News & Stories

Across the globe, snow and ice play a vital role in regulating Earth’s climate and providing freshwater resources to people, plants, and animals.

As Earth’s frozen regions change rapidly, NSIDC is committed to growing its research and open access data to better understand these changes. Read about NSIDC research and its contribution to science and policy making. Check out spotlights on how to use NSIDC data, tools, and resources. Learn about how we steward data and collaborate with scientists and organizations across the world to understand how the frozen parts of Earth affect the rest of the planet and impact society.

News and stories

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Satellite image of North Polar Cap of Mars, showing dune fields
Feature Story
Understanding Antarctica’s dunes, which look like gentle but massive waves, could be critical to unraveling the history of Mars, if future visitors arrive to drill into its ice cap—the same way researchers drill cores in Antarctic ice to reconstruct climate history on Earth. NSIDC researcher Ted Scambos offers his insights on Antarctica's dunes.
Analysis - Sea Ice Today

High air temperatures observed over the Barents and Kara Seas for much of this past winter moderated in February. Overall, the Arctic remained warmer than average and sea ice extent remained at record low levels.