Ravenna Koenig, Alaska's Energy Desk - Fairbanks
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
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