Background Articles

A new study reports that Atlantic salmon exposed to the anti-anxiety drug clobazam during migration became bolder, passing through hydropower dams faster, though this behavior might increase predation risk later.

A new international study finds that Arctic glacier retreat between 2000 and 2020 has unveiled over 1,500 miles of coastline—primarily in Greenland—potentially increasing coastal hazards and contributing to sea level rise.

Ned Rozell’s article explores the vast, geologically intriguing Minto Flats near the village of Minto in Alaska, detailing its unusual gravitational characteristics, seismic history, and significance as a prime waterfowl habitat.

Residents of Baker Lake remain under a boil‑water advisory after 96 litres of heating fuel spilled near the community’s water intake, prompting increased sampling and monitoring.

A warm March has triggered an early spring bloom in Finland with wood anemone and common hepatica appearing ahead of their usual schedule.

A new study finds that polar bears in Svalbard are beginning to leave their dens with cubs one week earlier than before 2016, a trend that may be linked to climate change and the resulting loss of sea ice.

UAF undergraduate Leanne Bulger discovered a persistent hole in a Fairbanks forest emitting unusually high CO₂ levels—likely due to thawing permafrost microbes—and led a team using probes, gas analyzers, and radar to study its depth and gas flux.

British Columbia’s March snowpack averaged just 79 percent of normal, up from 63 percent a year ago but still low enough to raise the province’s drought risk for spring and summer.

The study, conducted by Canadian and Norwegian scientists, highlights that in the last decade, polar bears have on average started leaving their dens with cubs one week earlier than was recorded before 2016.

A new study by Canadian and Norwegian researchers shows that polar bear mothers in Svalbard are leaving dens with their cubs about one week earlier than before 2016, a shift potentially linked to climate change.

A recent report highlights the unprecedented low snowfall during the 2024-2025 winter in Anchorage and Southcentral Alaska, affecting not only the weather but also events like the Iditarod race.

April was 1–2 °C warmer than the 1991–2020 average in Finland, with a high of 22.9 °C in Rauma and a low of –23.8 °C in Kilpisjärvi. Sunshine was above average, while southern areas and Lapland saw increased rainfall.

Russian captains face ongoing challenges navigating the Northern Sea Route as deteriorating Arctic ice conditions persist over the next 25 years. Arctic winds have pushed multi-year ice toward the North Siberian coast, concentrating thick ice in the East Siberian and Chukchi Seas and forcing ships to change their routes.

Salmon advocates have raised concerns over declining salmon numbers, blaming an oversupply of hatchery-reared fish that overwhelms natural stocks and disrupts ocean ecosystems.

This article explains how Interior Alaska’s cold, airy snow uniquely bends off railings and loops from power lines, defying gravity due to slow deformation and the sintering process.

Seismic activity at the Sundhnúk crater row has intensified with over 20 earthquakes recorded in the past 24 hours, while a separate swarm in Öxarfjörður is being closely monitored.

Anchorage School District has activated its Emergency Operations Center and released a preparedness plan for a potential eruption of Mount Spurr, located 75 miles west of Anchorage.

Spring in the Arctic sees the lowest maximum sea ice extent on record in a 47‐year satellite observation history, according to NSIDC data.

An investigation into the death of roughly 100 fish near Alaska’s Kensington gold mine remains inconclusive months later, with both state regulators and Coeur Mining unable to pinpoint the cause despite extensive testing.

Researchers warn that European glaciers are retreating rapidly, exemplified by significant losses in Norwegian glaciers, potentially jeopardizing water supplies, agriculture, and energy. The article highlights the urgency of glacier conservation on World Glacier Day 2025.