On the morning of November 19, 2025, a special kind of magic lay over the Yokosuka Naval Base. The Japanese observation vessel Shirase was preparing to embark on its journey to Antarctica. More than 500 relatives and friends came to bid farewell. (Photo: JARE67 Miho Ikeda)On the morning of 19 Novemb
LNG Merak is the second of four conventional gas tankers ordered in China. (Photo: Hudong-Zhonghua)Despite heightened geopolitical tensions and Western sanctions, Norway remains an important stopover point for LNG tankers transporting gas from the Russian Arctic. As the analysis portal High North Ne
Norway has decided to halt deep-sea mining plans in Arctic waters until at least 2029. The move, announced on 1 December 2025, is part of a political compromise tied to the 2026 state budget. No new licenses will be issued during the current legislative term, and public funding for seabed mineral ma
Migratory birds such as the barnacle goose are increasingly struggling with timing. (Photo: Heiner Kubny)Climate change is altering the rhythm of nature, particularly noticeably in the Arctic. Spring now begins much earlier there than it did just a few decades ago. For many migratory bird species th
Eddies of varying sizes form in all oceans. They have a significant influence on how heat and energy are transported within the ocean. (Image: NASA)Deep beneath the glassy surface of the oceans, a fascinating yet threatening spectacle unfolds. In the silent, dark depths where humans cannot reach, sw
The gestation period of elephant seals lasts around eleven months in total. This includes a three- to four-month embryonic diapause before the embryo resumes development. The actual pregnancy then lasts seven to eight months until the pup is born. (Photo: Keiner Kubny)New research findings from the
Rosamaria and Heiner Kubny in the Zurich editorial officePolarJournal is taking off…For just over a month now, Rosamaria and Heiner Kubny, together with Marcel Schütz, have been running PolarJournal – a short but highly eventful period that has already brought us great joy.In fact, an enormous amoun
Sampling from a gentoo penguin colony. (Photo: INACH)In a globally unprecedented event for polar science and virology, a team of researchers from the University of Chile and the Chilean Antarctic Institute (INACH) has, for the first time, successfully sequenced the complete genomes of the highly pat
The LNG tanker “Christophe de Margerie” was built by DSME in South Korea and has the Russian ice class ARC7. The ship is capable of navigating the Northern Sea Route without the assistance of icebreakers. (Photo: SCF)The South Korean government is pushing its Arctic strategy forward: for the first t
On the southwestern edge of Greenland lies the ghost town of Ivittuut. Once a lively settlement due to its global importance in the production of metallic aluminum. From Arctic hamlet to globally significant settlementOn the southwestern edge of Greenland, on the quiet Arsuk Fjord, lies Ivittuut – t
The Rothera Research Station is a base of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) on the Antarctic Peninsula, located on Adelaide Island. (Photo: BAM)The Antarctic season 2025/26 marks a milestone for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and its Antarctic Infrastructure Modernisation Project (AIMP), as the
Reindeer are herd animals. The hierarchy within the groups is usually based on the size of the males’ antlers. (Photo: Heiner Kubny)According to a new international scientific study, the global reindeer population will decline dramatically by the end of this century due to the climate crisis. Resear
In March 2022, the Dutch company announced the suspension of work on all existing contracts with Russian customers.On 25 July 2025, Atomflot filed a lawsuit against the Dutch company Damen Shipyards Gorinchem B.V. with the Murmansk Region Arbitration Court, demanding the repayment of €12.6 million i
Tarantellen on Svalbard – Photo: Marcel SchützA medical emergency, a spontaneous change of plans, and a striking rock formation in one of the most remote corners of the Arctic: Swiss extreme mountaineer Dani Arnold has written a new chapter in his adventure career with an extraordinary winter ascent
An international team of scientists has discovered a unique permineralized fern fossil in Antarctica, which has been named Escuderia livingstonensis. (Photo: INACH)A spectacular fossil discovery on Livingston Island sheds new light on the prehistoric vegetation of Antarctica. Escuderia livingstonens
As of March 2025, MSC operates around 900 cargo vessels. Measured by fleet size and cargo capacity, it is the world’s largest container shipping company.The shipping company Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has once again reiterated a stance it formulated years ago: the Northern Sea Route will c
Elevated radon levels have been measured in the north of Novaya Zemlya. (Graphic: Heiner Kubny)Members of the Arctic Floating University expedition working on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago have detected an increase in radioactivity. The scientists observed an increase in radon flux, which, according
AI-generated autonomous underwater vehicle in the deep seaThe Arctic holds mineral resources that are becoming increasingly important for a climate-friendly future. Against this backdrop, Norway faces a decision with far-reaching consequences: Should it open its Arctic deep-sea areas for the extract
Handover of the “Memorandum of Arrangement.” Photo: New Zealand EmbassyBern – This week, New Zealand’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Craig Hawke, handed over the Memorandum of Arrangement between Antarctica New Zealand and the Swiss Polar Institute to the President of the Swiss Polar Institute, Prof. F
The research icebreaker Polarstern on its expedition to northern Greenland. (Photo: AWI, Marcel Nicolaus)The little-explored region in northern Greenland was the last area of investigation that the Polarstern explored on three Arctic expeditions since the end of May 2025. In this largely unexplored
Tørret Fisk is a traditional dish that captures the essence of Nordic cuisine. The fish is carefully dried to concentrate its flavors and create a unique texture. Served with a selection of fresh herbs and spices, this dish offers a harmonious blend of salty, spicy, and fresh notes — a true delight
The emperor penguin colony at Taylor Glacier has remained stable over the last 20 years, with a population of 2,500 birds. (Photo: Scott Crabbe)A lucky handful of Mawson expeditioners visited the Taylor Glacier emperor penguin colony in July, to collect photos for the annual population census. No mo
Greenland is a politically self-governing part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The island is very sparsely populated, with approximately 56,200 inhabitants, or 0.026 inhabitants per square kilometre. (Photo: Heiner Kubny)Forty years after leaving the EEA, Greenland is seeking closer ties with the EU agai
Fish of the cod family range from 15 centimeters to two meters in length. Cod is also an important food fish.The Barents Sea faces the threat of an environmental disaster following the potential collapse of the fisheries agreement between Norway and Russia. In July 2025, the Norwegian government, fo
