Arctic Ocean
The Unusual European Journey of Thor the Walrus
It's rare to see one of these massive marine mammals in Western Europe, but Thor spent several months delighting crowds in multiple countries
Polar Bears Are Gathering in Canada—and You Can Watch Them Live
Bears return to Churchill, Manitoba, every autumn to await the formation of sea ice on the Hudson Bay
This Arctic Snailfish Is Loaded With Antifreeze Proteins
But climate change could threaten these cold-adapted fish, scientists say
As Arctic Temperatures Rise, Polar Bears Are Eating More Garbage
A new paper warns that a growing reliance on trash is leading to more human-bear conflict
A Clever Population of Polar Bears Survives on Glacial Ice in Greenland
The genetically distinct group of predators uses calved ice to hunt seals when the sea ice has melted
Virologists Identify More Than 5,000 New Viruses in the Ocean
The new study focused on under-researched RNA viruses, which often infect animals and humans
Wreck of Shackleton's 'Endurance' Discovered in Icy Antarctic Depths
Researchers captured stunning photographs of the century-old wreck, still intact almost two miles beneath the waters of the Weddell Sea
Adopted Lone Narwhal Traveling Among Belugas Could Produce Narluga Calves
The mammal, now reaching sexual maturity, could mate soon, giving researchers more insight into the previously elusive hybrid animals
As Arctic Sea Ice Retreats, Orcas Are on the Move, Spurring Changes in the Food Chain
Acoustic recordings reveal the marine behemoths are moving into once icy areas, which causes competition for resources with other species
The 'Last Ice Area' May Provide a Final Refuge for Arctic Life in a Warming World
The Arctic Ocean region may provide a sanctuary to animals who need the summertime frozen habitat for survival
More Than a Third of Shark Species Are Now Threatened With Extinction
Overfishing, habitat loss and climate change are behind the 'desperate' decline
Scientists Discover What May Be the World's Northernmost Island
Researchers thought they had set foot on a known island, but island hunters pointed out that reported coordinates revealed a special find
Seven Reasons to Be Optimistic About the World's Oceans
The health of the ocean is under threat, but these good-news stories deserve attention too
Permafrost Thaw in Siberia Creates a Ticking 'Methane Bomb' of Greenhouse Gases, Scientists Warn
In 2020, temperatures in the region rose nearly 11 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, causing the limestone to release ancient methane deposits
National Geographic Officially Recognizes the Southern Ocean as World's Fifth Ocean
The organization's cartographers will now label a total of five oceans on their maps and atlases
Study of Narwhal Tusks Reveals a Swiftly Changing Arctic
Chemical analysis of ten tusks shows shifting diets and increasing levels of mercury as climate change warms the polar region
Mysterious Sponges Live on a Boulder Under 3,000 Feet of Antarctic Ice
When scientists aiming to collect a sediment sample were stopped by a boulder, they found unexpected life instead
Earth Loses 1.2 Trillion Tons of Ice Per Year, a Nearly 60% Increase From 1994
A pair of studies paint a worrying picture of accelerating ice loss around the world, with serious consequences for projections of sea level rise
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Will Not Face Mass Oil Drilling—for Now
Large oil companies skipped out on the auction, but environmentalists say a worrisome precedent has been set
The Race to Study Arctic Waters
In the far north, researchers are scrambling to record baseline environmental data as communities brace for future shipping disasters