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News Archive

2011 (2)

08.08.2011

Reminder: Call for abstracts

The Call for Abstracts for oral and poster presentations in The IPY 2012 Conference From Knowledge to Action opened mid July. Conference organizers invite you to submit abstracts on the latest polar science, as well as the application of polar research findings, policy implications and how to take polar knowledge to action.

13.05.2011

2nd Circular out for IPY 2012 in Montreal

In a little less than a year the International Polar Year (IPY) 2012 Conference will be held in Montreal, Canada. The dates are April 22 to 27, 2012. The overall purpose is to move From Knowledge to Action on Polar Issues. Now is the time to start planning your participation.

2010 (10)

12.06.2010

Survey shows Norwegians believe in science

The cold winter has not affected Norwegians’ belief that climate change is man-made. However, the issue is no longer seen as quite so urgent in people’s minds, according to the latest results of the TNS Gallup Climate Barometer.

10.06.2010

Polar expedition to the FRAM Museum

About 1500 researchers got together last night at the Bygdøy peninsula just outside of Oslo for an IPY-barbeque, and a visit to the FRAM Museum.

09.06.2010

From policy to action

IPY has brought together scientists and participants from all over the world to provide a greater understanding about issues concerning us all. Now we have to bring the knowledge into action, Canadian Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Chuck Strahl said this morning.

08.06.2010

Breaking the ice at Oslo City Hall

The Mayor of Oslo, Fabian Stang opened the doors to the City Hall and welcomed the IPY-OSC participants to an Icebreaker Reception. The event was an informal "getting together" before the official opening of the conference.

08.06.2010

Warm opening of a cool conference

The IPY Oslo Science Conference was officially opened this morning by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon. At the opening ceremony, 2400 polar scientists and friends of polar science were moved by a children's gospel choir and by haunting music played on instruments made of pure ice.

08.06.2010

A territory of dialogue

"The Arctic is a territory of dialogue," said the legendary Russian explorer and scientist Arthur Chilingarov at the opening ceremony of the IPY Oslo Science Conference, and called for further research efforts throughout a Polar Decade.

08.06.2010

Cruising the Oslo Fjord for polar history

One hundred years to the day after Amundsen and his crew left for the South Pole, a ship full of researchers and polar teachers were headed for his point of departure in Svartskog, Oslo.

07.06.2010

Making marfu and melting ice

It was time for action for the 114 teachers from 20 countries who had found their way to Blindern - the campus of the University of Oslo - yesterday. They spent a sunny day doing various polar experiments, learning how to make traditional sami food and of course acquired new polar knowledge.

07.06.2010

Preparing for tomorrows polar science

There is a continued urgency to do polar science, not to do so will have a real global impact. That is why you are so important, Director of the International IPY Program Office, Dr. David Carlson said to the early career scientists and polar teachers on their first conference day.

06.06.2010

Teachers and young scientists join forces in Oslo

This Saturday 260 teachers, young scientists and their mentors gathered at the Research Council of Norway to break the ice before the international PolarTEACHERS conference and the APECS early career workshop - starting Sunday morning.

2009 (21)

25.11.2009

Scandinavian Royals Behind New Polar Book

Far from their royal duties Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon, Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and Danish Crown Prince Frederik have felt the arctic wind on their cheeks and discussed climate change with polar researchers. Now, the three have published a book about their arctic travels.

23.11.2009

New International Institute in Norway

The renowned scientist Dr. Robert W. Corell recently accepted a professorship at the brand new Arctic institute on Circumpolar Reindeer Husbandry in Kautokeino. The newly established institute is part of the International Polar Year legacy.

10.11.2009

Worlds Best Visitor Experience

The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology recently won a prestigious international museum price for one of IPY´s 22 outreach projects: Klima X. The exhibit which has yellow rubber boots as it´s trademark- won in the category "best visitor experience".

01.10.2009

Polar Week: What Happens at the Poles Affects Us All

October 5. marks the the kíck off for a full week of fresh accessible polar science, live events, classroom activities, virtual balloon launches and spontaneous global inter-connections. This October Polar Week explores the many changes in polar regions.

28.08.2009

Programme framework ready for The Oslo Science Conference

Less than a year to go before the first worldwide conference to present the breadth of science and outreach during IPY, takes place in Oslo. The preliminary programme is now ready - and published.

22.06.2009

Sharing Polar Data

Massive amounts of data have been collected during the International Polar Year. Thus a central task now is to make sure that the data sets remain protected and available for the future. The Norwegian part of IPY recently launched a new data sharing website, hoping to spread the word on sharing reserach data.

03.06.2009

The Reindeer Herders Voice

Nearly 100,000 people are involved in herding approximately 2,5 million domesticated reindeer in 9 national states. Recently, the publication Reindeer Herders Voice hit the bookshelves. Behind the publication is the IPY-project EALAT.

02.06.2009

High Mountain Glaciers on the Agenda

A climate conference initiated by the Norwegian Ministry of the Environment in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) will be hosted in the northern town of Tromsø this month. Challenges created by melting glaciers in high-mountain regions will be in focus.

28.05.2009

Arctic Council targets black carbon

The Arctic Council ministers have agreed to jointly undertake efforts to reduce emissions of black carbon, ozone precursors and methane in order to slow climate change and ice melt in the Arctic.

27.05.2009

IPY field-school applications hit record high

297 students from 50 different countries applied to go to this summers IPY field-school in Svalbard. The 24 lucky students who were picked out, are heading north on June 15th.

20.05.2009

Check your permafrost online

The first Norwegian permafrost database is now online. With a simple click you can check the state of the permafrost in Svalbard and parts of Norway at any time.

01.05.2009

Massive ice shelf breaking away

New satellite images from the European Space Agency (ESA) show that massive amounts of ice are breaking away from The Wilkins Ice Shelf on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula.

28.04.2009

A wake-up call

A fast melt of ice from the Andes to the Arctic should be a wake-up call for governments to work out a strong new United Nations treaty this year to fight climate change, Norwegian foreign minister said today.

23.04.2009

Ministers heading north

Next week former Vice President Al Gore, foreign ministers and climate change scientists are heading for the town of Tromsø in Northern Norway to discuss the impacts of melting ice in Antarctica, the Arctic and mountain areas worldwide.

24.03.2009

300 Arctic researchers in Bergen

This week nearly 300 researchers working with Arctic questions are meeting in Bergen. The occasion is the annual Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW).

18.03.2009

Polar Bear Meeting in Norway

The rapid warming of the Arctic and the reduction in the extent of sea ice is a serious threat to polar bears. Now the Contracting Parties to the 1973 Polar Bear Agreement are meeting in a closed conference in Tromsø.

17.03.2009

Discover the Polar Oceans

March 18th, 2009, marks the last of the eighth quarterly International Polar Days. This time the focus is on Polar Oceans. Get the updates on marine biodiversity, physical oceanography and much more!

02.03.2009

Who let the dog out

With a passion for adventure and a strong will of sharing polar experiences with the non-polar population, 5 students took on a 1100 km skiing traverse of the Norwegian Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. The trip resulted in the documentary: Who let the dog out, starring André, the dog.

27.02.2009

Report gives new evidence of global warming

Snow and ice are declining in both polar regions, affecting human livelihoods as well as local plant and animal life in the Arctic. Global ocean and atmospheric circulation and sea level are also affected.

02.02.2009

The writing on the wall

"Why, and how, are the polar regions and polar research important to all people on Earth?" Five posters addressing polar issues such as these, are now finding their way to class rooms around the world.

23.01.2009

Norwegian IPY-success

- Although the International Polar Year is not completed yet, I think it is safe to say that it has already been a success, Kirsten Broch Mathisen from the Norwegian Research Council said as she opened the first national IPY Norway conference in Tromsø.

2008 (35)

02.12.2008

Norwegian national IPY Conference during Arctic Frontiers, Tromsø 21-22 January 2009

During Artic Frontiers the IPY-projects with Norwegian funding gathers in Tromsø. It is going to be a conference-within-the-conference. The Norwegian Research Council covers the fee for all participants and additional cost for travel and accommodations for young scientist and students. Now is the time to register.

10.10.2008

APECS Directorate moving to Tromsø, Norway

The Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) Council has unanimously approved the establishment of the APECS Directorate at the University of Tromsø in Norway.

07.10.2008

Venue stood the test

From 6th to 14th of August our conference venue in Lillestrøm outside Oslo hosted the 33rd International Geology Congress. 6,000 scientists from 113 countries attended the IGC, which turned out to be a success.

28.09.2008

Polar expeditions on display in Oslo.

On the 24th of June 1893, Fridjof Nansen and his companions left Oslo onboard the Fram ship. More than 100 years after the Norwegian ship's departure, the french schooner Tara took the same journy. Now the two ships journeys are compared in Oslo.

24.09.2008

Peoples Day Today

Today the International Polar Year launches its sixth ‘International Polar Day'. This time the focus is on People in Polar regions.

21.09.2008

Energy for research

Sun, waves, wind, and water. These were the main ingredients when Norways annual Science Week opened this weekend. Highlighted particularly this year was environmentally sound energy.

12.09.2008

Students compare permafrost

For three intensive field course weeks, students have been comparing the permafrost conditions in Svalbard with those in Northeastern Greenland.

04.09.2008

Field work on a surging glacier

Monitoring a surging glacier from start to finish has never been done before at Svalbard - until now. We tagged along Ph.D. student Monica Sund on her third field trip to Kroppbreen, which she suspects will start to move fast in the near future.

30.08.2008

Confessions on the sea floor

While instrumental weather stations only measure 150 years back in time, bits of micro fossiles at the bottom of the sea floor can tell us how the temperatures were thousands of years ago.

25.08.2008

2000 samples collected

More than 2000 marine samples were collected during this summer's COPOL-cruise in Svalbard. On board the research vessel Lance the researchers made a few surprising discoveries.

13.08.2008

Predicting the future of the sea ice

This fall IPY-project DAMOCLES will dispatch eleven research missions into the Arctic to better understand the future of the sea ice. A revised outlook for the Arctic 2008 summer sea ice minimum, shows that ice extent will be below the 2005 level, but not beat the 2007 record.

01.08.2008

Historic Eclipse of the Sun

Friday, August 1st marked the date for the largest solar eclipse to occur in Norway in more than fifty years. On the mainland a partial eclipse was observed, while the day became night for a short period in Kvitøya.

02.07.2008

1st Circular: Call for session proposals

The 1st IPY-OSC Circular is out. The Steering Committee has decided to organise the conference programme with a bottom-up approach. As a first step we therefore invite proposals for sessions. The term "session" is chosen for simplicity and should not be interpreted as fixed formats.

25.06.2008

Designing Antarctica

Never since the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58 has the frozen continent of Antarctica seen such intense infrastructure building activity, or such a rapid increase in research capacity.

24.06.2008

Taking the pulse on permafrost temperature

A team of young polar scientists have started an international project to monitor permafrost temperatures. The young investigators are drilling bore holes in Svalbard, northern Sweden, Norway and Finland.

18.06.2008

Polar Land and Life Day

On June 18th, 2008, the International Polar Year launched its fifth ‘International Polar Day' focusing on Land and Life: the plants and animals of polar lands and the changing permafrost and hydrologic systems.

11.06.2008

121 Polar Bears Captured

A total 121 polar bears were handled during a polar bear expedition which took place in Svalbard this spring. A variety of samples and data were collected. Some of which may give answers as to the how global man made climate change affects polar bear health.

04.06.2008

New Science and Education Forum established on Svalbard

One of the world's northernmost towns, Longyearbyen, Svalbard, has been home to several research and education institutions for years. Yet it is only recently that all interested parties join forces to establish a joint forum for science and education. The child is named The Longyearbyen Science and Education Forum (LySEF).

25.05.2008

Heirs to Scandinavian thrones to meet in Arctic

The heirs to the thrones of Norway, Sweden and Denmark will travel to the Arctic next month on a joint mission for the International Polar Year.

14.05.2008

Norway - a polar superpower

In most areas of research Norway remains a small nation. One notable exception, however, is polar research, in which Norway ranks as numberv five, ahead of even Russia. In the Arctic, Norway qualifies for Bronze, behind only the US and Canada

15.05.2008

- The UArtic is now a complete network, thanks to IPY

- The University of the Arctic has grown into a complete network of higher education institutions in the Arctic region, says President Lars Kullerud. He points to IPY as the decisive reason, a boost for circumpolar cooperation.

23.04.2008

Ice Station Antarctica moves on

Do you have what it takes to survive the coldest, windiest and most remote place on Earth? For a year now visitors to London have had the opportunity to find out - at the Ice Station Antarctica exhibition in Natural History Museum.

16.04.2008

Rolls-Royce to design new research vessel

Rolls-Royce has been selected to design a new Norwegian research vessel to carry out significant environmental research at both the North and South Poles.

10.04.2008

International reserach expedition makes port in Tromsø

One of the world's best equipped research vessels, R/V Knorr, is scheduled to make port in Tromsø, Norway, this weekend. Aboard is an international research team who has conducted extensive surveys of regional and Arctic air quality.

27.03.2008

Ice shelf hangs by a thread

Dramatic satellite and video images is captured of an Antarctic ice shelf that looks set to be the latest to break out from the Antarctic Peninsula. Researchers say the collapse is caused by rapid climate change in a fast-warming region of Antarctica.

19.03.2008

Scientists searching for bad weather

For three weeks, scientists has flown high and low over the Barents Sea in search of extreme weather. The goal has been to study cyclones and other weather phenomena from the inside to be able to provide better forecasts to fishermen, the oil industry, and shipping traffic in the north.

18.03.2008

The Significance of Traditional Knowledge

A two days Seminar on Traditional Knowledge organised by the Sami University College (SUC) and the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry (ICR) has just wrapped up in Kautokeino / Guovdageaidnu.

05.03.2008

International Polar Day - Changing Earth

March 12th, 2008 marked the third of the quarterly International Polar Days, this time the focus was on the Changing Earth; Past and Present.

04.03.2008

The World's Northernmost Aurora Observatory Opened

The world's northernmost and most modern northern lights observatory, Kjell Henriksen Observatory, recently opened in Svalbard. Researchers from seven nations are using the new observatory.

14.02.2008

Two Norwegian research vessels meets up in Cape Town

One of the world's most advanced research vessels, the Norwegian "G.O. Sars", is arriving in Cape Town on February 14. The ship left Montevideo in Uruguay January 4 and has collected data in the Southern Ocean for more than 40 days. The survey is part of the Norwegian IPY portfolio.

01.02.2008

IPY Open science in St.Petersburg

SCAR and IASC has invited the IPY family to a first global get-together in St.Petersburg, Russia, July 8th - 11th 2008. The reunion is already planned in Oslo two years from now, and another will be held in Canada in 2012.

21.01.2008

The Traverse Reaches the South Pole

After two months in the ice fields, 12 scientists and technicians were carried by plane the last distance to the Amundsen-Scott station on the South Pole. The Norwegian - US Antarctic traverse has been a scientific success.

15.01.2008

The Antarctic Traverse Reaches a Full Stop

The Norwegian - US scientific traverse through Antarctica has been stopped by technical problems. The expedition is at a standstill 350 kilometres from the South Pole, having covered 2300 kilometres.

09.01.2008

Scientific balloons achieve flight record in Antarctica

The National Science Foundation (NSF) and NASA have jointly achieved a new milestone in the almost 20-year history of scientific ballooning in Antarctica, by launching and operating three long-duration sub-orbital flights within a single Southern-Hemisphere summer.

02.01.2008

New Satellite Map May Revolutionise Antarctic Research

1100 satellite images captured by NASA have been pieced together to a highly detailed, crystal-clear map of Antarctica. The map is available on the Internet, to the benefit of researchers as well as the general public.

2007 (17)

20.12.2007

Christmas in Antarctica

The joint Norwegian-US research expedition to the South Pole (the Traverse) is now midway between Troll and the South Pole. A wounded finger and a broken gear box recently forced the expedition to make an unexpected stop in the ice field.

06.12.2007

40 Field Activities in the First Season

The International Polar Year (IPY) has had more than 40 field activities during the first season. The first summer season in Antarctica has now ended. Of 27 projects funded by Norway, 22 have had field activities this season.

26.11.2007

The Norwegian Prime Minister to Visit Antarctica in January

In January, Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg will visit Antarctica. Together with a large assemply of Norwegian and international press, he is headed for the Norwegian research station Troll on January 19, the same date as the great Norwegian/ American research expedition (the Antarctic Traverse) is expectetd to reach the South Pole.

12.11.2007

En route to unexplored territory

A team of eleven scientists and technicians is now in place at the Troll Station, making the last preparations for the Antarctic traverse, a 3000 kilometre-long polar expedition to one of the most remote areas on earth.

27.10.2007

Next Generation of Polar Researchers Join Forces

The IPY International Youth Steering Committee (IYSC) and the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS) recently joined forces. The new organization is setting out to foster the new generation of polar researchers.

10.10.2007

Norway Plans New Polar Research Vessel

The Norwegian Government has allocated funding for the construction of a new ice-protected research vessel. This is the first Norwegian vessel of its kind in a hundred years.

02.10.2007

IPY Essay Contest

The Norwegian Researchers and Teachers Association of North American (NORTANA) has announced an essay contest for North American undergraduate students on the topic "Norway and the International Polar Year."

24.09.2007

The International Polar Year Ends in Norway!

Norway has been chosen to host the conference that will mark the end of the International Polar Year. Thousands of polar researchers from all over the world are expected to the country in June, 2010.

11.06.2007

Polar Dynamics: Monitoring, Understanding, and Prediction

An open science conference on Polar Dynamics is to be held August 29-31, 2007, in Bergen, Norway. The conference will commemorate the 90-year anniversary of the Geophysical Institute in Bergen and of the Norwegian Geophysical Society, both founded in 1917.

11.06.2007

KSAT provides NRT satellite imagery over the Arctic Ocean

Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) can now provide real-time access to high resolution satellite data (SAR) showing the sea ice conditions immediately around a ship/platform. No up-to-date detailed map of the ice conditions has up until now ben readily available for journeys in the ice-infested waters of the Arctic Ocean.

01.06.2007

World Environment Day to be celebrated in Tromsø

The main international celebrations of the World Environment Day 2007 will be held in Tromsø, Norway, June 3rd-6th. World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action.

01.06.2007

Geoscience World Congress in Oslo August 6-14th 2008

The 33rd International Geological Congress in Oslo, Norway, hopes to attract 8-10.000 participants. The IGC will also be a showcase for themes related to the International Polar Year, and will aim at showing the world that the Earth system sciences are the foundation for a sustainable development.

08.05.2007

Keep track of IPY in Google Earth

You can now keep track of the IPY-acitivities on Google Earth by downloading a particular layer. The information included in the layer will be developed and updated throughout the IPY period.

16.02.2007

EUR 50 million allocated to IPY in Norway

Norwegian scientists and research institutions are prepared to play an important role in the International Polar Year. Out of more than 200 international cluster projects endorsed by IPY, about half of these involve Norwegian partners, and, ten clusters in the portfolio are headed by Norwegians.

16.02.2007

Indigenous People’s IPY celebrated in Kautokeino / Guovdageaidnu

The opening of the Indigenous People's International Polar Year (IP‑IPY) took place in Kautokeino / Guovdageaidnu, a Sámi town in northern Norway, on 14-16 February. The event held special significance, as the town had hosted a research station established to study the Northern Lights during the first International Polar Year in 1882-1883.

16.02.2007

Depots in place in East Antarctica

Since early last year logistical preparations have been underway for the Norwegian-US Antarctica IPY Traverse. In October the Russian icebreaker Ivan Papanin loaded more than one thousand tons of equipment and supplies for use in the International Polar Year activities in Antarctica.

16.02.2007

World Environment Day: Melting Ice – A Hot Topic

World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June, is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. More than one hundred nations plan to observe this day. The main international event marking World Environment Day 2007 will be held in Tromsø, Norway.