The Detectives: Hunting toxic chemicals in the Arctic
What researchers are learning about the fate of chemicals in the Arctic, and how what they’re learning is changing international law and providing life-saving advice.
the Arctic
Shedding light — on the polar night
The polar night is dark — if you’re a person. But not if you’re a krill or a seabird or a fish. In the first episode of NTNU’s new English-language podcast, 63 Degrees North, learn how researchers discovered that there’s more than enough light in the polar night for the tiny creatures who live there.
Skinnier but resilient geese thriving in the high Arctic
Barnacle geese in the Arctic have been on a diet. So many now migrate to northern breeding grounds that in some places there’s less food to go around. The good news is that it doesn’t seem to restrict their population growth — yet.
Your plane travel destroys polar bear habitat
A group of polar bear researchers wants you to do more than worry about the fate of these beautiful animals. They’ve calculated how much summer sea ice is melted per metric tonne of CO2 emissions. Then you can decide if the flight you’re planning to take is worth destroying polar bear habitat.
Predicting the fate of oil spills in a frozen world
Global warming and political decisions are opening the Arctic and its frosty seas to increased development. But what will happen if that expansion results in oil spills in the frozen ocean?
A force more deadly than polar bears
You might think that polar bears— and the potential for attack— are the biggest danger on the Norwegian island archipelago of Svalbard. But avalanches kill far more people on Svalbard than polar bears ever have.
Lazarus ice
Global climate change is causing Arctic sea ice to melt at an accelerating rate, increasing the ability of ships and other structures to travel though Arctic waters. But even as they melt, some sea ice structures actually get stronger.
Uncovering the secrets of Arctic seabird colonies
Seabirds nest by the hundreds of thousands in colonies along the Norwegian coast. By combining an ocean current model with fish larvae transport modeling and bird population numbers, Norwegian researchers have uncovered the factors that help determine the location of seabird nesting colonies.
Colonization usurps indigenous languages
Up to 90 per cent of the world’s languages may disappear by the end of this century. Inuvialuktun is one of them.
Dark lords, werewolves and Indiana Jones in the polar night
The polar night descends on the arctic archipelago of Svalbard for more than 100 days a year. But even in the depths of this darkness, the oceans are churning with activity.
Jan Mayen’s evolution through ice, fire and water
The isolated Norwegian island of Jan Mayen is located at the junction of two currents. Here, scientists can gain valuable insight into climate change. Take a coffee table tour by scrolling through the picture carousel.
Awash in trash at the top of the world
Every year, an estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic waste blows, falls or flows into the world’s oceans. Earlier this autumn, participants in the annual Svalbard Course plucked up 512 kg of the stuff from just one beach in two hours.
Secrets of the High North
The Norwegian arctic island archipelago of Svalbard offers scientists the chance to investigate some of the most intriguing – and perplexing – puzzles facing the high north.