Arctic

The German Research Vessel Polarstern conducting research near to the North Pole.

Largest Arctic Expedition Ever Comes to a Close

The German Research Vessel Polarstern came back into port after more than a year floating amid the diminishing Arctic sea ice

Yakutia [pictured] is 83.4 percent forested, making it "one of the most fire-hazardous Russian regions.

'Zombie Fires' May Have Sparked Record High Carbon Emissions in the Arctic

Increasing temperatures due to climate change and wildfires may be propelling the region into a fiery new normal

A forest fire in central Yakutia (Sakha Republic).

The Far-Reaching Consequences of Siberia's Climate-Change-Driven Wildfires

Smoke from the blazes is now reaching the West Coast of the United States

Greenland sled dogs at work

Husky Ancestors Started Hauling Sleds for Humans Nearly 10,000 Years Ago

A genetic study shows that today's Arctic sled dogs have something curious in common with polar bears

Glacier mice are balls of moss found in parts of Alaska and Iceland.

Herds of Moss Balls Mysteriously Roam the Arctic Together

The moss isn't propelled by a slope, the wind, or the sun, but the group moves in sync

According to NASA: "The latest false-color view of total ozone over the Arctic pole. The purple and blue colors are where there is the least ozone, and the yellows and reds are where there is more ozone."

Why This Rare, Huge Ozone Hole Over the Arctic Is Puzzling Scientists

The new wound further diminishes Earth’s protective shield against damaging solar radiation

Drone image above the wreck of HMS Erebus

Divers Recover More Than 350 Artifacts From the HMS 'Erebus' Shipwreck

The treasure trove could help answer questions about what happened during the disastrous Franklin Expedition

A female wolverine roams the Arctic tundra at the edge of the Brooks Range, on Alaska’s North Slope. 

Why Wolverines Are the Arctic Animal We Love to Hate

Scientists brave the deep snows and frigid cold of Arctic Alaska to study one of its most furtive and ferocious denizens

Bear Family of Kamchatka

This Photographer Goes to the Ends of the Earth to Capture Rarely Viewed Animals

Roie Galitz considers himself an ambassador for the creatures he photographs, capturing their intimate moments in hopes of inspiring conservation

Mosses Expand the Story of Ötzi the Iceman's Final Journey

Seventy-five species of mosses and liverworts found in and around his body suggest he climbed the alps via a difficult gorge

Summer snowpack at Zackenberg in 2018.

Extreme Snowfall Prevented Arctic Species From Breeding Last Year

Snow coverage persisted through late July, which prevented plants, insects and birds from reproducing normally

The site of Brattahlid, the eastern settlement Viking colony in southwestern Greenland founded by Erik the Red near the end of the 10th century A.D.

A Warming Climate Threatens Archaeological Sites in Greenland

As temperatures rise and ice melts, Norse and Inuit artifacts and human remains decompose more rapidly

Marine archaeologists explore the HMS Terror on the seafloor of the Arctic Ocean. To get a look inside the ship, divers deployed a remotely operated vehicle, or ROV.

Divers Get an Eerie First Look Inside the Arctic Shipwreck of the HMS Terror

Marine archaeologists exploring the 19th-century vessel could discover clues about what befell the sailors of the Franklin expedition

Rare Lightning Strikes Detected 300 Miles From North Pole

Cool temps, low moisture and a stable atmosphere usually prevent thunderstorms from developing in the Arctic

An aerial view of meltwater rivers carving into the Greenland ice sheet on August 04, 2019.

Greenland Lost 12.5 Billion Tons of Ice in a Single Day

The amount of ice collectively lost last Wednesday and Thursday would be enough to cover Florida in almost five inches of water

Climate change-induced heatwaves trigger Arctic wildfires, which then release carbon dioxide and pollutants into the atmosphere

The Arctic Is Experiencing Its Worst Wildfire Season on Record

Arctic infernos released 50 megatons of carbon dioxide—the equivalent of Sweden’s total annual emissions—into the atmosphere in June alone

Former U.S. ambassador to Canada David Jacobson visits Alert on a much cooler day in 2010.

The World's Northernmost Permanent Settlement Set a Record High Temperature

The military installation of Alert on Ellesmere Island, 600 miles from the North Pole, hit 69.8 degrees Fahrenheit last week

The little fox that could

A Young Arctic Fox Traveled From Norway to Canada in 76 Days

The animal trekked an average of 28 miles per day, covering a distance of 2,175 miles during her journey from Spitsbergen to Ellesmere Island

More Than 50 Lakes Found Under Greenland Ice Sheet

Prior to the finding, researchers only knew of four bodies of water below the ice sheet

An artist’s rendering of ancient Arctic hyenas belonging to the genus Chasmaporthetes. A new study reports that two enigmatic fossil teeth found in Yukon Territory in Canada belonged to Chasmaporthetes, making the teeth the first known fossils of hyenas found in the Arctic.

Prehistoric Hyena’s Teeth Show Bone-Crushing Carnivore Roamed the Arctic

The only hyena to live in North America, <i>Chasmaporthetes</i>, had the stature of a wolf and the powerful jaws of its modern relatives

Page 4 of 6