The International Polar Year (IPY) is a world-wide collaborative research effort to study the polar regions. The data from the First IPY, in 1882 and 1883, gives today's scientists a glimpse of what the poles looked like over 100 years ago. This year's IPY is the fourth such event and the organizers are motivated by the urgency of climate change to investigate the changes at our planet's poles.

The IPY officially starts on March 1st but here in Fort Collins, Colorado State University has kicked off the events early with a lecture series on Antarctic research featuring local researchers. All of the events take place at the Fort Collins Main Public Library at 6:30 p.m. The next lecture is tomorrow, February 20th, and is entitled "IGY to IPY: 50 Years of Science on the Ice". Tomorrow's lecture will be given by John Behrendt from the University of Colorado.