Background Articles

When pilots stopped traveling to villages during the COVID-19 pandemic, people had to go without important supplies. Fresh food often spoils before it arrives. Immunizations expire before they can be delivered. Dash Systems describes it as a “land the package, not the plane” approach, and it aims to make next-day delivery available in remote areas.

Wildfires in Western states have razed structures, displaced residents and altered air quality - and fundamentally changed the relationship between Native women and the land they have historically stewarded.

The city had 9.53 inches of rain last month, surpassed only by the 10.84 inches that fell in July 1915.

A lack of adequate water and sewer service and overcrowded housing combined to make the COVID-19 pandemic more severe in rural Alaska, a new study confirms.

For the past 5-6 years, salmon runs all over Bristol Bay have been very strong.“This year’s record-breaking return is the result of this careful stewardship,” said executive director of United Tribes of Bristol Bay. “Our lands and waters must be protected so future generations can continue our way of life and Bristol Bay can remain the salmon stronghold for the planet.”

As of Tuesday, there were 299 wildfires burning in B.C., with 40 evacuation orders affecting approximately 5,724 people (2,862 properties), in addition to 69 evacuation alerts impacting approximately 32,076 people (16,038 properties).

Reports of groups of up to 10 mule deer in Southeast Alaska near Skagway have been received by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and there is evidence that fawns are being born here. Studies show that nearby populations harbor a variety of diseases that have biologists concerned.

Scientific American is the essential guide to the most awe-inspiring advances in science and technology, explaining how they change our understanding of the world and shape our lives.

Within a set of glaciers and mountains near Juneau, there’s seismic activity almost every day in the summer. They’re called ice quakes. They’re not as widely understood as earthquakes, but researchers are monitoring them closely.

Thick-billed murres are feeling the heat from climate change — more so than other Arctic species, new research has found. The black-plumed Arctic seabirds nest for hours on exposed cliffs, making them particularly vulnerable to sun and warming temperatures, according to Emily Choy, a McGill University biologist. Choy’s research focused on a colony of murres

The U.S. Forest Service said it plans to approve Coeur Alaska’s plan to expand facilities at the Kensington Gold Mine, extending the life of the mine by another 10 years.

There are about 17,000 glaciers in the province and and they're an important source of fresh water. Canada Research Chair in Glacier Change, Brian Menounos, says rapid melt could have substantial implications for ecosystems and hydropower.