04/01/2026 | Heiner Kubny
Camp Century – City Under the Ice
Camp Century was first carved into the ice using snow cutters; metal supports were then placed over it and covered again with snow. (Photo: Wikimedia)Camp Century looks like something out of a spy movie: a city beneath the ice, hidden in the Arctic. But behind its spectacular façade lay far more tha
03/31/2026 | Heiner Kubny
Smoke from Wildfires Reaches Antarctica
Various measuring instruments are installed on the roof of the station, continuously recording meteorological and environmental data. (Photo: INACH)Antarctica, long regarded as an untouched natural region, is increasingly affected by global environmental changes. Recent research shows that smoke par
03/30/2026 | Léa Zinsli
Rising Arctic Shipping Activity
New data from the Arctic Council shows a significant rise in vessel traffic, with nearly double the distance sailed by vessels since 2013. Ship in Arctic waters (Photo: Léa Zinsli)A recent report showed that shipping activity in the Arctic is reaching unprecedented levels, driven by longer ice-free
03/29/2026 | Greta Paulsdottir
Knut Rasmussen – The do-gooder from Greenland
Knud Johan Victor Rasmussen was born on June 7, 1879, in Ilulissat in western Greenland. He was a Greenlandic-Danish polar explorer, ethnologist, and author. On December 21, 1933, Rasmussen died at the age of only 54 from food poisoning.The exploration of the polar regions has produced heroes whose
03/28/2026 | Heiner Kubny
Warming of the Barents Sea Threatens Fish Stocks
Atlantic herring lay their sticky eggs on the seafloor or on marine plants. A female can produce between 20,000 and 100,000 eggs, which adhere to stones, sand, algae, or seagrass. (Photo: Pixabay)A significant rise in temperatures in the Barents Sea is endangering the spawning grounds and food suppl
03/27/2026 | Léa Zinsli
Cape Town Agreement Boosts Arctic Safety
The Cape Town Agreement, entering into force in 2027, sets new safety standards for fishing vessels reducing risks and pollution in Arctic waters. Cargo vessel in calm northern watersThe Cape Town Agreement, the first worldwide treaty focused on the safety of fishing vessels, is set to enter into fo
03/26/2026 | Heiner Kubny
Climate Change Reduces Radiation Risk of the “Komsomolets”
A recent study examines how climate change affects the potential spread of radioactive substances from the sunken Soviet nuclear submarine ‘Komsomolets’. After a devastating fire on board, the nuclear submarine “Komsomolets” sank on April 7, 1989, southwest of Bear Island. (Photo: Institute of Marin
03/25/2026 | Léa Zinsli
Trappers Trail 2026: Svalbard’s Sled Dog Race
Trappers Trail 2026 brought sled dogs and mushers together for a weekend of racing, community spirit, and Arctic adventure on Svalbard. Trappers Trail in SvalbardOn the weekend of 21-22 March 2026, the northernmost sled dog race in the world, Trappers Trail, took place on Svalbard. Covering 70 km, t
03/24/2026 | Léa Zinsli
Polar Bear Shot in Svalbard: Investigation Underway
A polar bear was shot in Agardhbukta, Svalbard, on 21 March, and the incident is currently under police investigation. Map showing Longyearbyen and Agardhbukta on the east coast of Spitsbergen (Source: TopoSvalbard)On Saturday, 21 March, a polar bear was shot by a private group in Agardhbukta on the
03/23/2026 | Léa Zinsli
The Sourtoe Cocktail: Dawson City’s Most Bizarre Drink 
In Dawson City, Yukon, adventurous drinkers can join the Sourtoe Cocktail Club by downing a shot containing a real dehydrated human toe. Illustration ofthe Sourtoe Cocktail (Sketch Léa Zinsli)Have you ever heard of the world’s most disgusting drink? In Dawson City, Yukon, the Sourtoe Cocktail consis
03/22/2026 | Heiner Kubny
Fernando E. Franca – First Cuban in Antarctica
Dr. Fernando E. Franca with his wife Eva Quesada in Havana in 1955. (Photo: Eduardo Franca)Fernando E. Franca is considered an important figure in the history of international polar research. As the first Cuban to reach Antarctica and work there scientifically, he wrote a special chapter in the hist
03/21/2026 | Rosamaria Kubny
Emperor Penguins Facing an Uncertain Future
To conserve energy and move faster, emperor penguins slide across the ice on their bellies. With powerful flipper strokes and pushes from their feet, they “surf” over the frozen surface. (Photo: Rosamaria Kubny)Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey made a significant discovery while analyzing
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