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200 years of Heligoland as a seaside resort
To mark the 200th anniversary of Heligoland’s history as a seaside resort, more than 273 visitors were welcomed to the island on 6 June with a celebratory programme. As part of the festivities, alongside musical entertainment and a wide range of hands-on activities, a historical parade featuring Heligoland’s traditional associations took place at 5:30 pm. The AWI site on Heligoland also participated in the event with an information stand, where visitors of all ages had the opportunity to find out about the institute’s research and work on site.
![[Translate to English:] Eisberg](/fileadmin/_processed_/9/7/csm_20220806_Eisberg_ChristianRRohleder_001_256f00a973.jpg "Iceberg")
Nature study: More icebergs in the Arctic
The number of icebergs in the Arctic has increased sharply since the 2000s. This is due to the destabilisation of large glaciers in north-east Greenland and parts of the Russian Arctic as well as the increasing mobility of sea ice. The result: Stones rain down from the melting icebergs, forming new hard-substrate habitats for marine life on the soft seafloor. This gradually alters the existing communities in the deep sea. At the same time, the increasing presence of icebergs also poses greater risks to shipping and fisheries. These findings were reported…
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Visit to the AWI facility on Helgoland
Seven researchers from the University of Tokyo and TU Dortmund University visited the AWI research station on Helgoland. Maarten Boersma, director of the Helgoland Biological Station, welcomed the guests and invited them to take part in a professional exchange programme. The programme for the three-day visit included field trips and discussion sessions, one of which was with Antje Wichels from the OPENSEA student laboratory. The joint project focuses on developing an innovative concept for climate education, particularly the “climate museum” concept.
50 Years of the Georg Forster Station
On April 21, 1976, what would later become the Georg Forster Station of the former GDR was inaugurated at the Schirmacher Oasis in Antarctica. It was the first German research station in Antarctica to operate year-round and marks a milestone in the history of East German and, later, unified German polar research. On June 3, 2026, former overwinterers and other guests celebrated the station’s 50th anniversary in Potsdam. They shared their experiences of building the station, overwintering there, and conducting research in the freezing cold at the end of…
Arctic river deltas at risk from mounting pressures
For the first time, AWI researchers have performed a detailed calculation of the amount of carbon stored in permafrost in Arctic river deltas. In a new study in the journal Nature Communications, they point out the risks endangering the storage function of these highly sensitive landscapes due to rapid climate change.
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Antje Boetius receives the Pour le Mérite and the Grand Cross of Merit with Star
Prof. Dr Antje Boetius, former Director of the AWI and a deep-sea and polar researcher, has been honoured with two of Germany’s most prestigious distinctions: the Order of Pour le Mérite for Science and Arts and the Grand Cross of Merit with Star. The awards recognise her outstanding achievements in polar and marine research.
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Bär/Eicken: "The research vessel Polarstern is changing our understanding of the world's oceans"
After 183 days in the Antarctic, the research vessel Polarstern returned to its home port today, 15 May. She was welcomed in Bremerhaven in the presence of Federal Research Minister Dorothee Bär and the Director of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Hajo Eicken. From its voyage, the Polarstern is bringing back important findings on the causes of the recent sea ice retreat in the Antarctic and its repercussions.
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![[Translate to English:] Weg des Sonnensystems durch die Lokale Interstellare Wolke](/fileadmin/_processed_/3/0/csm_PicMax_1064453bbd.png "Path of the solar system through the Local Interstellar Cloud")
Surrounded by stardust
Our Solar System is currently passing through the Local Interstellar Cloud, a region of highly diluted gas and dust between the stars. On its path, Earth continuously accumulates iron-60, a rare radioactive isotope of iron produced in stellar explosions. This has now been confirmed by an international research team led by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) through the analysis of Antarctic ice tens of thousands of years old. From the steady but time-varying influx, the researchers conclude that the radioactive isotope has been stored within…
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AWI Director visits Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences
On 8 May, a joint meeting took place between AWI Director Hajo Eicken, Rabea Diekmann, Vice-Principal for Research, Transfer and Continuing Education at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, and the University’s Principal, Alexis Papathanassis. The aim of the meeting was to further strengthen future cooperation between the two institutions. The focus was on opportunities for translating research ideas into practical applications, as well as projects in the field of science communication. In addition, specific areas of cooperation such as…
![[Translate to English:] Ausklappseite Maximumtemperaturen Deutschland](/fileadmin/_processed_/5/5/csm_Atlas-der-Klimaextreme-Ausklappseite_REKLIM_e3589fce47.jpg "Fold-out page in the Atlas of Climate Extremes")
Concentrated knowledge on climate change - new atlas of climate extremes
A new atlas renders climate extremes in Germany visible: The Alfred Wegener Institute in the Helmholtz Climate Initiative REKLIM shows extremes based on the data from the German Weather Service. The atlas clearly shows how climate change is developing and what changes are already noticeable.
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