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In recent years global warming has left its mark on the Antarctic ice sheets. The "eternal" ice in Antarctica is melting faster than previously assumed, particularly in West Antarctica more than East Antarctica. The root for this could lie in its formation, as an international research team led by the Alfred Wegener Institute has now discovered: sediment samples from drill cores combined with complex climate and ice-sheet modelling show that permanent glaciation of Antarctica began around 34 million years ago – but did not encompass the entire continent…

Global warming as well as recent droughts and floods threaten large populations along the Nile Valley. Understanding how such a large river will respond to an invigorated hydrological cycle is therefore a pressing issue. Insights can be gained by studying past periods with wetter and warmer conditions. A recent study by a research team led by the German Research Centre for Geosciences GFZ, including the Alfred Wegener Institute and the University of Innsbruck participated, provides insights into this. A sediment core from the Nile Valley shows that in…

The German sailor Boris Herrmann visited the AWI: The founder of the Team Malizia sailing team met with scientists at the AWI to discuss his new project - a new sailing boat that will be dedicated to research and science communication. The aim is to initiate a long-term cooperation between Boris Herrmann and the AWI so that scientific measurements can also be taken on the boat.

Yesterday, the 23rd Arctic Dialogue brought together representatives of the federal ministries and authorities, as well as of scientific institutions and think tanks to discuss current Arctic policy and research in times of political tension. Organized by the German Arctic Office of the AWI together with the Federal Foreign Office, topics discussed included Arctic research, remote sensing, the political environment for cooperation and, finally, the importance of science diplomacy.

The designated German ambassadors to Canada, Tjorven Bellmann and Matthias Lüttenberg, visited the Arctic Office in Potsdam yesterday. They were welcomed by Volker Rachold, Head of the German Arctic Office. The meeting focused on the presentation of the AWI, the work of the Arctic Office and current and upcoming AWI research projects in cooperation with Canada. The meeting was held together with the Arctic team of the German Foreign Office, which is currently revising the German government's Arctic policy.

Today (Datum), former Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI) scientist and mineralogist Prof Dr Hans-Wolfgang Hubberten received the Lifetime Achievement Award 2024 from the International Permafrost Association (IPA) to honor his outstanding lifelong commitment and accomplishments in permafrost research and for the permafrost research community.

AWI photographer Esther Horvath gave a lecture at the German Embassy in Washington: As part of the "International Science Forum", she was able to present her photos and also report on AWI research.

An international research team led by GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel and the Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity at the University of Oldenburg (HIFMB) has discovered the oldest known marine plant using a novel genetic clock. This 1400-year-old seagrass clone from the Baltic Sea dates back to the Migration Period. The research project is a significant step towards better understanding and protecting marine ecosystems. The study with the results is published today in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

The depths of the Weddell Sea are home to diverse biotic communities consisting of sponges, cold water corals, and countless other organisms. Moreover, as climate change progresses, this ice-ladden region could offer a refuge for ice-dependent algae and fauna, from krill to Weddell seals. In the new EU project WOBEC, the Alfred Wegener Institute, as the coordinator of a consortium of eleven institutions from Europe and the US, will establish the basis for systematic, long-term observations of potential changes in this unique ecosystem. The project, which…

AWI photographer Esther Horvath is honored with the Wayfinder Award: National Geographic announces new “National Geographic Explorers” each year. The award recognizes their local and global work. Winners are recognized for pushing the boundaries of science, conservation, education, technology and storytelling - all to illuminate and protect the wonders of the Earth. More info.