Scientific American: Two years of intense polar research have shown declining snow and ice pack and rising seas, but they have also yielded abundant new data that might help scientists understand the overall effects of climate change and what to do about it, the U.N. World Meteorological Organization said today. Summarizing results of those studies as the International Polar Year–a two-year, $1.2 billion initiative–draws to a close, officials say scientists know considerably more now about how Arctic and …