History

Ingrid Pedersen: The First Woman to Fly Over the North Pole

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.

Emily Lady Shackleton – The Patient Lady

Greta Paulsdottir

Of all the heroes of the Golden Age of Antarctic exploration (1897–1922), the name Ernest Shackleton shines the brightest.

Vivian Fuchs – A First and a Fourth Place

Greta Paulsdottir

January 19, 1958: Journalists had been flown to the American station at the South Pole because the whole world was eagerly waiting to see whether the great adventure would succeed.

Four members of the Franklin expedition identified

Heiner Kubny

Almost 180 years after the tragic end of the Franklin expedition, researchers have succeeded in definitively identifying four previously unknown crew members using DNA analysis.

May 12, 1926 — Nobile Reaches the North Pole

Heiner Kubny

On 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.

Mine 7 Closure Ends Norwegian Coal Mining in Longyearbyen

Léa Zinsli

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.

50 Years of Georg Forster Station – A Milestone in Polar Research

Heiner Kubny

On April 21, 1976, the future Georg Forster Station of the former GDR was officially inaugurated in the Schirmacher Oasis in Antarctica.

Parmjit Singh Sehra – First Indian in Antarctica

Polar Journal AG Team

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.

The Odd Bird on the Fringe of History

Christian Hug

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.

The Svalbard Treaty: A Brief Overview

Léa Zinsli

The Svalbard Treaty grants Norway sovereignty while ensuring equal access and peaceful use of the Arctic archipelago for all signatory nations.

Salomon August Andrée – The Daredevil in the Balloon

Greta Paulsdottir

On foot, by sled, or by ship, many methods had already been tried to reach the North Pole.

Camp Century – City Under the Ice

Heiner Kubny

Camp Century looks like something out of a spy movie: a city beneath the ice, hidden in the Arctic.

Cape Town Agreement Boosts Arctic Safety

Léa Zinsli

The Cape Town Agreement, entering into force in 2027, sets new safety standards for fishing vessels reducing risks and pollution in Arctic waters.

The Sourtoe Cocktail: Dawson City’s Most Bizarre Drink

Léa Zinsli

In Dawson City, Yukon, adventurous drinkers can join the Sourtoe Cocktail Club by downing a shot containing a real dehydrated human toe.

Fernando E. Franca – First Cuban in Antarctica

Heiner Kubny

Fernando E. Franca is considered an important figure in the history of international polar research.

Richard E. Byrd – Flight to the South Pole

Christian Hug

In the autumn of 1928, Byrd left the United States aboard the City of New York and the Eleanor Bolling, heading for New Zealand with three airplanes and one helicopter. On board were 82 expedition members and materials for a polar station.

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Guest article

MSC Reaffirms Its Decision to Avoid the Northern Sea Route

Guest Author

The shipping company Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has once again reiterated a stance it formulated years ago: the Northern Sea Route will continue to remain off-limits for the world’s largest container carrier. This is a clear signal in favor of environmental protection and safety.

History

Ingrid Pedersen: The First Woman to Fly Over the North Pole

Emily Lady Shackleton – The Patient Lady

Vivian Fuchs – A First and a Fourth Place

Four members of the Franklin expedition identified

May 12, 1926 — Nobile Reaches the North Pole

Mine 7 Closure Ends Norwegian Coal Mining in Longyearbyen

50 Years of Georg Forster Station – A Milestone in Polar Research

Parmjit Singh Sehra – First Indian in Antarctica

The Odd Bird on the Fringe of History

The Svalbard Treaty: A Brief Overview

Salomon August Andrée – The Daredevil in the Balloon

Camp Century – City Under the Ice

Cape Town Agreement Boosts Arctic Safety

The Sourtoe Cocktail: Dawson City’s Most Bizarre Drink

Fernando E. Franca – First Cuban in Antarctica

Richard E. Byrd – Flight to the South Pole

Get our app on your mobile

Guest article

MSC Reaffirms Its Decision to Avoid the Northern Sea Route

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