Newly Discovered Islands in the Arctic May Provide Clues to the Origins of Life on Earth. An expedition by the Northern Fleet to the Arctic has confirmed the existence of five new islands in Vize Bay on Novaya Zemlya, which could offer clues on how life first evolved on Earth, RIA Novosti has reported citing Captain First Class Alexei Kornis, Head of the Northern Fleet Hydrographic Service. The Northern Fleet carried out a complex expedition to Franz Josef Land last August and September. The team of researchers traveled on the Altai rescue tug. The Arctic  

 

Arctic 5G Pilot Could Improve Emergency Services and Avalanche Warnings. The Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard will put 5G to the test against the rigours of its Arctic climate through a pilot project with telco Telenor. With Svalbard's landscape of glaciers, mountains and fjords, as well as its tundra climate, Telenor hopes to learn as much as possible about how 5G will cope with geographical and topographical challenges. Petter Furberg, CEO of Telenor Norway, said: "We are starting small and will extend the pilot to include some very interesting user areas in the longer-term. This is an exciting time for the residents of Svalbard, as well as us at Telenor." Smart Cities World

 

Arctic Winter Delays Salvage Operation in Svalbard Until 2020. The work on removing the grounded trawler Northguider from a remote Arctic shore in Svalbard has been postponed until next year. The wreck has more hull damage than anticipated, according to the insurer, and poor ice and weather conditions on scene have delayed the work so much that it will have to be halted until next year. Maritime Executive

 

UNH Researchers: Climate Change Raises Risk of Mercury Contamination. As global temperatures continue to rise, the thawing of permafrost in Arctic areas is being accelerated and mercury that has been trapped in the frozen ground is now being released in various forms into surrounding waterways, soil and air. According to researchers at the University of New Hampshire, this process can result in the major transformation of the mercury into more mobile and potentially toxic forms that can lead to environmental consequences and health concerns for wildlife, the fishing industry and people in the Arctic and beyond. In their research, recently published in Geochemical Perspectives Letters, scientists examined mercury reallocation--the movement from previously frozen soils into the surrounding environments--north of the Arctic Circle in Abisko, Sweden. Sea Coast Online

 

Coast Guard Focused on Being Sea-Based in Arctic as Merits of Deep-Water Port Debated. For now, the Coast Guard is focused on being sea-based in the high latitudes even as talk of building a deep-water Arctic port gains support in Washington. On Capitol Hill, Alaska's lawmakers have for years highlighted the attributes for building a deep-water port in the Arctic. Retreating ice in the region is causing maritime traffic to increase as mineral resources are newly accessible. Lawmakers also cite an uptick in Russian Arctic activity as increasing the strategic need for such a facility. USNI

 

Extreme Snows in Greenland Caused Ecosystem's "Reproductive Collapse." Scientists are discovering that the Arctic's rising temperatures might be the second-biggest threat to wildlife. Climate variability is increasing, as well, meaning once-rare extreme events like flash floods and droughts happen more often. It's difficult for wildlife to cope with these pulses; animals have responded to global warming by shifting ranges and behaviors, but these dramatic changes can come too quickly for adaptation. The impact can be brutal, according to a new study published in PLOS. Scientific American