The Arctic
![Arctic researchers with the midnight sun.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/dPVKzGcjRRiTFBhVhxyt7n-320-80.jpg)
The Arctic region of the Earth is defined roughly as the area above 66 degrees north latitude and is largely a vast ocean covered by sea-ice, though that ice is being affected by global warming. The Arctic also includes much of Greenland, which is covered by a massive ice sheet, as well as the frozen tundra of Europe, Asia and North America. It has distinctive plants and animals found only there, such as the polar bear and the Arctic fox. Read below for the latest news and research from and on the Arctic, its ice and the life it supports.
Latest about Arctic
![Ice calving from the fracture zone of a glacier crashes into the ocean in Greenland](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x2Q3uA4GNqwVLmYT4qbdek-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Alarming collapse of Greenland ice shelves sparks warning of sea level rise
By Ben Turner published
Three of North Greenland's eight enormous ice shelves have already undergone complete collapse.
![the sun sets behind icicles melting on permafrost in Alaska with a river in the background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ELLPqWnyTGzKPF3SffCBAd-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ELLPqWnyTGzKPF3SffCBAd-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ELLPqWnyTGzKPF3SffCBAd-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ELLPqWnyTGzKPF3SffCBAd-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ELLPqWnyTGzKPF3SffCBAd-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ELLPqWnyTGzKPF3SffCBAd-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ELLPqWnyTGzKPF3SffCBAd-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ELLPqWnyTGzKPF3SffCBAd-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
'Black swan' pathogens from ancient permafrost may be getting ready to wake up
By Carissa Wong published
Scientists simulated ancient viruses to see what impact they would have on the environment. While most had few consequences, 1% were capable of killing their hosts and disrupting ecosystems.
![A picture of the newly thawed nematode under the microscope.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VeyyzGAYnNRFqzsaarwLL-320-80.png 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VeyyzGAYnNRFqzsaarwLL-450-80.png 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VeyyzGAYnNRFqzsaarwLL-500-80.png 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VeyyzGAYnNRFqzsaarwLL-650-80.png 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VeyyzGAYnNRFqzsaarwLL-840-80.png 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VeyyzGAYnNRFqzsaarwLL-970-80.png 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VeyyzGAYnNRFqzsaarwLL-1024-80.png 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/VeyyzGAYnNRFqzsaarwLL-1200-80.png 1200w)
Nematode resurrected from Siberian permafrost lay dormant for 46,000 years
By Sascha Pare published
The ancient nematode has lain dormant in a fossilized squirrel burrow since the late Pleistocene, revealing that these worms can survive for tens of thousands of years longer than thought.
![A giant crater in Siberia covered in snow and ice.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AmVULSNJ3aXxuVd4KV9zJ-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AmVULSNJ3aXxuVd4KV9zJ-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AmVULSNJ3aXxuVd4KV9zJ-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AmVULSNJ3aXxuVd4KV9zJ-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AmVULSNJ3aXxuVd4KV9zJ-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AmVULSNJ3aXxuVd4KV9zJ-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AmVULSNJ3aXxuVd4KV9zJ-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/AmVULSNJ3aXxuVd4KV9zJ-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Watch drone delve into Siberia's growing 'gateway to the underworld,' the largest permafrost depression in the world
By Jennifer Nalewicki published
Newly released drone footage confirms that the Batagay crater in Siberia continues to grow in size.
![A satellit eimage showing swirling white ice off the coast of a snow covered land mass](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D4ngQTvuLyx8agaGC25Aq7-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D4ngQTvuLyx8agaGC25Aq7-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D4ngQTvuLyx8agaGC25Aq7-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D4ngQTvuLyx8agaGC25Aq7-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D4ngQTvuLyx8agaGC25Aq7-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D4ngQTvuLyx8agaGC25Aq7-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D4ngQTvuLyx8agaGC25Aq7-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/D4ngQTvuLyx8agaGC25Aq7-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Ethereal ice swirls dance around Arctic peninsula in stunning new satellite image
By Harry Baker published
NASA's Aqua satellite spotted giant ice swirls stretching for hundreds of miles in the Sea of Okhotsk off Russia's P'yagina Peninsula.
![a huge frozen sinkkhole in an arid landscape in Siberia](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KxHumd3fdDaNwfBYWgAdHi-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KxHumd3fdDaNwfBYWgAdHi-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KxHumd3fdDaNwfBYWgAdHi-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KxHumd3fdDaNwfBYWgAdHi-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KxHumd3fdDaNwfBYWgAdHi-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KxHumd3fdDaNwfBYWgAdHi-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KxHumd3fdDaNwfBYWgAdHi-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KxHumd3fdDaNwfBYWgAdHi-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Siberia's 'gateway to the underworld' megaslump is revealing 650,000 year-old secrets from its permafrost
By Stephanie Pappas published
The permafrost inside the Batagay crater is the second-oldest ever found on Earth and scientists are using it to reconstruct the planet's ancient climate.
![Arctic ice photographed in 2005.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/umjDacyRQwtZabyMQhDjmQ-320-80.jpeg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/umjDacyRQwtZabyMQhDjmQ-450-80.jpeg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/umjDacyRQwtZabyMQhDjmQ-500-80.jpeg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/umjDacyRQwtZabyMQhDjmQ-650-80.jpeg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/umjDacyRQwtZabyMQhDjmQ-840-80.jpeg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/umjDacyRQwtZabyMQhDjmQ-970-80.jpeg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/umjDacyRQwtZabyMQhDjmQ-1024-80.jpeg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/umjDacyRQwtZabyMQhDjmQ-1200-80.jpeg 1200w)
Dramatic Arctic Ice Melt Blows Away Previous Record
By Wynne Parry last updated
A summer of record melt for the icy cap on top of the world ends with a new record.
![Overhead photo of Qeqertaq Avannarleq, a Ghost Island which turned out to be a dirty iceberg.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rYRoed4Kv7SF92V8A5fnBE-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rYRoed4Kv7SF92V8A5fnBE-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rYRoed4Kv7SF92V8A5fnBE-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rYRoed4Kv7SF92V8A5fnBE-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rYRoed4Kv7SF92V8A5fnBE-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rYRoed4Kv7SF92V8A5fnBE-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rYRoed4Kv7SF92V8A5fnBE-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/rYRoed4Kv7SF92V8A5fnBE-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Arctic 'ghost island' that vanished may have actually been a dirty iceberg
By Kevin Hamilton published
The world’s 'northernmost island' isn’t the first to be erased from the map.
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