Aliens in the Arctic? The outer-worldly life that resides within sea ice

Sea ice. A characteristic feature of the Polar Regions. What do you picture when you think of sea ice? An extensive vastness of white, a few cute seals soaking up vitamin D, polar bears on the prowl? Would you believe that underneath their flippers and paws, is an ecosystem humming with life?

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Detecting mineral oil slicks in ice covered seas from space

The thinning and retreat of the arctic sea ice has led to increased human presence in Arctic seas. Marine traffic is most likely to increase in the future, as are activities such as fishing, oil and mineral exploitation. All these activities increase the risk for oil spills in ice-covered waters. Yet, the technology used to monitor for marine oil spills in the World’s oceans is not yet applicable for ice-covered seas. A new study presents a first approach to overcome this limitation.

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Nansen Legacy scientists as ambassadors for the UN Decade of Ocean Science

Sustainable development is impossible without a healthy and productive ocean. That is why the United Nations has proclaimed 2021-2030 the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The aim of the Decade is to generate new scientific knowledge to help improve the management of the oceans and coasts throughout the world.

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