Seventeen sealers sought refuge in a well-stocked Arctic house, only to die from an invisible danger hidden in their own supplies. Illustration of Svenskehuset on SvalbardIn 1872, a large wooden house called Svenskehuset was built at Cape Thordsen on the coast of Isfjorden in Svalbard. It was intend
Artist’s impression of the future Russian research and expedition vessel “Ivan Frolov”. The Project 23680 vessel is set to serve as the new flagship for Russian polar research in the Arctic and Antarctic. (Photo: AARI)Construction of the new Russian research and expedition vessel “Ivan Frolov” is pr
For many in Greenland, climate change is not a distant concept but a daily reality, even if its causes are understood in different ways. Greenlandic village along the coast (Photo: Heiner Kubny)When climate change is discussed, attention often focuses on melting glaciers and rising temperatures. In
Ready for the solar eclipse on 12 August 2026: A camera, telephoto lens, sturdy tripod, and a securely mounted solar filter provide the foundation for safe and successful photographs of the partial phases.On the evening of 12 August 2026, millions of people will turn their eyes to the sky. One of th
Scurvy was a serious threat to polar expeditions, caused by a lack of vitamin C. Scurvy could develop gradually and weaken explorers over timeScurvy was one of the most serious and misunderstood threats faced by early polar explorers. It is caused by a lack of vitamin C, a nutrient essential for mai
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
Greenland is far more than ice, with most of its Inuit population living along the coasts where culture, economy, and environment are closely connected. A coastal settlement in Greenland (Photo: Heiner Kubny)Greenland has recently received increased international attention. Beyond this, the island i
The Xuelong 2 leaves the port of Dalian and sets off on China’s 16th Arctic expedition. (Photo: MNR)China has officially launched its 16th Arctic expedition. It is the country’s first research mission to the Arctic under the current 15th Five-Year Plan. The expedition set sail on 3 July 2026 from th
Thick fog in the Arctic is hampering shipping. With climate change and rising temperatures, reduced visibility is becoming more common in some regions, posing new challenges for navigation. (Photo: Rosatom)The effects of climate change in the Arctic are affecting not only sea ice but, increasingly,
The Arctic fox changes its coat with the seasons, shifting from brown in summer to white in winter to stay camouflaged year round. An Arctic fox in its white winter coat, providing camouflage in snowy environments (Photo: Jonatan Pie via Wikimedia, CC0 1.0)The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is one of t
Common eider incubating eggs (Photo: Heiner Kubny)An unusually intense summer of polar bear visits has put one of Svalbard’s key eider duck breeding areas under heavy pressure. In Kongsfjorden, researchers from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) recorded the highest number of bear vi
Glaciers are constantly moving, and when large pieces of ice break off into the sea, they form icebergs in a process known as calving. Glacier front where icebergs can break off (Photo: Léa Zinsli)Glaciers may look solid and unchanging, but they are constantly moving. One of the most dramatic signs
The Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker ‘Rossiya’, part of Project 10510 ‘Lider’, is set to become the world’s most powerful icebreaker with an output of 120 megawatts (163,000 PS) and enable year-round shipping through the Northeast Passage. (Photo: Rosatomflot)With the construction of the new nucle
Decades after its abandonment, the Soviet mining settlement of Pyramiden remains suspended between Arctic wilderness, preserved history and the slow return of nature. An abandoned swing in Pyramiden (Photo: Léa Zinsli)Pyramiden is often described as a ghost town, but the former Soviet settlement on
German physicist Hauke Trinks combined unconventional origin-of-life research with years of Arctic overwintering expeditions alongside Marie Tièche. The former research station at Kinnvika, Nordaustlandet, Svalbard (Photo: Christopher Michel)In 1999, Hauke Trinks sailed alone from Hamburg to the nor
The Sun is completely obscured by the Moon. For a short time, it becomes dark in the middle of the day and the solar corona becomes visible. (Photo: Heiner Kubny)Iceland will become the centre of international space research in August 2026. Around 40 NASA scientists will travel to the island for the
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
Survival in the polar regions depended on practical skills, careful planning, and the ability to adapt to extreme cold. Early polar expeditions required practical skills to travel across snow and ice and withstand extreme coldEarly polar explorers faced extreme cold without the advanced technology w
GTLK is responsible for the construction of the port complex and investment management. The new facilities include a 508 m² transfer station and three conveyor belts with a total length of 145.7 meters. (Photo: GTLK Press Service)New facilities at the Lawna coal transshipment complex in Murmansk hav
On rails to St. Petersburg: The first RITM-200S reactor pressure vessel leaves the ZiO-Podolsk plant near Moscow. (Photo: Rosatom)The Russian state-owned corporation Rosatom has made significant progress in its program for floating nuclear power plants. At the end of May, the first RITM-200S reactor
Arctic dietary pollution exposes men and women to different levels of contaminants, reflecting differences in diet and biology. Illustration of a coastal village in GreenlandThe Arctic is often portrayed as a remote and pristine region, yet it is increasingly shaped by pollution originating far beyo
Svalbard reindeer. Photo: Lisa ScherkFor many visitors to Svalbard, the reindeer is among the first Arctic animals they encounter. Often seen grazing near Longyearbyen or moving slowly across the tundra beneath glaciers, these compact animals appear perfectly adapted to life in one of the world’s mo
As climate change reshapes Arctic ecosystems, the close ties between wildlife and food systems are increasing the risk of diseases passing from animals to people. Key zoonotic pathogens in the Arctic and their animal or environmental sourcesThe Arctic is often imagined as a remote wilderness of ice
Even directly at the North Pole, ice cover has become thinner. (Photo: Heiner Kubny)The Arctic is warming faster than any other region on Earth. New forecasts from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) show that winter temperatures will rise significantly over the next five years. By 2030, the
