Oldest permafrost in Siberia discovered While determining the age of a permafrost layer in Siberia, an international team foundt that at its deepest point, the soil is at least 650,000 years old.
International MOSAiC Arctic Expedition Reaches North Pole The MOSAiC expedition completes another milestone as thePolarsternicebreaker reaches the North Pole. The project now enters its final stage: finding a new ice floe and studying the refreezing of the Arctic Ocean in the Fall.
MOSAiC Expedition Relief Ships Arrive In Svalbard, Awaiting Arrival of Polarstern The MOSAiC Arctic Expedition continues to overcome logistical challenges as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Two research vessels,RV SonneandRV Maria S. Merian, carrying supplies and new crew and scientists arrived near Svalbard this weekend and will meet up with theRV Polarsternduring the last week of May.
Social Distancing at the North Pole: How the Corona Pandemic Affects Ice-bound Arctic Scientists The impacts of Covid-19 are now felt at the North Pole. Planned aerial surveys and resupply flights have been cancelled to protect scientists aboard thePolarsternicebreaker near the North Pole.
Arctic Researchers Will Be Locked in Sea Ice For a Year to Study the Changing Polar Region The German icebreaker "Polarstern" is one of the world's largest research vessels. On Friday the ship will depart from Tromsø, Norway, and let itself become trapped in the ice for over one year.
Plastic pollution increasing at the top of the Earth Increasing amounts of plastic pollution has been detected in Europe’s most northern Arctic regions. Scientists are registering high concentrations of microplastic particles not only in Arctic waters but also in the Arctic ice and snow.
