The Professor Molchanov belongs to the so-called “Akademik Shuleykin class” of small research vessels. It was specifically designed to operate in cold waters and near-ice regions, making it particularly suitable for expeditions in the Arctic and Antarctic.After an interruption of almost three decade
This is what the new Indian research vessel is expected to look like in the future — modern technology and innovative equipment are set to establish new standards for maritime research. (Photo: NCPOR)On April 8, 2026, a major milestone was reached in the construction of a new Indian ocean research v
A new study shows that nitrogen fixation occurs across Arctic waters, including under sea ice, contributing to marine productivity. Arctic sea ice (Photo: Léa Zinsli)The Arctic Ocean has long been seen as a nutrient-poor environment, where a lack of nitrogen limits the growth of microscopic algae th
In the Arctic, humans and sled dogs form a cooperative system that combines mobility, sensory awareness, and shared learning to adapt to extreme conditions. Sled dog in Svalbard (Photo: Léa Zinsli)For millennia, survival in the Arctic has depended on close cooperation between humans and dogs. Rather
The Greenland shark, with an estimated lifespan of up to 500 years, is the longest-living known vertebrate on Earth. Greenland sharks live in the cold waters of the North Atlantic and the Arctic, for example around Greenland, Iceland, and Canada. They usually inhabit great depths, often several hund
Due to the influence of tides and mechanical breakdown, plastic in water is transformed into microplastics. These are tiny plastic particles with a diameter of less than 5 mm (up to 5000 micrometers). (Photo: Unsplash)While the world powers compete for control of the Arctic, a new and unexpected con
In 1963, Ingrid Pedersen crossed the North Pole in a small aircraft, becoming the first woman to do so on a flight from Alaska to Norway. Ingrid Pedersen visiting Ny-Ålesund in 1970 (Photo: Tor Killie, Norsk Polarinstitutt)In July 1963, Ingrid Pedersen became the first woman to fly over the North Po
Researchers gained rare insights into narwhals by joining an Inuit hunt, revealing new details about their behavior and biology. Narwhals in Arctic waters. (Photo: Kristin Laidre, NOAA)Narwhals are among the Arctic’s most distinctive and mysterious whales. Best known for their long spiral tusk, an e
The Jakobshavn Glacier near Ilulissat in West Greenland is one of the fastest glaciers in the world and a major source of icebergs. The region is among those experiencing particularly intense and rapid ice loss. (Photo: Rosamaria Kubny)New research findings show that the bed beneath the Greenland Ic
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) transports warm, salty surface water from the tropics into the North Atlantic, where it cools, sinks, and flows back southward as cold deep water.A recent scientific study focuses on a key element of the global climate system: the Atlantic Merid
Changing moisture conditions in the Arctic may influence parasite exposure in Svalbard reindeer by affecting where infective larvae are found. Svalbard reindeer grazing on tundra vegetation (Photo: Léa Zinsli)New research suggests that changing moisture conditions in the Arctic could influence how p
Scientists in Svalbard have shown that seawater can reveal which animals live in the Arctic, offering a new way to track how climate change is reshaping polar ecosystems. Researchers during fieldwork in Svalbard (Photo: Léa Zinsli)The Arctic is warming faster than the global average, and scientists
Warming temperatures in the Arctic may be releasing long-stored pollutants, with Svalbard reindeer showing rising levels of persistent chemicals. A Svalbard reindeer digging through snow to find food (Photo: Léa Zinsli)New research indicates that climate change may be altering how pollutants move th
Researchers have developed a genetically modified “woolly mouse.” According to Colossal Biosciences, it represents an important intermediate step toward the possible revival of the woolly mammoth.A genetically engineered mouse with strikingly dense, woolly fur is currently attracting attention in th
A polar bear found dead on Svalbard has tested positive for H5N5 avian influenza, the first confirmed case of bird flu in a polar bear in Europe. H5N5 avian influenza virus was detected in brain tissue from the young polar bear found in northern Svalbard (Photo: Ingebjørg H. Nymo, Norwegian Veterina
Saab GlobalEye: Based on a Bombardier Global 6000/6500. (Photo: Saab)The Arctic is increasingly moving into the focus of global politics. The reasons for this are vast natural resource deposits, new shipping routes emerging as ice melts, and its strategic location between major powers. At the same t
Microbial processes in warming polar regions may influence greenhouse gas emissions and climate beyond the Arctic and Antarctic. Glacier front in the Arctic (Photo: Léa Zinsli)As research continues to reveal how microbes live and function in the cryosphere, rising temperatures in the Arctic and Anta
Exceptionally warm temperatures and heavy rain disrupted research, tourism and winter activities across Svalbard during one of the Arctic archipelago’s warmest Aprils on record. Snowmobiles stand on wet, melting tundra in Longyearbyen on April 19th during an exceptionally warm spring on Svalbard (Ph
Frankie Jackson in Svalbard (Photo: Marcel Schütz / Svalbard Photography)A remarkable achievement unfolded in the Arctic waters of Svalbard this week as 15-year-old British ice swimmer Frankie Jackson completed a 1-kilometer polar swim at Bore Glacier, Svalbard, in temperatures well below freezing.
The port of the city of Murmansk is one of Russia’s most important seaports. It is particularly significant because it remains ice-free year-round—even in winter. (Photo: Heiner Kubny)On April 23, 2026, the European Union adopted new measures against Russia as part of its 20th sanctions package. The
Canadian researchers have now established the identities of four further bodies. Three of the men were part of the Erebus crew. The image shows researcher Douglas Stenton recovering a skull in Erebus Bay. (Photo: University of Waterloo)Almost 180 years after the tragic end of the Franklin expedition
The airship “Norge” at takeoff in SpitsbergenOn May 12, 1926, the Italian aviation pioneer Umberto Nobile flew over the North Pole in the airship “Norge,” together with the Norwegian polar explorer Roald Amundsen and the American Lincoln Ellsworth. This is still regarded today as the first verified
Cold-adapted microbes produce enzymes that function at low temperatures, offering potential applications in industry and biotechnology. From ice to application: cold-adapted microbes and their biotechnological potential (Sketch: Léa Zinsli)Building on recent insights into how microbes survive in the
The recent closure of Mine 7 marks the end of Norwegian coal mining in Longyearbyen and reflects a broader shift toward new economic activities on Svalbard. View from Mine 7 overlooking Adventdalen, Svalbard (Photo: Léa Zinsli)The closure of Mine 7 on Svalbard marks the end of coal mining in Longyea
