Background Articles

The Alaska Arctic Observatory and Knowledge Hub and the Native Village of Kotzebue deployed an under-ice oceanographic instrument to monitor ice thickness and snow depth at a site offshore of town.

The Chemring Nobel explosive plant in Norway is increasing its emissions fivefold, raising concerns about worsening nitrogen pollution in the Oslo fjord.

A federal grant will provide heat pumps to households and solar energy systems to villages in the Northwest Arctic, aiming to reduce energy costs and reliance on diesel, with an expected annual revenue of nearly $1 million for the region.

Alberta's water allocation data reveals regional disparities in usage and availability, with agriculture dominating in the south and oil and gas in the north, amidst concerns of overuse and drought.

Alaska receives $2.6M from the USDA to enhance local food production, aiming to bolster food security in a state where 95% of food is imported.

The article discusses concerns over the impact of human-made noise on endangered Cook Inlet belugas and the debate over noise mitigation measures.

Alaska is set to receive $125M in federal funds for renewable energy projects, benefiting over 20 villages with solar, hydroelectric, and storage initiatives.

The Russian war on Ukraine has led to the exclusion of Russian data from Arctic research, significantly increasing uncertainty in climate predictions and impacting global environmental understanding and management efforts.

For nine years, Alaska health officials have been aware of an unusual virus causing rare, relatively mild illnesses in the Fairbanks area. But a recent case in another part of the state — this one resulting in a man's death — has brought new attention to the Alaskapox virus.

The oranging of northern rivers seems to be related to recent permafrost thaw that has allowed streams to release previously captive iron, trace metals and acid.

Conservationists petition for federal protection of the rare Kigluaik buttercup, threatened by climate change and proposed mining activities.

Indigenous communities in the Bering Strait region advocate for maintaining federal protections on D-1 lands to safeguard their subsistence lifestyle and cultural heritage from the impacts of state management and resource extraction.

Scientists are investigating the widespread presence of paralytic shellfish toxins in Alaska's marine food chain, which may explain recent species die-offs.

Chugach forecasters issue warnings of high avalanche danger following a fatal incident and two non-fatal close calls in the mountains.

The state is seeking new support from FEMA and other partners to expand studies of landslide risks on Wrangell Island and elsewhere in Alaska.

NASA's PACE satellite, designed to study ocean biology in unprecedented detail, has been successfully launched to enhance understanding of Earth's changing climate and improve weather forecasting.

“It’s a reflection of the plastic age we live in," said student researcher Tony Blade. "It’s ubiquitous."

Climate change is causing a 'microbial awakening' in Alaska's ecosystems, altering food webs as fungi become a major energy source for small mammals.

Kotzebue residents face heating challenges as Vitus fuel thickens in extreme cold, leading to clogged filters and system failures, prompting some to switch suppliers.

Subsistence hunters living in Northwest Alaska and parts of the North Slope are now only allowed to hunt up to 15 animals a year, only one of which can be a cow. This is a considerable change from five caribou a day, and it goes into effect on state-managed lands on July 1.