Increase in Satellites Pollutes Our Night Sky and Atmosphere, Says Researcher Bodø (High North News): Space activities are increasing at an exponential pace, also above the Arctic. From about 2,000 satellites in 2015 to 12,000 today, satellites represent significant light pollution of the Arctic and global sky. "If the sky for our children and grandchildren is a sky of satellites, they would be losing the connection with the universe," says Canadian legal scholar Michael Byers to HNN.
The US Steps Back From Arctic Science, Paves Way for China Six weeks into Donald Trump’s presidential term has seen major cuts and mass firings across the board. The US Arctic research community is now facing imminent cutbacks at a dire expense for the entire region. The void left by the US may be filled by other non-Arctic actors looking for a way in, such as China.
Mass Firings of Federal Employees Affecting Alaska The Trump administration's mass firings of federal employees could have major implications for the state of Alaska and many of its 15,000 federal workers. "Many of these abrupt terminations will do more harm than good," says US Senator Lisa Murkowski (R).
Elon Musk’s Starlink Expands to Provide Coverage to Much of the Arctic Starlink internet arrived across large parts of the North American and European Arctic last week. Additional service expansion will come in early 2023 for near-complete coverage of the Arctic, outside of Greenland and Russia.
