The Ohio State University School of Earth Sciences Distinguished University Professor and Senior Research Scientist at the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center (Byrd Center), Lonnie Thompson, has a remarkable story as depicted in the new documentary Canary, which debuted in select theaters nationwide earlier this month. 

Throughout his career as a paleoclimatologist, Dr. Thompson embarked on numerous daring expeditions to investigate ancient climates by studying glaciers but soon realized that the glaciers were melting at an alarming rate. So, his focus shifted to protecting and preserving the glaciers' critical ice cores by carefully collecting and storing them at Ohio State's cold storage facility at the Byrd Center. 

Thompson's quest, in part, is showcased in the Canary documentary against the backdrop of the melting Quelccaya Ice Cap in the Peruvian Andes. He sees glaciers as "canaries in the coal mine," serving as early indicators of a climate catastrophe.

Visit YouTube to watch Canary - Official Trailer - Oscilloscope Laboratories HD

The documentary takes viewers on perilous research missions worldwide, where Thompson's team drills ice cores from seemingly unconquerable mountain heights. These ice cores hold essential information about Earth's environmental history. Despite glaciers vanishing, possibly within this century, Thompson believes the Byrd Center's extensive ice core collection will continue to inform climate research. 

The film also delves into Dr. Thompson's personal journey, including his profound disbelief upon receiving a diagnosis of congestive heart failure, leading to a life-saving heart transplant. This experience reinforced the notion of denial in the face of inconvenient truths. 

Dr. Thompson hopes his story will serve as an inspirational catalyst for change, firmly believing that addressing climate challenges requires individuals to utilize research to reshape humanity's trajectory. He hopes Canary will ignite a passion for scientific inquiry in the next generation of scientists. 

During a recent post-screening Q&A session for Canary, Dr. Thompson said that glaciers reveal the truth about climate change, harboring no hidden agenda; they directly mirror their environment, and today, they are conveying an unequivocal message. Dr. Thompson recently returned from Peru, where a water crisis in Cusco is unfolding, affecting 1.5 million people. The retreat of glaciers translates to diminishing water resources in the face of a growing population, underscoring the global impacts and growing instability.

Read more by visiting the Byrd Center's Canary webpage and Ohio State News.

The Canary documentary is in select theaters nationwide. Visit Canary.oscilloscope.net to find a theater near you and buy your tickets.