Tag: Arctic

Arctic soil thawing poses risks to Alaskan life and climate

The frozen soil in Alaska known as permafrost is gradually thawing in many areas because the Arctic region is “warming at a pace three to four times faster than the rest of Earth,” said Bob Bolton, deputy of operations for the Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments in the Arctic (NGEE Arctic) project, led by Oak Ridge National […]

Prehistoric microbes from the Arctic could help make crops drought-proof

British plant biologists are to work with their European counterparts to determine whether ancient microbes extracted from deep below the Arctic surface can be used to help present-day plant species adapt to climate change. A team at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh has been awarded £500,000 by Horizon Europe, a European Union scientific research initiative, to […]

Do polar bears hibernate? The arctic mammal’s sleep behavior, explained.

You might remember in science class learning about hibernation – a time when certain animals “sleep” for long periods during the winter. In reality, hibernation is much more complex than that. Hibernation is a period of dormancy that some animals undergo to conserve energy in order to survive adverse weather or lack of food, according […]

Arctic rivers face big changes with a warming climate, permafrost thaw and an accelerating water cycle − the effects will have global consequences

As the Arctic warms, its mighty rivers are changing in ways that could have vast consequences – not only for the Arctic region but for the world. Rivers represent the land branch of the earth’s hydrological cycle. As rain and snow fall, rivers transport freshwater runoff along with dissolved organic and particulate materials, including carbon, […]

Arctic could see ‘ice-free’ days in next few years, study warns

The Arctic could see its first “ice-free” summer days, with very little sea ice cover, in the next few years, researchers have said. Arctic ice melts over the summer months, reducing the area of frozen ocean, and then increases again over the winter months. But ice cover has been declining as a result of global […]