Background Articles

Alaska researchers are developing a method to detect landslide-triggered tsunamis, aiming to provide early warnings for such unpredictable events.

Sea ice loss, warming waters and the northward expansion of fish species like pollock are all contributing to a pattern in the Bering Strait region known as “borealization.” That means the Arctic ecosystem is becoming more like the boreal region to the south.

Emergency measures are in place in Kotzebue after a failure in the Swan Lake Loop left 74 households without water, prompting local and state officials to declare an emergency and take action to provide services and repair infrastructure.

Alaska's new Sustainable Energy Action Plan aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy, excluding oil industry cuts.

Rep. Mary Peltola discusses the challenges facing Alaska's fisheries, including declining salmon populations and the impact on subsistence and commercial fishing, during her visit to Bethel for the Cama-i Dance Festival.

Alaska's Yukon River residents feel neglected by a new Canada-U.S. agreement aimed at rebuilding salmon stocks, as the pact requires a seven-year fishing halt that exacerbates their economic and cultural struggles.

An infrasound avalanche detection system, previously used for monitoring volcanoes and nuclear tests, is being installed in Juneau to improve avalanche mitigation and road safety.

The poultry industry dreads avian influenza, but migratory and sea birds are succumbing to the virus in alarming numbers. Concern is rising not only about avian health but also about human health. How are our warming winters factoring into the problem?

Beavers are transforming Alaska's Arctic tundra, creating both challenges for local communities and ecological opportunities, as their population and dam-building activities alter landscapes and affect permafrost.

Arctic rivers are undergoing significant changes due to a warming climate, with increased precipitation and permafrost thaw leading to stronger flows and altered chemical compositions.

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.