11/06/2026 | Heiner Kubny

Giant iceberg A-81 reaches South Georgia

The giant iceberg A-81 south-west of South Georgia. The satellite image, taken on 20 October 2026, shows the iceberg at the edge of the shallow sub-oceanic continental shelf, where its drift has slowed. (Image: NASA Earth Observatory / Michala Garrison, MODIS data from the Terra satellite)After more

11/06/2026 | Camille Laurent

Canada renews its icebreaker fleet: Contracts, construction progress and timelines

Polar icebreaker CCGS Arpatuuq: Davie is building this larger icebreaker together with Helsinki Shipyard in Finland, which belongs to the same corporate group. (Illustration: Davie)Canada’s icebreaker renewal is progressing on several fronts. A steel supply agreement announced on 3 November supports

11/05/2026 | Heiner Kubny

The sleeping giant awakens – permafrost is exacerbating global warming

Thawing permafrost on the Arctic coast of Alaska. Beneath the thin layer of vegetation lie massive ice bodies in the frozen ground. As this ice thaws, the coastline loses its stability and large blocks can break away into the sea. (Photo: U.S. Geological Survey / USGS, Public Domain)Thawing Arctic p

11/05/2026 | Heiner Kubny

Russia ships grain via Murmansk

A large bulk carrier at Murmansk’s commercial port. The Arctic port, which has so far focused primarily on coal, ores and metals, is preparing to export grain for the first time. From November 2026, the first shipments are to be loaded directly from railway wagons onto cargo ships.With Murmansk, Rus

11/04/2026 | Heiner Kubny

The Arctic: Climate traces from the deep sea

The RV Kronprins Haakon ploughs its way through the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean. In 2026, the Norwegian research icebreaker will be heading to the central Arctic Ocean for the Into the Blue expedition, where researchers will extract sediment cores from past warm periods on the Lomonosov Ridge. (Phot

11/04/2026 | Heiner Kubny

Researchers discover hidden world beneath East Antarctica

The maps show the landscape of East Antarctica hidden beneath the ice. The left-hand side shows the subglacial topography, whilst the right-hand side shows the reconstructed system of basins and tectonic structures. The elongated basins form a vast fan-shaped structure. (Graphic: Armadillo et al. 20

11/03/2026 | Heiner Kubny

Book review: The Last Horizon

Ice-cold passion – never-before-seen photographs from the Continent of Silence. The first magnificent illustrated volume on the geography and alpine history of the whole of AntarcticaAntarctica remains a continent full of mysteries. For it is only since the late 1980s that the mountains in the inter

11/03/2026 | Heiner Kubny

3,400 kilometres across Antarctica powered by wind

The Windsled, powered by towing kites, on a previous polar expedition. Developed by the Spanish polar explorer Ramón Larramendi, the sledge consists of several interconnected modules that serve as accommodation and for transporting scientific equipment. Solar panels provide the necessary electricity

11/02/2026 | Einar Johansen

Drinking water crisis on Spitsbergen

View across Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen with the expansive Advent Valley in the background. To the right, above the settlement, lies Isdammen, an important source of drinking water for the town. Since September 2025, elevated metal concentrations have been affecting the population’s drinking water s

11/02/2026 | Camille Laurent

Arctic adventures of a famous writer

A portrait of Arthur Conan Doyle, painted by Sidney Paget in 1897. (Image: Public Domain)Few people know that long before creating Sherlock Holmes and becoming Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous writer had an Arctic adventure of his own. The experience left a lasting impression.In 1880, Arthur Conan

11/01/2026 | Heiner Kubny

Researchers observe the return of ice in Baffin Bay

The Canadian research icebreaker CCGS Amundsen off Beechey Island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. At the end of October 2026, the ship will set sail for Baffin Bay once again. There, during the CASCADES expedition, researchers aim to observe how new sea ice forms at the start of the Arctic winte

11/01/2026 | Heiner Kubny

The Northern Sea Route is becoming an oil corridor to China

The Russian shuttle oil tanker Mikhail Ulyanov is navigating through thick sea ice in the Arctic. The tanker, which is around 257 metres long, was specially built for year-round oil transport from the Prirazlomnoye field in the Pechora Sea and can cope with ice conditions, in some cases without the

Science

11/06/2026| Camille Laurent

Canada renews its icebreaker fleet: Contracts, construction progress and timelines

Polar icebreaker CCGS Arpatuuq: Davie is building this larger icebreaker together with Helsinki Shipyard in Finland, which belongs to the same corporate group. (Illustration: Davie)Canada’s icebreaker renewal is progressing on several fronts. A steel supply agreement announced on 3 November supports

11/05/2026| Heiner Kubny

The sleeping giant awakens – permafrost is exacerbating global warming

Thawing permafrost on the Arctic coast of Alaska. Beneath the thin layer of vegetation lie massive ice bodies in the frozen ground. As this ice thaws, the coastline loses its stability and large blocks can break away into the sea. (Photo: U.S. Geological Survey / USGS, Public Domain)Thawing Arctic p

11/04/2026| Heiner Kubny

The Arctic: Climate traces from the deep sea

The RV Kronprins Haakon ploughs its way through the sea ice of the Arctic Ocean. In 2026, the Norwegian research icebreaker will be heading to the central Arctic Ocean for the Into the Blue expedition, where researchers will extract sediment cores from past warm periods on the Lomonosov Ridge. (Phot

11/01/2026| Heiner Kubny

Researchers observe the return of ice in Baffin Bay

The Canadian research icebreaker CCGS Amundsen off Beechey Island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. At the end of October 2026, the ship will set sail for Baffin Bay once again. There, during the CASCADES expedition, researchers aim to observe how new sea ice forms at the start of the Arctic winte

10/29/2026| Heiner Kubny

How much ice is left in the Arctic?

A Basel BT-67 operated by the Canadian airline Kenn Borek Air at Williams Field in Antarctica. The aircraft, fitted with skis, was used on behalf of the US National Science Foundation. From 2027, aircraft of this type are also set to investigate Arctic glaciers as part of NASA’s Snow4Flow mission. (

10/29/2026| Rosamaria Kubny

Greenland’s whales are being monitored

A humpback whale lifts its mighty tail fin out of the water in Disko Bay on Greenland’s west coast. The calls of these marine mammals produce sound waves which, in future, are to be recorded using fibre-optic cables laid on the seabed. (Photo: Giles Laurent / Wikimedia Commons)A new monitoring syste

10/28/2026| Heiner Kubny

Arctic melt season takes a surprising break

Arctic sea ice reached its minimum extent of the year on 10 September 2025, at around 4.60 million square kilometres. The yellow line shows, for comparison, the average minimum sea ice extent for the years 1981 to 2010. (Graphic: NASA Scientific Visualisation Studio)Over the decades, the summer melt

10/27/2026| Rosamaria Kubny

Sea urchins threaten Svalbard’s underwater forests

Dense kelp forests made up of large brown algae provide vital habitats for fish and numerous marine invertebrates. Such underwater forests also grow in the coastal waters of Svalbard. Rising water temperatures and grazing by sea urchins are increasingly altering their living conditions. (Illustratio

Politics

11/06/2026, Camille Laurent

Canada renews its icebreaker fleet: Contracts, construction progress and timelines

Polar icebreaker CCGS Arpatuuq: Davie is building this larger icebreaker together with Helsinki Shipyard in Finland, which belongs to the same corporate group. (Illustration: Davie)Canada’s icebreaker renewal is progressing on several fronts. A steel supply agreement announced on 3 November supports

11/05/2026, Heiner Kubny

Russia ships grain via Murmansk

A large bulk carrier at Murmansk’s commercial port. The Arctic port, which has so far focused primarily on coal, ores and metals, is preparing to export grain for the first time. From November 2026, the first shipments are to be loaded directly from railway wagons onto cargo ships.With Murmansk, Rus

11/02/2026, Einar Johansen

Drinking water crisis on Spitsbergen

View across Longyearbyen on Spitsbergen with the expansive Advent Valley in the background. To the right, above the settlement, lies Isdammen, an important source of drinking water for the town. Since September 2025, elevated metal concentrations have been affecting the population’s drinking water s

11/01/2026, Heiner Kubny

The Northern Sea Route is becoming an oil corridor to China

The Russian shuttle oil tanker Mikhail Ulyanov is navigating through thick sea ice in the Arctic. The tanker, which is around 257 metres long, was specially built for year-round oil transport from the Prirazlomnoye field in the Pechora Sea and can cope with ice conditions, in some cases without the

10/31/2026, Liam Anderson

Canada is building its most powerful icebreaker

Artist’s impression of the future Canadian polar icebreaker CCGS Imnaryuaq in Arctic pack ice. The 158-metre-long vessel is being built at the Seaspan shipyard in North Vancouver and is set to be deployed from the early 2030s for research, supply voyages and rescue operations in the Canadian High Ar

10/30/2026, Einar Johansen

Svalbard to get a new digital lifeline

The map shows the planned Arctic Way fibre-optic cable system (turquoise) between Bodø, Jan Mayen and Svalbard. The existing submarine cables to Harstad are shown in yellow. The new connection is set to improve communications security in the Arctic from 2028. (Illustration: PolarJournal)Norway is in

10/28/2026, Heiner Kubny

Greenland’s prawn fishery under pressure

The Greenlandic prawn trawler Bingo III (GR 2-122) navigates waters dotted with icebergs and ice floes off Ilulissat on Greenland’s west coast. The prawn fishery is one of the country’s most important economic sectors, but has been under pressure for years. (Photo: Gordon Leggett / Wikimedia Commons

10/27/2026, Heiner Kubny

Greenland and Nunavut are establishing an Arctic port network

The Port of Nuuk is Greenland’s most important commercial port and is set to become the central hub for closer maritime cooperation with Nunavut. Together with planned deep-water ports in Qikiqtarjuaq and Grays Bay, a new Arctic port network could emerge. (Photo: Quintin Soloviev / Wikimedia Commons

Society

11/03/2026, Heiner Kubny

Book review: The Last Horizon

Ice-cold passion – never-before-seen photographs from the Continent of Silence. The first magnificent illustrated volume on the geography and alpine history of the whole of AntarcticaAntarctica remains a continent full of mysteries. For it is only since the late 1980s that the mountains in the inter

10/30/2026, Polar Journal

Copenhagen prepares for an Arctic weekend

Nordatlantens Brygge, the festival’s main venue, stands on Copenhagen’s historic waterfront in the Christianshavn district. (Image: Manuel Cazzaniga / CC BY 2.0 /cropped)For one weekend, the Danish capital will become a meeting place for Arctic voices, ideas and traditions, uniting culture, science

10/23/2026, Polar Journal

A landmark win for Sámi literature

Sigbjørn Skåden, winner of the 2026 Nordic Council Literature Prize for Láŋtdievvá / Planterhaug. (Image: Knut Åserud / Cappelen Damm / press use)For only the second time in its history, the Nordic Council Literature Prize has gone to a Sámi-language work. What earned this year’s winner such recogni

10/16/2026, Polar Journal

26th Shackleton Autumn School Opens in Ireland

Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874–1922), an Irish-born Antarctic explorer. (Image: Public Domain)The Irish town of Athy marks its connection to Ernest Shackleton with a festival of polar history, science, art and activities for all ages.From 16 to 18 October, Athy in County Kildare is hosting the 26th Sha

10/09/2026, Yana Kirichenko

New platform tracks disappearing Arctic lakes

Thermokarst lakes, created by thawing permafrost, form the characteristic patchwork of water and tundra seen across Arctic landscapes. (Image: Public Domain)How can an entire lake disappear? In the Arctic, lakes sometimes drain within hours. A new public platform lets anyone follow these remarkable

10/05/2026, Polar Journal AG Team

Bringing Veterinary Care to Rural Alaska

Veterinary care remains sporadic in many remote communities across Alaska. (Image: Markus Trienke / CC BY-SA 2.0 / cropped)Many remote communities in Alaska have little or no regular access to a veterinarian. Recent initiatives are trying to bring veterinary care directly to them.For many people in

10/03/2026, Polar Journal AG Team

Kaffemik: Greenland’s unique social tradition

Coffee has an important place in social life in Greenland. (Image: Public Domain)Coffee-centered traditions take many forms around the world, but on the Arctic island of Greenland, gatherings around coffee have developed some distinctive features.Kaffemik is a characteristic Greenlandic social tradi

10/02/2026, Yana Kirichenko

Arctic tourists make thousands of contributions to science

MS Roald Amundsen, one of HX Expeditions’ ships specially constructed for voyages in polar waters, pictured in Antarctica in 2020. (Image: Wolfgang Fricke / CC BY 3.0 / cropped)A major expedition cruise operator has reported a record 26,491 citizen science contributions from its Arctic voyages durin

Culture

11/02/2026, Camille Laurent

Arctic adventures of a famous writer

A portrait of Arthur Conan Doyle, painted by Sidney Paget in 1897. (Image: Public Domain)Few people know that long before creating Sherlock Holmes and becoming Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the famous writer had an Arctic adventure of his own. The experience left a lasting impression.In 1880, Arthur Conan

10/30/2026, Polar Journal

Copenhagen prepares for an Arctic weekend

Nordatlantens Brygge, the festival’s main venue, stands on Copenhagen’s historic waterfront in the Christianshavn district. (Image: Manuel Cazzaniga / CC BY 2.0 /cropped)For one weekend, the Danish capital will become a meeting place for Arctic voices, ideas and traditions, uniting culture, science

10/23/2026, Polar Journal

A landmark win for Sámi literature

Sigbjørn Skåden, winner of the 2026 Nordic Council Literature Prize for Láŋtdievvá / Planterhaug. (Image: Knut Åserud / Cappelen Damm / press use)For only the second time in its history, the Nordic Council Literature Prize has gone to a Sámi-language work. What earned this year’s winner such recogni

10/16/2026, Polar Journal

26th Shackleton Autumn School Opens in Ireland

Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874–1922), an Irish-born Antarctic explorer. (Image: Public Domain)The Irish town of Athy marks its connection to Ernest Shackleton with a festival of polar history, science, art and activities for all ages.From 16 to 18 October, Athy in County Kildare is hosting the 26th Sha

10/03/2026, Polar Journal AG Team

Kaffemik: Greenland’s unique social tradition

Coffee has an important place in social life in Greenland. (Image: Public Domain)Coffee-centered traditions take many forms around the world, but on the Arctic island of Greenland, gatherings around coffee have developed some distinctive features.Kaffemik is a characteristic Greenlandic social tradi

09/27/2026, Rosamaria Kubny

Arctic Char – the “Bread of the Arctic”

The Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) is one of the most important food fish for the Inuit and is considered the quintessential traditional staple food in many regions of Canada, Greenland, and Alaska. Because of its central importance, it is often referred to as the “bread of the Arctic.”For the Inu

09/21/2026, Yana Kirichenko

What Makes a Good Life in the Arctic?

Tasiilaq on the east coast of Greenland. Researchers argue that life in the Arctic requires its own indicators of well-being. (Image: Christine Zenino / CC BY 2.0 / cropped)How do we know whether people are living well? When measuring life in the Arctic, researchers argue that standard measures may

09/12/2026, Polar Journal AG Team

Arctic climate change, archaeology and Trump

In January 2025, President Donald Trump signed “Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential”, an executive order aimed at expanding and accelerating oil and gas development in Alaska. (Image: USGS / Public Domain)As climate change transforms Alaska, an academic calls for archaeology to beco

Economy

11/06/2026, Camille Laurent

Canada renews its icebreaker fleet: Contracts, construction progress and timelines

Polar icebreaker CCGS Arpatuuq: Davie is building this larger icebreaker together with Helsinki Shipyard in Finland, which belongs to the same corporate group. (Illustration: Davie)Canada’s icebreaker renewal is progressing on several fronts. A steel supply agreement announced on 3 November supports

11/05/2026, Heiner Kubny

Russia ships grain via Murmansk

A large bulk carrier at Murmansk’s commercial port. The Arctic port, which has so far focused primarily on coal, ores and metals, is preparing to export grain for the first time. From November 2026, the first shipments are to be loaded directly from railway wagons onto cargo ships.With Murmansk, Rus

10/28/2026, Heiner Kubny

Greenland’s prawn fishery under pressure

The Greenlandic prawn trawler Bingo III (GR 2-122) navigates waters dotted with icebergs and ice floes off Ilulissat on Greenland’s west coast. The prawn fishery is one of the country’s most important economic sectors, but has been under pressure for years. (Photo: Gordon Leggett / Wikimedia Commons

10/26/2026, Polar Journal

Norway and Russia agree on higher fishing quotas

An Atlantic cod, whose Northeast Arctic stock is one of the most economically important in the Barents Sea. (Image: Wilhelm Thomas Fiege / CC BY-SA 4.0 / cropped)The two countries hold their first in-person annual fisheries negotiations in seven years and reach an agreement on catch quotas for 2027.

10/18/2026, Heiner Kubny

South Korea’s Arctic test voyage highlights the limitations of the Northern Sea Route

The ‘PanStar Acro’ during its test voyage through the Arctic Ocean on 31 August 2026. Drift ice slowed the South Korean container ship on certain sections of the Northern Sea Route. (Photo: Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Republic of Korea)South Korea’s first container voyage via the Northern Sea

10/11/2026, Heiner Kubny

Severnaya Zvezda halts major coal project in the Arctic

Mining operations in the snow-covered open-cast mine at the Syradasayskoye coal deposit on the Taymyr Peninsula. This remote, large-scale Arctic project was intended to be developed into one of Russia’s most significant coking coal projects, but has now largely been put on hold. (Photo: Severnaya Zv

09/26/2026, Polar Journal AG Team

Canada Advances Decades-Old Northern Highway Project

The proposed Mackenzie Valley Highway would stretch around 800 kilometres. Pictured is another all-season road in the Mackenzie Delta, under construction in 2013. (Image: Adam Jones / CC BY-SA 2.0 / cropped)A highway envisioned nearly 70 years ago is moving forward again as Canada invests in a long-

09/21/2026, Yana Kirichenko

What Makes a Good Life in the Arctic?

Tasiilaq on the east coast of Greenland. Researchers argue that life in the Arctic requires its own indicators of well-being. (Image: Christine Zenino / CC BY 2.0 / cropped)How do we know whether people are living well? When measuring life in the Arctic, researchers argue that standard measures may

Tourism

10/26/2026, Heiner Kubny

Greenland: Who will rescue hundreds of passengers?

The expedition cruise ship MS Fram, operated by HX Expeditions, amongst massive icebergs in Greenlandic waters. The remote cruising areas and challenging ice conditions place high demands on rescue services in the event of a potential shipping accident. (Photo: Heiner Kubny)Greenland is attracting m

10/25/2026, Heiner Kubny

Expedition cruise lines are significantly expanding their Arctic offerings

PONANT’s Le Commandant Charcot in the Arctic pack ice off Greenland. A dinghy is navigating between the ice floes. The photograph was taken on 23 June 2024 during the multinational Operation Tugaalik. (Photo: Cmdr. Krystyn Pecora / U.S. Coast Guard)Greenland, Svalbard and the Canadian Arctic are bec

10/02/2026, Yana Kirichenko

Arctic tourists make thousands of contributions to science

MS Roald Amundsen, one of HX Expeditions’ ships specially constructed for voyages in polar waters, pictured in Antarctica in 2020. (Image: Wolfgang Fricke / CC BY 3.0 / cropped)A major expedition cruise operator has reported a record 26,491 citizen science contributions from its Arctic voyages durin

08/11/2026, Rosamaria Kubny

Visits to South Georgia will become more expensive from July 2026

Gold Harbour, South Georgia: A southern elephant seal rests on the beach, whilst visitors respectfully observe the extraordinary wildlife from a distance. With its huge king penguin colony and mighty glaciers, Gold Harbour is one of the most impressive nature and wildlife viewing areas in the South

08/06/2026, Heiner Kubny

Solar eclipses in the Solar System

Solar eclipses occur throughout the solar system. However, the way they manifest varies from planet to planet. The solar corona is only visible during a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely obscures the bright solar disc.A total solar eclipse is one of the most impressive natural phenomena

07/30/2026, Heiner Kubny

How much tourism can Antarctica sustain?

Whilst expedition ships carrying fewer than 500 passengers allow shore excursions, large cruise ships such as the Celebrity Equinox, carrying over 3,100 passengers, usually sail through Antarctica without allowing passengers to go ashore. (Photo: Celebrity Cruises)Tourism in Antarctica has been grow

07/25/2026, Gastautor

From Mexico City to the Arctic: Chasing a Polar Ice Swimming Dream

Dreams often begin in the most unexpected places. Arleen González Pérez's dream started in Mexico City - a place where icy water simply does not exist. Yet that never stopped her from pursuing her passion for ice swimming. Team behind the world recordBy Arleen González PérezDreams often begin in the

07/04/2026, Polar Journal AG Team

Arctic Row 2026: Swiss Expedition Plans Historic Row Across the Arctic

Happy Days underway in Adventfjorden (Photo: Janic Spinas)Four Swiss adventurers will begin the Arctic Row 2026 expedition at midnight between 3 and 4 July 2026, departing from Svalbard. Their goal is to complete a historic human-powered row of more than 3,000 kilometres to the edge of the Arctic se

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