Ravenna Koenig, Alaska's Energy Desk - Fairbanks

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In Interior Alaska, reinvestment in coal power runs counter to national trend

Even after decades of talk about getting affordable natural gas to the Interior, Fairbanks as of yet has only a limited supply of natural gas. And unlike many other places in the country, it’s not price-competitive with coal. Listen now

Arctic sea ice minimum continues downward trend, with implications beyond the Arctic

"The Arctic’s like an air conditioner or refrigerator for the global climate...And as the Arctic warms, partly because the sea ice is going away, it’s like you’re opening that refrigerator door." Listen now

In Fairbanks, building a home on permafrost with an uncertain future

When Benesch bought this property back in 1999, he was pretty sure it had permafrost under it, though he didn’t know for certain. Listen now

For methane researcher, golf course bubbles are a first

“It’s an area that I and some other colleagues have started thinking about: can you get methane forming in terrestrial environments? But it’s a very new area of science,” carbon scientist Katey Walter Anthony said. Listen now

International Whaling Commission votes to change subsistence quota renewal process

The International Whaling Commission voted to change the way that subsistence hunt quotas are set. Listen now

Fuel for North Slope oil production arrives by barge for the first time

Bringing fuel up to the North Slope by barge is now possible due to declining sea ice. Listen now

August storms prompt North Slope Borough to file disaster declaration

Emergency Manager Heather Seeman says she’s concerned about the storm season ahead. Listen now

In the air with NASA: studying environmental change from 40,000 feet

There's a whole host of environmental changes the project is examining, like the severity and frequency of forest fires, insect activity and wildlife migration.

Shipping titan Maersk sends company’s first container ship to test trans-Arctic trade route

The world’s largest container shipping company is about to send its first cargo vessel across the Arctic. It’s a small step, but a significant one in the expansion of trade in Arctic waters as ice recedes due to climate change. Listen now

In Utqiaġvik, a growing erosion problem may soon outpace local efforts to slow it

"We know that the berm isn’t the long-term solution," Scott Evans with the North Slope Borough said. "But that’s what we have the ability to do right now. So that’s what we’re continuing to do because we know it’s slowing everything down." Listen now

Alaskans may soon be able to finance energy improvements through their utility bills

The utility loans could cover a range of upgrades including solar panels, higher efficiency appliances, and switches in heating fuel systems. Listen now
A side view of a polar bear in snow

New data on Chukchi Sea polar bears leads to subsistence harvest level increase

Native hunters in Alaska are about to see an increase in the number of polar bears they can harvest from the Chukchi Sea bear population. Listen now

Experiments in Northern Alaska seek to improve projections for a changing Arctic

"What we’re trying to do is make better predictions so that we can basically provide policy-makers with more useful, actionable information." Listen now

Utqiaġvik barbecue connects people to scientific research next door

A science presentation may seem like a hard sell on a Saturday night… but less so if you turn it into a chance to eat and see friends. Listen now

Inuit Circumpolar Council signs guide for Arctic action for the next four years

The meeting concluded with the signing of the Utqiaġvik Declaration, which will guide the ICC’s work for the next four years. Listen now

Arctic without borders: Inuit Circumpolar Council meets in Utqiaġvik

This week, indigenous people from all over the Arctic are gathered in Utqiaġvik for the Inuit Circumpolar Council’s 2018 General Assembly. Listen now

Interior utility breaks ground on test solar farm

The solar array is a small-scale test and will be completed at the end of October.

Beavers are moving into the Arctic — you can see it from space

"If they were moving out of the Arctic, then you’d see a lot of ponds draining... But that’s not what we saw, we saw a lot of new ponds forming." Listen now

Study examines risk to marine mammals from increased Arctic traffic

A study released this week sheds new light how vulnerable marine mammals are to increased traffic in the Arctic.

Girls on Ice: an all-female science immersion course on top of a glacier

“I think it’s just so empowering, just that as women, alone, we can do this,” said glaciologist Jessica Mejia. “We can do great science, we could be on a glacier by ourselves, we could do anything.” Listen now