As part of the 62nd Chilean Antarctic Expedition, a team from the Chilean Antarctic Institute visited several sites on the Antarctic Peninsula. The aim was to ensure that the automatic weather stations were in working order. Maintenance work under extreme conditions: operations between helicopter, b
As sea ice retreats, killer whales are moving into the High Arctic, disrupting fragile ecosystems. Killer whales off Alaska (Photo: Robert Pitman, NOAA)As Arctic sea ice continues to decline, a new top predator is transforming ecosystems in one of the planet’s most remote regions.Killer whales are a
Thawing permafrost in Alaska. (Photo: Brandt Meixell/USGS)Climate change is not only bringing rising temperatures and melting glaciers, it may also release a largely overlooked danger: ancient pathogens from permafrost. These frozen soils, found mainly in regions such as Siberia, Alaska, and Canada,
From stalled winds to failing equipment, Heïdi Sevestre describes what it really takes to cross Antarctica by kite-ski. Dr. Heïdi Sevestre begins her talk at UNIS, introducing the expeditionOn Monday evening, glaciologist Dr. Heïdi Sevestre spoke at The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) in Longye
Early thawing in Svalbard is creating unexpected logistical challenges for the return of ten-year-old Mina Floriana Read from the northern part of the archipelago. Mina and Alexander Read on ski expedition (Photo: Alexander Read)The expedition of ten-year-old Mina Floriana Read across Svalbard has s
Melting Antarctic ice may not fertilize the ocean as expected, as most iron instead comes from deep water and the seafloor. Most Antarctic iron comes from the deep ocean (Illustration: Léa Zinsli)New research from the Amundsen Sea is reshaping scientists’ understanding of how key nutrients reach one
Yamal LNG facilities in Sabetta. (Photo: Novatek)The Arctic is gaining increasing international importance due to its vast natural resources, especially natural gas. Russia plays a central role in this context, particularly through its liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects. However, since 2022, Weste
Port Stanley – Falkland Islands (Photo: Marcel Schütz)The Falkland Islands are once again the focus of international political reporting. The trigger is statements from the circle around Donald Trump, which have been reported in various media outlets in connection with foreign policy issues of the U
Cetacean morbillivirus has been detected in Arctic whales for the first time, raising new questions about marine mammal health in northern waters. Humpback whales exhaling blow, which can be sampled to detect pathogens (Photo: Léa Zinsli)A virus known to cause severe disease in marine mammals has be
New measuring instruments have been installed at the Ukrainian Antarctic station Vernadsky Research Base to continuously monitor air quality under extreme conditions. (Photos: Serhiy Yakushchenko, Yuriy Usmansky)Ukrainian scientists have expanded their research on air quality in some of the most rem
The Stories we keep – The Knowledge we shareThe ‘Arctic Voices’ event series is a multidisciplinary cultural festival taking place in Bern (Switzerland) from 23 April to 14 May 2026, bringing Indigenous voices, perspectives and stories from Arctic regions to Bern and showcasing them through a variet
As part of his doctoral research, Dr. Singh Sehra spent a total of 18 months in Antarctica and circumnavigated the continent together with Soviet researchers. He was also the first Indian to overwinter at Molodezhnaya Station. (Photo: Dr. Singh Sehra)At first glance, India and Antarctica seem like a
From 2027, guides outside Svalbard’s settlements must hold official approval under a new certification system. Information event held in Svalbard Svalbard is set to introduce a new, formal guide certification system in the Arctic, marking a shift in how tourism and field safety are regulated in remo
Nobu Shirase wants to go to the South Pole! That was the joke of the year in 1909. The Japanese were rolling with laughter, and the press openly mocked him. Nobu Shirase was the third contender in the race to the South Pole. The first Japanese Antarctic expedition became the strangest exploratory jo
A ten-year-old skier is attempting to cross Svalbard, prioritizing shared experience and time in the Arctic over speed or records. Mina Floriana Read during the expedition across Svalbard (Photo: Alexander Read)A ten-year-old skier is currently attempting to cross Spitsbergen from south to north, co
The Svalbard Treaty grants Norway sovereignty while ensuring equal access and peaceful use of the Arctic archipelago for all signatory nations. Signing of the Svalbard Treaty on 9 February 1920 by Fritz Wedel Jarlsberg, head of the Norwegian negotiating team(Photo: Photographer unknown/Governor of S
Epiatheracerium itjilik is a newly defined species from the early Miocene, dating back about 23 million years.The Canadian Museum of Nature has announced the identification of a previously unknown, extinct rhinoceros species from the High Arctic. The exceptionally well-preserved fossil skeleton was
The icebreaker “50 Years of Victory” is now used not only for industrial purposes but also for exclusive trips to the North Pole and, despite its age, remains one of the most powerful vessels of its kind. (Photo: Heiner Kubny)Russia, once a global leader in icebreaker construction, is facing a poten
Participants in an Antarctic expedition aboard the Polarstern have discovered an island in the Weddell Sea that has not yet been recorded on nautical charts. The island is about 130 meters long, 50 meters wide, and rises approximately 16 meters above the water. (Photo: AWI / Christian Haas)An intern
Cryopegs are pockets of salty liquid water in permafrost where microbes survive, revealing life’s resilience and hints of life beyond Earth. Adventdalen, Svalbard, a prime location for studying permafrostPermafrost is soil that remains frozen for at least two years, with a thin active layer on top t
The emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri), the largest penguin species, lives in Antarctica and depends on stable sea ice for raising its young and for molting. (Photo: Heiner Kubny)Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and has profound effects on nature and wildlife. Species
Arctic ice diatoms can move through ice down to −15 °C, revealing remarkable adaptations that help them survive and thrive in polar ecosystems. Microscopy images of ice diatoms and schmetaic illustration of gliding machinery (Zhang et al. 2025, PNAS)Ice diatoms are small unicellular algae that have
Key milestones have been achieved in the construction of the new “Polarstern.” A scale model of the future research icebreaker has successfully completed tests in the ice tank. (Photo: Alfred Wegener Institute / TKMS)Significant progress has been made in the construction of the German research icebr
This artist’s impression shows astronauts and human habitats on Mars. NASA’s Mars 2020 rover will carry a range of technologies that could make Mars safer and easier for humans to explore. (Photo: NASA)During the Cold War, polar and space exploration became part of global technological competition.
