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On November 16, an international team of researchers and drilling experts will set out from Christchurch, New Zealand, for Antarctica to drill up to 200 metres into the seabed beneath the inner Ross Ice Shelf. The team aims to obtain geological records of changing sediments that reflect environmental conditions at the time of their formation in a warmer world than today. The hope is that these records will provide important insights into West Antarctica's past, allowing us to learn more about Antarctica's potential future contribution to sea level rise.

Up to now, the results of climate simulations have sometimes contradicted the analysis of climate traces from the past. A team led by the physicist Thomas Laepple from the Alfred Wegener Institute in Potsdam and the climatologist Kira Rehfeld from the University of Tübingen has therefore brought together experts in climate models and climate tracks to clarify how the discrepancies come about. The surprising result has now been published in the journal Nature Geoscience: in a way, both sides are right. Climate models correctly simulate global temperature…

AWI scientist Hans-Otto Pörtner has received an award at the 16th Planetary Health Awards in Monaco: Already since 2008, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has been honoring individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the preservation of our planet. Hans-Otto Pörtner was honored in particular for his work as Vice Chair of Working Group II of the IPCC. To the original press release.

A data competence center for the Bremen region: In close cooperation within the U Bremen Research Alliance and with other partners, including the AWI, the University of Bremen is establishing a data competence center for the entire region. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding the establishment of the center with more than 3.5 million euros. To the original press release.

What are the global impacts of an ice-free Arctic? How will the Arctic develop with increasing climate warming? What does an ice-free Arctic mean for our environment and our society? Researchers want to answer these questions with the "i2B - Into the Blue" project, looking back to the past and forward to the future. This project has now been funded with 12.5 million euros by a Synergy Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for six years. The project's proposers are Dr Jochen Knies and Research Prof Dr Stijn De Schepper from Norway, and climate…

On 23 October, the New Zealand Ambassador Craig Hawke was a guest at the AWI. AWI Director Antje Boetius welcomed him to Bremerhaven in the morning. Afterwards, all participants exchanged ideas with each other and presented their scientific work.

The Arctic Circle Assembly 2023 took place in Reykjavík from 19 to 21 October with over 700 speakers. Director Antje Boetius represented the AWI together with four other representatives. The topics ranged from science diplomacy to the use of AI. The Arctic Circle is the largest network of international dialogue and cooperation on the future of the Arctic. More information.

The European funded Horizon 2020 “NUNATARYUK”-project, led by the Alfred Wegener Institute, has carried out a comprehensive six-year investigation into the rapidly changing permafrost regions in the northern hemisphere. The project seeks to answer pressing questions about the role of permafrost thaw in the global climate system, and the consequences for ecosystems, the economy, and the people living in these regions. The culmination of this ambitious endeavour is the "Arctic Permafrost Atlas," a ground-breaking publication set to launch during the Arctic…

A team of experts from the Alfred Wegener Institute’s Physical Oceanography working group and led by Hongyan Xi presented the results of a long-term study in the recently released 7th Copernicus Ocean State Report (OSR7). The satellite data analysed by the team shows that, for the majority of phytoplankton groups in the Atlantic Ocean, the quantity has barely changed over the past 20 years. The findings shared in the OSR7 offer researchers and political decision-makers a comprehensive and up-to-date status assessment of the ocean and of European waters;…

After more than four years under construction, today (19 October 2023) an opening ceremony was held for the newly built Technical Centre on the new Climate Campus in Bremerhaven. In future, the Technical Centre is where the Alfred Wegener Institute will develop, test and prepare new equipment for use on expeditions. The project received 18.5 million euros of funding from Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Federal State of Bremen. In honour of Alfred Wegener’s last companion, the building was named after the Greenlander…