Everything polar one click away

An autonomous sailing vessel just seven metres long has set off from Hobart on a months-long voyage round Antarctica.

Even winter ice cannot stop Greenland’s glaciers

Even thick sea ice cannot completely hold back Greenland’s glaciers. New measurements from north-west Greenland show that glaciers break off icebergs even in the middle of winter.

Livingston Island is becoming a gathering place for leopard seals

On Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, researchers have documented an unusually large gathering of leopard seals.

Greenland’s ‘Dark Zone’ accelerates ice melt

Every summer, a vast dark zone forms on the south-western edge of the Greenland ice sheet. A new study reveals the processes that darken the ice and thereby further accelerate its melt.

Russia and India are pushing ahead with the Arctic freight corridor

Russia and India intend to significantly step up their cooperation on the Northern Sea Route. A joint pilot shipment through the Russian Arctic could take place as early as 2027.

Picture of the month

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Guest article

How can you tell if a polar bear is pregnant?

Guest Author

It is not for lack of trying. But to this day scientists know of no reliable way to tell if a polar bear is pregnant.

Around the polar world

Frederik Paulsen Arctic Academic Action Award

Professor Philippe Amstislavski has received the 2026 Frederik Paulsen Arctic Academic Action Award at the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavík. His CoFoam project develops fungi-based, compostable alternatives to polystyrene fish boxes. The award includes €100,000 to help advance the initiative.

www.uarctic.org

Jens Olav Vestgøte Sæther appointed new Governor of Svalbard

The Norwegian government has appointed Jens Olav Vestgøte Sæther (58) as the new Governor of Svalbard. He joins from his position as Chief Public Prosecutor at the Oslo Public Prosecutor’s Office.

www.sysselmesteren.no

EU to keep ban on Arctic oil and gas drilling despite Norwegian pressure

The European Commission will maintain its ban on new oil and gas drilling in the Arctic, ahead of the 20 October announcement of its revamped Northern Neighbourhood strategy.

www.euronews.com

Reuters: Norway and NATO thwart Russian drills targeting undersea cables with a secret weapon

According to Reuters, Russia practised using a secret weapon against undersea cables. Norway and NATO reportedly hampered these exercises.

www.reuters.com

Norway seizes Professor Molchanov

The Governor of Svalbard confirms that the Professor Molchanov, the Russian passenger vessel operating a second season of voyages between Murmansk and the Russian settlement on the Norwegian Arctic archipelago, has been seized at port in Barentsburg.

www.aftenposten.no

U.S. Antarctic supply flight turns back after Russian aerospace warning

A U.S. Air Force C-17 supply flight to McMurdo Station returned to Christchurch, New Zealand, on 18 August following a Russian notification concerning planned aerospace activity over the Southern Ocean. The notification identified an area where the activity could pose a potential hazard to aircraft. The flight was operating under Operation Deep Freeze, which provides airlift support for the U.S. Antarctic Program, and had been bound for Phoenix Airfield on the McMurdo Ice Shelf.

www.space.com

Politics

More Chinese research vessels off Alaska

China is continuing to expand its scientific presence in the Arctic. Four Chinese research vessels were already operating in the waters off Alaska in 2026.

Iceland’s whaling industry is on the brink of closure

Iceland is on the cusp of a historic turning point in whaling. The government intends to permanently ban commercial whaling and will table a corresponding bill in parliament in February 2027.

Information superhighway beneath the ice: Oden loses its way

In the middle of the Arctic Ocean, the Swedish research icebreaker Oden has surveyed the seabed for an unusual infrastructure project.

What Makes a Good Life in the Arctic?

Yana Kirichenko

How do we know whether people are living well? When measuring life in the Arctic, researchers argue that standard measures may miss some of the things that matter most.

Science

Meltwater from East Antarctica extends further than previously thought

New research shows how large quantities of meltwater from East Antarctica enter the Southern Ocean and spread over a wide area.

Surviving the Midnight Sun - The Red Shift of High Arctic Tundra

Guest Author

Despite its stereotypical image as an empty white landscape, the Arctic is replete with colour. In this vivid, almost literary piece, Dr. Gomathy Muthukrishnan explores some of the science behind it.

Severnaya Zvezda halts major coal project in the Arctic

Development of the vast Syradasayskoye coal deposit on the Taymyr Peninsula has been halted for economic and logistical reasons.

World's largest penguin colony loses its title

Polar Journal

A new study reveals that Zavodovski Island has lost nearly two thirds of its breeding chinstrap penguins, ending its status as the world’s largest penguin colony.

Society

New platform tracks disappearing Arctic lakes

Yana Kirichenko

How can an entire lake disappear? In the Arctic, lakes sometimes drain within hours. A new public platform lets anyone follow these remarkable changes.

Bringing Veterinary Care to Rural Alaska

Many remote communities in Alaska have little or no regular access to a veterinarian. Recent initiatives are trying to bring veterinary care directly to them.

Kaffemik: Greenland’s unique social tradition

Coffee-centered traditions take many forms around the world, but on the Arctic island of Greenland, gatherings around coffee have developed some distinctive features.

Arctic tourists make thousands of contributions to science

Yana Kirichenko

A major expedition cruise operator has reported a record 26,491 citizen science contributions from its Arctic voyages during its 130th anniversary year.

Picture of the month

Arctic Fox in the Soft Light

An Arctic fox sits among the tundra grasses, gazing into the distance.
Soft light falls on its fur, while delicate shades of gold and rose surround it, lending a quiet warmth to the Arctic landscape. With ears raised and a watchful gaze, it seems to pause for a moment between stillness and movement. The photograph captures a quiet encounter with Svalbard’s wildlife. It is a fleeting moment of closeness, while the fox remains absorbed in its own world.

Marcel Schütz

Economy

Canada Advances Decades-Old Northern Highway Project

A highway envisioned nearly 70 years ago is moving forward again as Canada invests in a long-planned road through the Northwest Territories.

Churchill could become a year-round Arctic port

The Canadian port of Churchill on Hudson Bay could in future be called at by merchant ships all year round.

Tara Polar Station meets Xue Long 2 in the Arctic pack ice

An extraordinary encounter took place in the middle of the Arctic Ocean: the Tara Polar Station met up with the Chinese research icebreaker Xue Long 2.

Krill fishery reaches catch limit months ahead of schedule

The krill fishery in Antarctica has once again been brought to a premature close in 2026. The 620,000-tonne threshold had already been reached in the South Atlantic fishing grounds by 12 August.

Tourism

Visits to South Georgia will become more expensive from July 2026

Anyone wishing to visit South Georgia will have to dig deeper into their pockets in future. The government of the British Overseas Territory has decided on a gradual increase in visitor permit fees.

Solar eclipses in the Solar System

Solar eclipses occur throughout the solar system. However, the way they manifest varies from planet to planet.

How much tourism can Antarctica sustain?

Tourism in Antarctica has been growing steadily for years, and with it the debate over its impact on one of the Earth’s most sensitive natural landscapes.

From Mexico City to the Arctic: Chasing a Polar Ice Swimming Dream

Guest Author

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.

Expeditions

Antarctic meteorite reveals the birth of the Sun

A meteorite found in Antarctica preserves traces of a magnetic field from the early days of our solar system.

Russia Counts Its Polar Bears

Researchers are counting polar bears in important denning areas of the Russian Arctic, with some preliminary observations pointing to potentially record numbers.

Australia plans four major Antarctic research campaigns

Australia intends to significantly expand its research in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in the coming years. Four major campaigns are set to investigate ice, sea ice, krill and marine ecosystems.

New project investigates the Southern Ocean