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,
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Salomon August Andrée was born on October 18, 1854, in Gränna. He was a Swedish engineer and polar explorer. Andrée became internationally known for his failed attempt in 1897 to reach the North Pole by hydrogen balloon. He died in October 1897 on Kvitøya, a small island east of Spitsbergen. (Photo:
Sveagruva, a historic mining settlement, is now a research base giving UNIS scientists unprecedented access to study eastern Svalbard’s glaciers, geology, and ecosystems. Newly reopened building serving as a research base in Svea and its surroundings (Photo: Noemi Segura Sole)On March 4, Sveagruva,
The submarine “Karelia” appears state-of-the-art following its refurbishment.The return of the strategic nuclear submarine “Karelia” (K-18) to active service marks a new phase in the expansion of Russia’s nuclear naval forces in the Arctic. The modernized vessel, which holds particular symbolic sign
Camp Century was first carved into the ice using snow cutters; metal supports were then placed over it and covered again with snow. (Photo: Wikimedia)Camp Century looks like something out of a spy movie: a city beneath the ice, hidden in the Arctic. But behind its spectacular façade lay far more tha
New data from the Arctic Council shows a significant rise in vessel traffic, with nearly double the distance sailed by vessels since 2013. Ship in Arctic waters (Photo: Léa Zinsli)A recent report showed that shipping activity in the Arctic is reaching unprecedented levels, driven by longer ice-free
Knud Johan Victor Rasmussen was born on June 7, 1879, in Ilulissat in western Greenland. He was a Greenlandic-Danish polar explorer, ethnologist, and author. On December 21, 1933, Rasmussen died at the age of only 54 from food poisoning.The exploration of the polar regions has produced heroes whose
Atlantic herring lay their sticky eggs on the seafloor or on marine plants. A female can produce between 20,000 and 100,000 eggs, which adhere to stones, sand, algae, or seagrass. (Photo: Pixabay)A significant rise in temperatures in the Barents Sea is endangering the spawning grounds and food suppl
The Cape Town Agreement, entering into force in 2027, sets new safety standards for fishing vessels reducing risks and pollution in Arctic waters. Cargo vessel in calm northern watersThe Cape Town Agreement, the first worldwide treaty focused on the safety of fishing vessels, is set to enter into fo
A recent study examines how climate change affects the potential spread of radioactive substances from the sunken Soviet nuclear submarine ‘Komsomolets’. After a devastating fire on board, the nuclear submarine “Komsomolets” sank on April 7, 1989, southwest of Bear Island. (Photo: Institute of Marin
Trappers Trail 2026 brought sled dogs and mushers together for a weekend of racing, community spirit, and Arctic adventure on Svalbard. Trappers Trail in SvalbardOn the weekend of 21-22 March 2026, the northernmost sled dog race in the world, Trappers Trail, took place on Svalbard. Covering 70 km, t
