CRYOPOLITICS - Original news, photos & maps from the Arctic

Inside the UK’s icebreaker, where the British take science and scones seriously

In Hokkaido, snowdrifts soar into neon skies

Civil dialogue at Arctic Encounter hides deepening rifts

Polar bear paw prints on Svalbard. — Following in the paw prints of the polar bear

For Ukrainians in Vardø, the Arctic is a refuge, not a battleground

As Greenland rejects Starlink, China and Russia tighten military ties

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Science & the Environment

Inside the UK’s icebreaker, where the British take science and scones seriously

On the hottest day of the year in the UK, I toured the chilled passageways of the country's RRS Sir…

In Hokkaido, snowdrifts soar into neon skies

Hokkaido's erased past is a reminder that picture-perfect snow globes are never as they seen. Dig beneath the surface, and…

Civil dialogue at Arctic Encounter hides deepening rifts

At a conference in Anchorage, a Trump appointee, Greenlandic official, Indigenous representatives, defense contractors, and geoengineering advocates all had their…

Geopolitics

Civil dialogue at Arctic Encounter hides deepening rifts

At a conference in Anchorage, a Trump appointee, Greenlandic official, Indigenous representatives, defense contractors, and geoengineering advocates all had their…

Arctic Security Conference: “We are already at war in the Arctic”

The work of Arctic conferences, as niche as they are, should be to reject rather than reproduce megalomaniacal discourses.

In a rebordered Barents region, Kirkenes Conference takes place

The Kirkenes Conference reflected the dark but determined mood on the ground. Chief of police of the Finnmark District said:…

In Longyearbyen, local issues outweigh geopolitical concerns

On the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, community issues take priority over scrambles for the Arctic.

Greenland

Turning tundra to tarmac, Ilulissat pursues Arctic airport ambitions

When I ran 45 kilometers to and from Ilulissat to Oqaatsut, the tundra crunched underfoot. That's because the iceberg city's…

A young man walks near the icebergs off Sisimiut, Greenland.

After Venezuela, will Greenland be next to fall in the Western Hemisphere?

While Trump raises fears of Russian and Chinese ships swarming Greenland, the island's residents fear the much more real possibility…

As Greenland rejects Starlink, China and Russia tighten military ties

For many remote Arctic communities, Starlink is the obvious choice for satellite internet. But Greenland, wary of the US, is…

Ilulissat’s icebergs are shrinking

The world-famous icebergs of Ilulissat, Greenland seem large. Towering up to 60 meters above the water, many are. But they…

Travel & Photo

In Hokkaido, snowdrifts soar into neon skies

Hokkaido's erased past is a reminder that picture-perfect snow globes are never as they seen. Dig beneath the surface, and…

Polar bear paw prints on Svalbard.

Following in the paw prints of the polar bear

I'd always wanted to see a polar bear serendipitously. Finally, while snowmobiling across Svalbard, I came upon one where I…

For Ukrainians in Vardø, the Arctic is a refuge, not a battleground

The Arctic is often perceived as a future military theatre. But while war rages to the south, it has become…

A second day riding across Svalbard, where snowmobiles outnumber people

Day two of a snowmobiling expedition across Svalbard – this time, ending with a sauna and dip in the Arctic…