounted tickets for Nature. She also has access to a nature VR app, that offers a copy of Nature in The Belt as one of the options. It almost feels like being in nature for real, the only thing the app lacks is a smell function.Question 7: How often does X go to real “Nature”?Question 8: What is X’s favourite destination in the VR nature app?Question 9: How does nature feel when there is no smell?X goes for walks in town, most often down to the shore. Sometimes she buys a wrap and a bottle of water from one of the vending machines on the shore and just sits there looking out to sea. When X was little there used to be seagulls everywhere, but now there are almost no seagulls left. The seagulls that have survived have all moved into towns, and there is actually a pack of 10-12 seagulls still in X’s town. But they behave weirdly, not at all like seagulls behave in her nature app. They move in packs, like wolves used to do, and normally you don’t see them at all, but if they suddenly appear where you happen to be they have been known to attack people, especially if they walk alone. When X goes to the sea shore she always carries a solid umbrella, even if it doesn’t rain. But it rains pretty often anyway.Question 10: What is the content of X’s favourite vending machine wrap?Question 11: What does X think about seagulls?Question 12: What have the locals named the pack of seagulls that hang out in town?Question 13: What other things could X do in her spare time and what would it cost?X’s economyThe currency X uses is the global currency bitcoins. Bitcoins are split into centibicoins and then into millibitcoins.Bitcoin value in 20681 bitcoin = 100.000 old Norwegian kroner. (ONC)1 centibitcoin (1/100 bitcoin) = 1000 old Norwegian kroner.1 millibitcoin (1/1000 bitcoin) = 100 old Norwegian kroner.EarningsX’s yearly wages: 10 bitcoinsExpenses X must payYearly rent: 5 bitcoinsYearly food expenses: 4 bitcoinsThings X might buy (she needs to prioritize)A small private boat: 25 bitcoinsA small private car: 1 bitcoinMF tax for cars driving through “The Belt”: 5 centibitcoinsFlight to parents’ town: 2 centibitcoinsTrain to parents’ town: 7 centibitcoinsBus to parents’ town: 5 centibitcoinsOne day in “Nature”, MF company discount: 25 centibitcoinsVR equipment for nature app: 1 centibitcoinYearly subscription to nature app: 5 millibitcoinsWalk to seashore: FreeUmbrella: 5 millibitcoinsVending machine wrap: 2 millibitcoinsHalf litre bottle of Mountain Fresh water: 1 centibitcoin LINKS: More writing from Sigbjørn Skåden: https://www.versopolis-poetry.com/poet/67/sigbjrn-skden About Ismet Bachtiar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ismet-bachtiar-4532a051/ Personalize an X story on https://hellox.me/write/ https://www.facebook.com/message2X/videos/1939985352744254  

Which seabird resembles Evil Knevil or Karl Lagerfeld? In 2068, will X and your grandkids meet kittiwakes, guillemots, and eider ducks only in virtual nature? Hear Framsenteret biologists Jan Ove Bustnes and Tone Reiertsen describe how seabirds translate changes in the flow of energy and life in marine ecosystems. Are we listening? Virtual Nature part 1 explores how climate change is impacting birds on remote Arctic island nesting sites of circumpolar seabirds. The idea for virtual nature was proposed by the hello X creative team as a substitute for going outdoors, and a way to commemorate places and animals, like many populations of seabirds, that are currently in decline. In Virtual Nature part 2, you will hear a conversation between host and hello X creative director Christine Cynn with novelist Sigbjorn Skåden and game designer Ismet Bachtiar about the genesis and meaning of virtual nature in the X fiction world (now in development). We will hear stories from two researchers who have spent their lifetimes studying guillemots, eider ducks, kittiwakes, among other species. Jan Ove Bustnes (working for NINA-Norwegian Inst. for Nature Research affiliated with the Fram Centre flagship project on Hazardous Substances) and Tone Reiertsen (NINA and Fram flagship project on ‘Effects of climate change on coastal ecology in the North). Listen as Jan Ove and Tone speak about their experiences on Bjørnøya (Bear Island) at the far end of the Svalbard Archipeligo in the Barents Sea, and Hornøya (Horn Island) on the far northern shore of the Norwegian mainland. Prefer a version without English overdub of Norwegian speech? See our bonus version with NO English overdub;) Watch this video! ‘X saves the Kittwake’ hello X animation by Ice-9 artist Valentin Manz with music by Coda to Coda. Kids from the north and south of Norway tell the story of how X meets her grandmother’s avatar in virtual nature, and saves a kittiwake who eats plastic. On the hello X youtube channel. VIRTUAL NATURE 2068: X chats with grandma's avatar in virtual nature about cleaning up the ocean   'Geirdodo' patron saint of extinct birds circa 2068. Collage by Valentin Manz IN CONVERSATION WITH JAN OVE BUSTNES AND TONE REIERTSEN (with chalkboards-Christine is obsessed with them-no more stickies!)   VIDEO OF GUILLEMOT PARENT WITH FOOD FOR YOUNG (courtesy of Tone Reiertsen) https://youtu.be/0aHlraYL39w LINKS Norwegian Climate and Environment Dept on seabirds: http://www.miljodirektoratet.no/en/Areas-of-activity1/Species-and-ecosystems/Seabirds/ Norwegian coast and Douglas Adams https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/a-thousand-miles-of-norways-lovely-crinkly-edges-49047.html   BEAR ISLAND Bears visit Bear Island (Norwegian) https://www.nrk.no/troms/bjornoya-fikk-bjornebesok-1.10958132 Bjørnøya dyreliv (Norwegian) http://cruise-handbook.npolar.no/no/bjornoya/wildlife.html Birdlife International factsheet on Bear Island (Bjørnøya) http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/bj%C3%B8rn%C3%B8ya-(bear-island)-iba-svalbard-and-jan-mayen-islands-(to-norway)/details   GUILLEMOTS / HORNØYA Pictures courtesy of Tone Reiertsen             VIDEO! SEE GUILLEMOTS ‘FLY’ UNDERWATERGuillemots diving near Hornøya, Northern Norway https://www.nrk.no/video/PS*270032 Common guillemot description NP http://www.npolar.no/en/species/common-guillemot.html guillemot/lomvi factsheet from the Norwegian Inst. on Nature Research http://www2.artsdatabanken.no/faktaark/Faktaark2.pdf Incredible diving capacity of guillemots and other diving birds https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v102n02/p0293-p0297.pdf Guillemot call (British Museum/wikimedia) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_Guillemot_(Uria_aalge)_(W1CDR0001424_BD6).ogg https://www.earthtouchnews.com/natural-world/animal-behaviour/why-do-baby-guillemots-jump-off-cliffs-before-they-can-even-fly/ https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/00000144-0a1f-d3cb-a96c-7b1faa890000 Where do guillemots go in the winter? (Norwegian) https://www.nrk.no/troms/avslorer-lomviens-vinterhemmelighet-1.11273128 Great auk wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_auk Long interesting article from a conference on capelin (small fish): https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjD8OLZwtTeAhXIs1kKHalLBa8QFjAJegQIBxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Facademic.oup.com%2Ficesjms%2Farticle-pdf%2F59%2F5%2F863%2F6756499%2F59-5-863.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3nE2WSUM9J2FkM8I9YmE2W   EIDER DUCKS http://www.npolar.no/en/species/common-eider.html http://www.arctic.uoguelph.ca/cpl/organisms/birds/marine/ducks/comEider.htm Documentary on eider ducks and the Inuit on the Belcher Islands in Canada's Hudson Bay http://www.peopleofafeather.com/   MAN WHO ATE AIRPLANE Man who ate an airplane http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/67621-strangest-diet Man who ate airplane x-ray photo http://www.u2know.com/michel-lotito-the-man-with-a-strange-diet-aid-146   KITTIWAKE Kittiwakes in trouble https://www.birdlife.org/europe-and-central-asia/news/cliffs-lying-barren-why-we-cant-afford-ignore-kittiwake-crash https://www.artsdatabanken.no/Pages/186674 (norsk) Credits This episode of hello X was co-produced with Fram - the High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment with it’s flagships: Effects of climate change on sea and coastal ecology in the north Hazardous substances – effects on ecosystems and human health Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, technology and agreements Effects of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems, landscapes, society and indigenous peoples Environmental impact of industrial development in the north (MIKON)   With support from the Norwegian Arts Council hello X theme Music by Metatag on Hel Audio http://www.helaudio.org/artists/metatag/ Episode music is by Theta (specially composed for this episode. Tusen takk!) https://thetasounds.wordpress.com/ Artists contributing to the ‘The Piper Colobocentratus Purple-tipped Echinometra Plinthocelium, A Not Applicable Compilation’ including tracks by: Leverton Fox, Alex Bonney / Isambard Khroustaliov / Tolga Tüzün, Tangents, Lothar Ohlmeier / Isambard Khroustaliov, Ben + Zamyatin Link to album page https://www.not-applicable.org/?p=2050 Bonus track! ‘Fear of Mapping (Maurizio Ravalico's Left Handed Marching Army version) - Fiium Shaarrk : from ‘Versions, Remixes and Mashups’ on Not Applicable Hello X is supported by: Sparebank Northern Norway the free speech foundation Innovation Norway Koro -public art norway   Ice-9 partners and affiliates include: Tromsø municipality https://www.tromso.kommune.no/arktisk-hovedstad.460300.no.html The Nansen legacy research project https://arvenetternansen.com/ The North Norwegian Art Museum https://www.nnkm.no/ Hello x is produced by Ice-9, with Christine Cynn, Anneli Stiberg, Valentin Manz. Associate producers include Marina Borovaya and Annika Wistrøm. Sound mix by Nathanael Gustin. Digital design by Ismet Bachtiar Storygenerator developed by Furkle Industries Find out more about hello X here https://hellox.me/about/      

(*NORSK/ENG versjon) Which seabird resembles Evil Knevil or Karl Lagerfeld? In 2068, will X and your grandkids meet kittiwakes, guillemots, and eider ducks only in virtual nature? Hear Framsenteret biologists Jan Ove Bustnes and Tone Reiertsen describe how seabirds translate changes in the flow of energy and life in marine ecosystems. Are we listening? Virtual Nature part 1 explores how climate change is impacting birds on remote Arctic island nesting sites of circumpolar seabirds. The idea for virtual nature was proposed by the hello X creative team as a substitute for going outdoors, and a way to commemorate places and animals, like many populations of seabirds, that are currently in decline. In Virtual Nature part 2, you will hear a conversation between host and hello X creative director Christine Cynn with novelist Sigbjorn Skåden and game designer Ismet Bachtiar about the genesis and meaning of virtual nature in the X fiction world (now in development). We will hear stories from two researchers who have spent their lifetimes studying guillemots, eider ducks, kittiwakes, among other species. Jan Ove Bustnes (working for NINA-Norwegian Inst. for Nature Research affiliated with the Fram Centre flagship project on Hazardous Substances) and Tone Reiertsen (NINA and Fram flagship project on ‘Effects of climate change on coastal ecology in the North). Listen as Jan Ove and Tone speak about their experiences on Bjørnøya (Bear Island) at the far end of the Svalbard Archipeligo in the Barents Sea, and Hornøya (Horn Island) on the far northern shore of the Norwegian mainland. Prefer a version without English overdub of Norwegian speech? See our bonus version with NO English overdub;) Watch this video! ‘X saves the Kittwake’ hello X animation by Ice-9 artist Valentin Manz with music by Coda to Coda. Kids from the north and south of Norway tell the story of how X meets her grandmother’s avatar in virtual nature, and saves a kittiwake who eats plastic. On the hello X youtube channel. VIRTUAL NATURE 2068: X chats with grandma's avatar in virtual nature about cleaning up the ocean   'Geirdodo'-patron saint of extinct birds 2068 (collage by Valentin Manz) Prefer a version without English overdub of Norwegian speech? See our bonus version with NO English overdub;) IN CONVERSATION WITH JAN OVE BUSTNES AND TONE REIERTSEN (with chalkboards-Christine is obsessed with them-no more stickies!) VIDEO OF GUILLEMOT PARENT WITH FOOD FOR YOUNG (courtesy of Tone Reiertsen) https://youtu.be/0aHlraYL39w LINKS Norwegian Climate and Environment Dept on seabirds: http://www.miljodirektoratet.no/en/Areas-of-activity1/Species-and-ecosystems/Seabirds/ Norwegian coast and Douglas Adams https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/a-thousand-miles-of-norways-lovely-crinkly-edges-49047.html   BEAR ISLAND Bears visit Bear Island (Norwegian) https://www.nrk.no/troms/bjornoya-fikk-bjornebesok-1.10958132 Bjørnøya dyreliv (Norwegian) http://cruise-handbook.npolar.no/no/bjornoya/wildlife.html Birdlife International factsheet on Bear Island (Bjørnøya) http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/bj%C3%B8rn%C3%B8ya-(bear-island)-iba-svalbard-and-jan-mayen-islands-(to-norway)/details   GUILLEMOTS / HORNØYA   VIDEO! SEE GUILLEMOTS ‘FLY’ UNDERWATERGuillemots diving near Hornøya, Northern Norway https://www.nrk.no/video/PS*270032 Common guillemot description NP http://www.npolar.no/en/species/common-guillemot.html guillemot/lomvi factsheet from the Norwegian Inst. on Nature Research http://www2.artsdatabanken.no/faktaark/Faktaark2.pdf Incredible diving capacity of guillemots and other diving birds https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v102n02/p0293-p0297.pdf Guillemot call (British Museum/wikimedia) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Common_Guillemot_(Uria_aalge)_(W1CDR0001424_BD6).ogg https://www.earthtouchnews.com/natural-world/animal-behaviour/why-do-baby-guillemots-jump-off-cliffs-before-they-can-even-fly/ https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/00000144-0a1f-d3cb-a96c-7b1faa890000 Where do guillemots go in the winter? (Norwegian) https://www.nrk.no/troms/avslorer-lomviens-vinterhemmelighet-1.11273128 Great auk wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_auk Long interesting article from a conference on capelin (small fish): https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjD8OLZwtTeAhXIs1kKHalLBa8QFjAJegQIBxAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Facademic.oup.com%2Ficesjms%2Farticle-pdf%2F59%2F5%2F863%2F6756499%2F59-5-863.pdf&usg=AOvVaw3nE2WSUM9J2FkM8I9YmE2W   EIDER DUCKS http://www.npolar.no/en/species/common-eider.html http://www.arctic.uoguelph.ca/cpl/organisms/birds/marine/ducks/comEider.htm Documentary on eider ducks and the Inuit on the Belcher Islands in Canada's Hudson Bay http://www.peopleofafeather.com/   MAN WHO ATE AIRPLANE Man who ate an airplane http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/67621-strangest-diet Man who ate airplane x-ray photo http://www.u2know.com/michel-lotito-the-man-with-a-strange-diet-aid-146   KITTIWAKE Tone Reiertsen on kittiwakes in Fram Forum magazine ( in Norwegian) Kittiwakes in trouble https://www.birdlife.org/europe-and-central-asia/news/cliffs-lying-barren-why-we-cant-afford-ignore-kittiwake-crash https://www.artsdatabanken.no/Pages/186674 (norsk) Credits This episode of hello X was co-produced with Fram - the High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment with it’s flagships: Effects of climate change on sea and coastal ecology in the north Hazardous substances – effects on ecosystems and human health Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, technology and agreements Effects of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems, landscapes, society and indigenous peoples Environmental impact of industrial development in the north (MIKON)   With support from the Norwegian Arts Council hello X theme Music by Metatag on Hel Audio http://www.helaudio.org/artists/metatag/ Episode music is by Theta (specially composed for this episode. Tusen takk!) https://thetasounds.wordpress.com/ Artists contributing to the ‘The Piper Colobocentratus Purple-tipped Echinometra Plinthocelium, A Not Applicable Compilation’ including tracks by: Leverton Fox, Alex Bonney / Isambard Khroustaliov / Tolga Tüzün, Tangents, Lothar Ohlmeier / Isambard Khroustaliov, Ben + Zamyatin Link to album page https://www.not-applicable.org/?p=2050 Bonus track! ‘Fear of Mapping (Maurizio Ravalico's Left Handed Marching Army version) - Fiium Shaarrk : from ‘Versions, Remixes and Mashups’ on Not Applicable Hello X is supported by: Sparebank Northern Norway the free speech foundation Innovation Norway Koro -public art norway   Ice-9 partners and affiliates include: Tromsø municipality https://www.tromso.kommune.no/arktisk-hovedstad.460300.no.html The Nansen legacy research project https://arvenetternansen.com/ The North Norwegian Art Museum https://www.nnkm.no/ Hello x is produced by Ice-9, with Christine Cynn, Anneli Stiberg, Valentin Manz. Associate producers include Marina Borovaya and Annika Wistrøm. Sound mix by Nathanael Gustin. Digital design by Ismet Bachtiar Storygenerator developed by Furkle Industries Find out more about hello X here https://hellox.me/about/      

Hey...where’s the baby food? Atlantic Puffins in Lofoten are beautiful and possibly in trouble. Puffins travel thousands of miles to gather on ancient breeding cliffs. Hardworking parents can fly 100 km a day and dive 60 m deep to find food for their chicks. But something’s not right. The herring and other small forage fish are too small and too dispersed to feed the chicks. In the last decade, almost none of the baby puffins are surviving. Could the decline in puffins and other coastal birds around the world be an indicator of big changes in our ocean ecosystems? How do scientists cope? This episode marks the beginning of a running theme on seabirds in the hello X podcast and stories. Meet marine biologist Zoe Burr, from the UNIS (Univ. Centre of Svalbard/ Fram flagship research group on Effects of Climate Change on Coastal Ecology in the North) who studies a breeding colony of Puffins on Hernyken, one of a cluster of remote islands called Røst near Lofoten in Northern Norway. Zoe is part of a team led by Tycho Anker-Nilssen, senior researcher at the NINA (Norwegian Inst. for Nature Research) collecting long-term data on seabird colonies. This is the first of the hello X science spotlights, interviews with researchers in the Arctic that complement the main episodes, which include both the creative development of the X fiction stories, along with shorter discussions on science. Special thanks to: FRAM - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment in Tromsø, a hello X partner, and its research program on Effects of climate change on cea and coastal ccology in the north. https://framsenteret.no/english/ UNIS- The University Centre in Svalbard https://www.unis.no/ NINA- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research https://www.nina.no/ LINKS: http://www.natgeotraveller.co.uk/destinations/europe/norway/arctic-norway-puffins/ https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/a/atlantic-puffin/ http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22694927/0 Article by Zofia Burr and Øystein Varpe on ‘Seabird breeding timing at high latitudes’: https://www.unis.no/seabird-breeding-timing-high-latitudes/ Master thesis on ‘Effects of a fluctuating climate on the body condition of Atlantic Puffins Fratercula Arctica at Røst’, Norway, by Andrea Nygård Østvik: https://brage.bibsys.no/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11250/2461293/AndreaN%C3%98stvik.pdf?sequence=1 Soundscape and video from Røst https://childofklang.wordpress.com/2011/05/27/fieldwork-10th-june-14th-of-july-at-hernyken-nature-reserve-r%C3%B8st/ NORSK   Om lundefugl og matmangel https://forskning.no/fisk-havforskning-okologi/2014/04/lundefuglens-unger-dor-pa-grunn-av-matmangel Sjøfuglene på Hornøya: https://framsenteret.no/arkiv/foelg-sjoefuglene-paa-hornoeya-i-sommer-5883536-146437/ Om klima og endringer: https://framsenteret.no/arkiv/klima-endrer-sammensetning-og-utbredelse-av-arter-6056485-146437/ CREDITS This story was produced by Anneli Stiberg and Christine Cynn with support from Valentin Manz and Marina Borovaya. Sound engineer: Nathanael Gustin hello X theme music by Metatag on Hel Audio https://helaudio.bandcamp.com/album/surrender Episode music by Metatag Final track ‘Oh, Pity Us!’ on ‘Live’ by the Odes on Not Applicablehttps://not-applicable.bandcamp.com/album/live  

Salmon, seaweed, or wormballs on the menu in 2068? Can we really manage nature? And what’s the matter with humans anyway? Five polar scientists discuss how future (and present-day) humans fit into the Arctic bioenergetic food system. Why might X benefit from eating more vegetables (or being one)? Do humans want to farm in the sea with the same strategies used on land? What is multi-trophic aquaculture? Meet Lis Lindal Jørgensen, marine biologist at the Institute of Marine Research in Tromsø and leader of the FRAM (High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment) flagship research program on Effects of climate change on sea and coastal ecology in the north), Pedro Duarte, researcher at the Norwegian Polar Institute specializing in Arctic marine ecosystem modeling and contributor to the FRAM flagship research program on Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, technology and agreements, Elina Haltunnen, marine biologist at the Institute of Marine Research specializing in the impacts of aquaculture on wild fish, Ann Eileen Lennert, environmental anthropologist with Ice-9 and the Polar Museum at University of Tromsø (hear more about Ann Eileen in episode 1), and Sigurd Tønnessen, philosopher of science at University of Tromsø and member of the Environmental Philosophy Research Group. Hear also about the hello X March to the Future a parade through the streets of central Tromsø behind a ceremonial ship of dreams wearing seaweed and boats on our heads and led by the epic all-female drum corps, the Tromsø Tamborene. Check out links below to videos, pictures, and press coverage from the March to the Future. Email us a voicememo at [email protected] and tell us what time it is on the clock of the earth. Thanks to Chin Keeler, Mikey Weinkove, the Tromsø Tamborene, Northern Norway Art Museum, and Polaria Science Center, Vårscenefest… and special thanks to all the amazing participants! Finally, Christine’s 12-yr old nephew Sebastian speculates on what his future daughter might cook him for dinner in 2068. March to the Future convocation: Welcome earthlings. We welcome you all to the other side of today. This former post office, police office, art museum… What do you picture here in 2068? A virtual playground, a makeshift hospital, a beach? Salutations from your unborn children, your thriving grandchildren, and great grandchildren. If you remember us, we may remember you. Before all of us, there were all of you. Before all of you, one hundred billion homo sapiens walked this planet. Every single one had a story. From the Gállá-bártnit, descended from the sun, to the driftwood that made Ask and Embla, to our mitochondrial Eve. Every single one of you in 2018 is living a story. Each life is a story to be told, re-mixed, told again. Each life is a spring flowing into a long river, flowing in an expanding spiral of space and time and life. Each curve feels both familiar and new. Terrifying and full of hope! This boat carries dreams. Dreams of the future, Dreams of birds and fish, dreams of copopods, Dreams of being better, feeling better, living better on this earth. This boat is as big as our dreams. This boat is as tough as our dreams. This boat is as beautiful as our dreams. In this universe of stories, we are the water and the ship and the passengers. Now is the time to set sail for the future. LINKS FRAM (High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment) https://framsenteret.no/english/ March to the Future Videos https://tinyurl.com/y7cwqgjr https://www.facebook.com/message2X/videos/1098166893656535/ Images https://tinyurl.com/march2thefuture https://www.facebook.com/message2X/posts/1103329009806990?__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBH3G6-Tab9hBwkh3A4JK5hK-9hQIpyrsF311y0dui7VedY_iwNd9jtqtC25YVBK_3mvRHaMXSi6f2oEHINrgG1ewQnffyBiOJ4-sygmPXT_Ibpia2VmY5y2qFHIUSDiVGN4286hSR5&__tn__=-R CREDITS This story was produced by Anneli Stiberg and Christine Cynn with support from Valentin Manz and Marina Borovaya. Special thanks to Fram Center. Editing and Sound Design by Nathanael Gustin. hello X theme music by Metatag on Hel Audio https://helaudio.bandcamp.com/album/surrender Episode music by Metatag and Arthurs. Høiby. Ritchie on Not Applicable Tom Arthurs – trumpet, flugelhorn Jasper Høiby – double bass Stuart Ritchie – drums http://www.not-applicable.org/?page_id=27  

Which songs or joiks will X sing in 50 years? Which songs or joiks will we have forgotten? In this bonus episode of the hello X podcast you will meet Elina Waage Mikalsen, Katarina Barruk and Marja Helena Fjellheim Mortensson, three artists from Norway and Sweden. The Ice-9 team met Elina, Katarina and Marja in 2016 during Riddu Riđđu, a festival that focus on building pride and awareness about indigenous groups like Samis, an indigenous people who traditionally have lived in the Northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. The festival takes place in Manndalen, in Northern Norway, a place where many have roots in Sami culture. Both Elina, Katarina and Marja have at one point in time been given the title «the artist of the year», at Riddu Riđđu. In 2016 they participated in Riddu Sessions, where they made new songs and joiks for the festival. The three artists share with us thoughts about their causes, music, memories with their grandparents, identity, language and joiking...thoughts about the past, the present and the future. Take a look at Katarina Barruk’s message to X in Ume sami (a language spoken by only a few people in the world). The music that you hear in the episode is made or sung/joiked by Elina, Katarina and Marja, from their work in Riddu Sessions, with producer/artist Peder Niilas Tårnesvik and the mentors Sara Marielle Gaup and Ole Jørn Myklebust. You can find information about Riddu Sessions here: http://riddu.no/nb/program/riddu-sessions Some of the songs and/or joiks are from the artists’ solo projects, and some are traditional joiks that they have been found in archives in Norway and Sweden. The songs and joiks in order as they appear in the epsisode: (Our intro melody by Metatag) The newborn calf, yoiked by Marja Helena Fjellheim Mortensson. Extract from the Riddu Riđđu-song that were made during Riddu Session. In the extract you hear Elina Waage Mikalsen sing. Extract from song written by Elina Waage Mikalsen, performed by Elina, Marja and Katarina. Extract from the Riddu Riddu song, made during Riddu Sessions. In the extract you hear Katarina Barruk and Marja Helena Fjellheim Mortensson sing and yoik. The big mountain-yoik from Tärnaby, yoiked by Marja and Katarina Ubmejeiednuo (or the Ume river) youk from Storuman in North of Sweden fra Storuman kommune i Nord-Sverige, joiket av Marja og Katarina. The Butterfly, by Marja Helena Fjellheim Mortensson, performed by Elina and Katarina. Riddu Riđđu 25 year jubileum yoik by Elina, Katarina, and Marja Riddu Riđđu-song, by Elina, Katarina and Marja   You can find information about the artists here: Marja Helena Fjellheim Mortensson: http://www.marjamortensson.no Katarina Barruk: @katarinabarrukmusicpage Elina Waage Mikalsen: https://kreativenord.no/actor/elina-waage-mikalsen/ , https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/blood-forest-family/1194089282 The Riddu Riđđu festival web page: http://riddu.no/nb To learn more about Sami culture and history, go to https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/jan/21/folk.features1

Hvilke sanger/joiker vil X synge om femti år? Hvilke sanger/joiker vil vi ha glemt? I denne bonusepisoden av hello X-podcasten møter du Elina Waage Mikalsen, Katarina Barruk og Marja Helena Fjellheim Mortensson, tre artister og kunstnere. Ice-9 teamet møtte Elina, Katarina og Marja i 2016 under Riddu Riđđu, en festival med fokus på å bygge opp stolthet og bevissthet rundt det å være samisk og fra andre urfolk gjennom musikk- og kulturopplevelser. Både Elina, Katarina og Marja har på hvert sitt tidspunkt blitt kåret til årets unge kunstner under Riddu Riđđu. Dette året tok de del i prosjektet Riddu Sessions, hvor de laget nye sanger og joiker for festivalen. De tre artistene forteller om sine hjertesaker, om musikk, minner med besteforeldre, identitet, språk og joiking...om fortiden, nåtiden og framtiden. Se en video av Katarina Barruk sin beskjed til X i sin helhet på umesamisk (med svensk oversettelse på slutten) her: https://forum.hellox.me/t/singer-katarina-barruk-sends-a-message-to-her-future-granddaughter-in-sami-swedish/132?u=copopod Mye av musikken du hører i episoden er laget av Elina, Katarina og Marja, fra tiden under Riddu Sessions, med produsent/artist Peder Niilas Tårnesvik og mentorene Sara Marielle Gaup og Ole Jørn Myklebust. Info om Riddu Sessions: http://riddu.no/nb/program/riddu-sessions Noen av sangene og/eller joikene er artistenes egne. Mer info om artistene og deres musikk finner du blant annet her: Marja Helena Fjellheim Mortensson: http://www.marjamortensson.no Katarina Barruk: @katarinabarrukmusicpage Elina Waage Mikalsen: https://kreativenord.no/actor/elina-waage-mikalsen/ , https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/blood-forest-family/1194089282 Du hører også tradisjonelle joiker som er hentet fra arkivmateriale. Kjenningsmelodien for podcasten av Metatag. Utdrag fra sanger/joiker sunget/joiket av Elina Waage Mikalsen, Katarina Barruk og Marja Helena Fjellheim Mortensson i episoden etter rekkefølge: (Vår kjenningsmelodi for podcasten av Metatag) Nyfødt kalv-joik, joiket av Marja Helena Fjellheim Mortensson. Utdrag fra Riddu Riđđu-sangen som ble laget under Riddu Sessions. I utdraget hører du Elina Waage Mikalsen synge. Utdrag fra sang skrevet av Elina Waage Mikalsen, framført av Elina, Marja og Katarina. Utdrag fra Riddu Riđđu-Sangen, som ble laget under Riddu Sessions. I utdraget hører du Katarina Barruk og Marja Helena Fjellheim Mortensson synge og joike. “Det store fjellet’-joik fra Tärnaby, joiket av Marja og Katarina Ubmejeiednuo (eller Umeälven)-joik fra Storuman kommune i Nord-Sverige, joiket av Marja og Katarina. “The Butterfly”, av Marja Helena Fjellheim Mortensson, framført sammen med Elina og Katarina. Riddu Riđđu 25 års jubileumsjoik, av Elina, Katarina, og Marja Riddu Riđđu-sangen, av Elina, Katarina og Marja Har du en kommentar til episoden send oss gjerne en epost på [email protected] Hjemmeside til Riddu: http://riddu.no/nb