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News Releases are timely, official communications produced by the Alaska Science Center that are targeted for use by the news media in reporting information on scientific findings or program activities.

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First Ever Digital Geologic Map of Alaska Published

First Ever Digital Geologic Map of Alaska Published

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A new digital geologic map of Alaska is being released today providing land users, managers and scientists geologic information...

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Arctic Tundra Fire Causes Widespread Permafrost Landscape Changes

Arctic Tundra Fire Causes Widespread Permafrost Landscape Changes

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Large and severe tundra fires cause top down permafrost thaw, playing a major role in altering Arctic landscapes according to a...

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Arctic Mammals May Face Shrinking Habitat from Climate Warming

Arctic Mammals May Face Shrinking Habitat from Climate Warming

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A new scientific study predicts that some of Alaska’s mammal species will respond to future climate warming by concentrating in...

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Wild Berry Harvests Less Reliable According to Alaskan Local Observers

Wild Berry Harvests Less Reliable According to Alaskan Local Observers

The U.S. Geological Survey today announced the publication of a new study examining how Alaska’s tribal environmental managers and local observer...

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Polar Bears Forced on Shore by Sea-Ice Loss Are Unlikely to Thrive on Land-Based Foods

Polar Bears Forced on Shore by Sea-Ice Loss Are Unlikely to Thrive on Land-Based Foods

Two studies by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) suggest a rough outlook for polar bears as climate warming continues to reduce sea ice in the Arctic.

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Geologic Map of Baranof Island, Southeastern Alaska Now Online

Geologic Map of Baranof Island, Southeastern Alaska Now Online

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — In the 20th century, Baranof Island in Southeastern Alaska has drawn attention for its gold, chrome and nickel deposits, timber...

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40 Years of North Pacific Seabird Survey Data Now Online

40 Years of North Pacific Seabird Survey Data Now Online

The U.S. Geological Survey today released the North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database — a massive online resource compiling the results of 40 years of...

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Greenhouse Gas Emissions Remain the Primary Threat to Polar Bears

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Remain the Primary Threat to Polar Bears

Greenhouse gas emissions remain the primary threat to the preservation of polar bear populations worldwide. This conclusion holds true under both a...

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Tectonic Model Shows North America May Once Have Been Linked to Australia or Antarctica

Tectonic Model Shows North America May Once Have Been Linked to Australia or Antarctica

North America may have once been attached to Australia, according to research just published in Lithosphere and spearheaded by U.S. Geological Survey...

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Polar Bears Unlikely to Thrive on Land-based Foods

Polar Bears Unlikely to Thrive on Land-based Foods

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A team of scientists led by the U.S. Geological Survey found that polar bears, increasingly forced on shore due to sea ice loss...

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New Technology Helps Identify Dispersal of Avian Flu Virus between Asia and Alaska

New Technology Helps Identify Dispersal of Avian Flu Virus between Asia and Alaska

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — In a new study published today, scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service harnessed a new type...

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From Icefield to Ocean - What Glacier Change Might Mean for the Future of Alaska

From Icefield to Ocean - What Glacier Change Might Mean for the Future of Alaska

Frozen bodies of ice cover nearly 10 percent of the state of Alaska, but the influence of glaciers on the environment, tourism, fisheries, hydropower...

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