St. Petersburg, Russia
A Russian transport ship sailed straight from St. Petersburg to the North Pole this week without assistance from an icebreaker. Russian scientists said the feat by the Akademik Fyodorov was a first in the history of seafaring. Artur Chilingarov, deputy speaker of the Duma and a respected polar scientist, said the voyage shows that once-thick ice has melted to a thin coating—proof of “a substantial warming of the planet’s climate.” The transport ship was carrying researchers to replace the team at a floating polar station. During the trip, scientists also measured the borders of Russia’s continental shelf.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.