A new international study found surprising properties of the natural oils on polar bear fur. The first use will be in ski wax but airplanes, fridges, and air conditioners may also benefit.Like the rest of its body, the polar bear’s paws are very furry. A new study found unique anti-icing features in
UAF scientists have found microplastics in all marine mammals species they’ve studied so far, and new results show passage from maternal seals to their youngA spotted seal pup is seen on the ice in the Bering Sea in 1978. New research confirms that pregnant spotted seals are transferring microplasti
The Museum of Contemporary Circumpolar Art (MCCA) in Bern is kicking off the year in music and style with a new exhibition devoted to Arctic sounds. The opening takes place this Thursday, February 20, with a performance by the Inuit throat-singing duo PIQSIQ.From 20 February to 21 June, the MCCA in
An international research team has identified the need to understand Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems.The Antarctic continent is larger than Europe. Image: Instituto Milenio Base Vast stretches of land strewn with rocks, moss carpets around small streams and ice in profusion. Yet, despite this descr
The economic dynamism of Canada’s north did not go unnoticed by Business Index North researchers when they looked at economic development in the Arctic.Hope Bay gold mine, Nunavut region. Image: TMAC Resources “Canada’s northern territories are emerging as growth leaders, with Nunavut and Yukon expe
The Polar Retrospective looks at recent stories from around the world’s polar regions. This week we look at a mission to clean up a graffitied building in Antarctica, a new South Orkney Islands map, an increase in Arctic killer whales, and rising tourism prices in Finland. Visiting the Arctic can be
A parliamentary report has called on for a second icebreaking vessel and more reliable funding for Antarctic research.RSV Nuyina breaking ice. Photo: Pete Harmsen / Australian Antarctic DivisionBy Jane YoungerAustralia’s Antarctic territory represents the largest sliver of the ice continent. For dec
On March 11th, Greenland will hold a parliamentary election with much more international attention than usual. Polar Journal AG looks at three topics that form divisions among the campaigning politicians. On March 11th, Greenland will hold a parliamentary election with more international attention t
Whales are considered the ecosystem engineers of the oceans. They stimulate the growth of phytoplankton, which in turn supports the growth of their primary food source, krill. Trace metals such as iron play a central role in this process. A fin whale in the Southern Ocean. Photo: Julia HagerAt the
Hervé Baudu, professor of nautical sciences at the École Nationale Supérieure Maritime and member of the Académie de Marine, talks about the collision of the 50 Let Pobedy and the polar seminar of the Arctic Council's Working Group on the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME), co-organi
The Polar Retrospective looks at recent stories from around the world’s polar regions. From last week we chose: the discovery of microplastic around the Union Glacier, a renewable energy project in Iqaluit and the Belgica pennant classified as part of national heritage.Union Glacier camp from the ai
NONAM organizes an Arctic Day this Sunday in Zurich, with a focus on movement and voice. The program includes Inuit sports games and a famous duet of throat singers. The PIQSIQ duo will perform this Sunday at NONAM. Photo: Inuksuk Mackay For this year’s Arctic Day, the North American Native Museum (
At this year's World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, the Arctic Basecamp team once again pitched their tents close to the venue, ensuring that science had a voice at the global gathering. At this year’s World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos from January 19 to 24, the spotlight was primarily on economy
A shift in direction in 2008 enabled Anne Berit Anti to tell the story of her people through fashion. With one foot in modernity and one in tradition, she invites everyone to wear original creations inspired by life on the tundra. Some of the patterns used by Anne Berit Anti refer to traditional nec
A research group has just created a model that quantifies the link between sea ice and polar bears, providing an accurate assessment of what will happen to polar bear populations if sea ice continues to decline.It’s best to hold on to it. Sea ice is vital to the polar bear, enabling it to hunt seals
Million-year-old ice cores have already been found in Antarctica. But by finding them closer to the surface, the FROID project is hoping to reach the coveted ice samples more easily and at a much cheaper price. The FROID project drilled in nine different locations in a season, trying to find ancient
Nineteen days after it started, the fire on Amsterdam Island is still raging. After the shock, it was time for action. The 1974 fires had partially destroyed the phylica wood. This time, the base was affected. Image : Remy Chazot / TAAF [Update 03/02/2025; 6 p.m.] – According to our sources, the bu
The Polar Retrospective looks at recent stories from around the world’s polar regions. From last week we chose: a new logistics portal, a Chilean hunt for bird flu, and an increase in Arctic military spending.One of Denmark’s old military vessels, Knud Rasmussen during an excercise in 2010 with the
Discovered in 2023, the Borealis mud volcano in the Barents Sea continuously emits methane-rich fluids. Photo: UiT – The Arctic University of Norway / AKMA3 Discovered in 2023, the Borealis mud volcano in the Barents Sea has unveiled some of its secrets to an international research team. A new study
It is the highest peak in the United States and is changing its name again. Mount Denali is back in the spotlight following a presidential executive order renaming it Mount McKinley. Explanation. Located in the Alaska Range, the highest peak in the United States has just changed its name… again. Ph
Against all odds, a team of divers set up hydrophones at a depth of 20 meters to listen to the ocean half a nautical mile from the Dumont-d’Urville station.In Terre Adélie, the deeper you go, the greater the biodiversity. Image: Amice Erwan / French Polar Institute / CNRS “Opening an 80-centimeter h
An oil pipeline in Alaska. Despite Trump’s encouragment, we won’t necessarily see more of these in the future. Photo: Conoco PhillipsThe Polar Retrospective looks at recent stories from around the world’s polar regions. From the week where Donald Trump became president we look at his drilling ambiti
Polar bears might be standing on thin ice. Photo: Julia HagerBy Tricia StadnykRising temperatures, a melting Arctic and increasing global water and resource scarcity are behind United States President Donald Trump’s threats to make Canada the 51st American state.A geopolitical storm is brewing in th
A meteorite as it looks when it’s found in the ice of Antarctica. Photo: ULTIMO / INTERNATIONAL POLAR FOUNDATIONIts vast ice sheet makes Antarctica the best place on Earth to look for meteorites. Recently, a Belgian team returned with 115 new space rocks after testing a new method for locating them.
