Arctic

Although a hole in the ozone layer might sound like a retro environmental issue, it’s still a problem today. While it's usually over Antarctica, scientists have now spotted the biggest ozone layer hole in at least 25 years forming over the Arctic.

The Arctic permafrost is thawing, which could release huge amounts of greenhouse gases stored there. But now researchers have found that methane-munching microbes might counter some of that, resulting in far lower emissions than previously thought.

A new NASA-led study has illuminated one of the consequences of global warming in the Arctic, with satellite data revealing that ice melt is flooding one of the region’s significant ocean currents with unprecedented amounts of fresh water.

The Arctic Bath has finally opened in Swedish Lapland. The circular hotel floats on a river and provides visitors with a luxury getaway that includes a restaurant, spa, and a plunge into the icy water.

Dorte Mandrup has been chosen to create a new visitors center in northern Norway. Named The Whale, the building will rise out of the landscape like a small hill and offer visitors a choice spot to watch migrating whales pass by.

A Russian expedition through the East Siberian Sea has uncovered fountains of methane bubbles in concentrations never seen before.

July 2019 has been found to be the hottest month ever recorded, which won’t surprise anybody who sweated through the heat wave this summer. This continues a long-running upwards trend, with the first six months of the year tied for second hottest and sea ice at an all-time low at both poles.

​​One disconcerting consequence of our huge plastic pollution problem is that we really have no idea where the stuff can end up. The latest locale to surprise scientists looking into such matters is the Arctic, who say that snowfall there is bringing tiny fragments of plastic along for the ride.​

​​In the face of climate change, reindeer are resorting to eating kelp seaweed, according to new research. The creatures in question are Svalbard reindeer, a sub-species of wild reindeer.

​The Arctic Ocean could experience an ice-free summer at some time in the next 20 years, according to a newly-published study. The thawing is due to a combination of a natural warming phase, coupled with the effects of human-induced climate change.

Scientists at the US NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) bureau have had to update its World Magnetic Model (WMM) almost a year early because the Earth's north magnetic pole is moving faster than predicted, which could affect global navigation.

Researchers have revealed the discovery of antibiotic-resistant genes in remote Arctic soil samples. The genes in question were only first identified a few years ago and have rapidly spread across 100 countries, into areas thousands of miles away with almost no human presence.