Melting permafrost is giving much of northern Alaska a sinking feeling
“We’re dropping in elevation because we live on ice cubes,” says a scientist trying to map permafrost.
Science
Recent 6.1 earthquake stirred many across Alaska, but the beat goes on
The state’s proximity to the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate make it a target of thousands of temblors.
Alaska writer Dan O’Neill, awarded an honorary UAF degree, finds inspiration where science and literature collide
The 70-year-old author said the honor feels validating to someone who never held a traditional job at the university.
Here’s what you need to know to check out Tuesday night’s ‘Super Flower Blood Moon’
A series of celestial events will converge Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning, giving the moon its fantasy novel-worthy title.
A repeat of the massive 1912 Novarupta eruption in Alaska could bring much of the world to a standstill
Research indicates that such an eruption could halt air traffic in much of the Northern Hemisphere.
Wolf virus study shows the virtue of space
In a study of more than 2,000 gray wolves from near Mexico to northern Canada, researchers found that the farther wolves were from people, the fewer viruses and parasites they encountered.
Greenup unfolds, pollen soon to follow
Former UAF librarian studied the leaf buds as they opened like a clenched fist, and set up a system to measure and track their pollen release.
The secret life of the ‘extraordinary’ Bering cisco
Alaskan Randy Brown has done an abundance of work studying the silvery whitefish, whose spawning habits were a mystery until the last decade.
As endangered beluga whales head up the Kenai River, committed volunteers help ‘unravel the puzzle’
Citizen scientists fill an important gap in helping understand when and how Cook Inlet belugas use the river.
On a spring cabin trip in Alaska’s Interior, signs of a changing season
Spring brought a 90-degree temperature swing to the Fairbanks area.
COVID-19 lockdown inspires new podcast for ‘paleo-nerds’ from Ketchikan artist Ray Troll
Ketchikan artist Troll teamed up with comic ventriloquist and fellow paleontology fan David Strassman for a lighthearted but evidence-based podcast about dinosaurs, fossils, geology, deep time and the value of science.
Listening to avalanches half a state away
A UAF grad student is studying the 10,000-foot Iliamna Volcano using infrasound recorders hundreds of miles away.
Alert level raised for Aleutian Islands volcano emitting ash
Satellite views suggested ash emissions from Alaska’s Semisopochnoi volcano that started Thursday morning extended more than 200 miles.
Changing direction: How glacial retreat is pushing the Alsek River to follow a new route
The river that starts in Yukon Territory and reaches the ocean at Dry Bay may end up with a new outlet in federally protected Glacier Bay National Park.
Don’t eat the yellow snow: Advice ignored by the salt-seeking white-winged crossbill
The prevailing opinion among birders is that the crossbills are attracted to minerals like sodium and potassium from urine.
Secrets of Alaska sled dogs’ amazing endurance
A researcher studied how dogs’ metabolism allows them to burn energy for peak efficiency.
Alaska’s red-backed voles show you can’t judge an animal’s behavior by their appearance
The tiny mammals don’t have the physique of a climber, but they’re able to climb up and climb down headfirst — which very few creatures can do.
Illuminating the science of snow, from how it helps sustain communities to what makes it so fun for skiers
Matthew Sturm’s “Field Guide to Snow” provides some of the most interesting anecdotes and data on the history of snow in the state.
Finding the great earthquake of 1900 near Kodiak
Using sources like the readings of seismometers that recorded the seismic waves and written records from the time, a UAF scientist is trying to detail the quake.
Scientists study why the Malaspina Glacier seems to get up and go
The glacier in Southeast hasn’t been studied much in part because it’s so big and remote.