News

Honored again: "A Year in the Ice: The Arctic Drift," the documentary on the MOSAiC expedition has won the British Grierson Award in the category "Best Science Documentary." The jury's decision read, "We were genuinely blown away by the ambition, expertise and logistical undertaking of this epic production."

In 2022, global fossil CO2 emissions will reach 36.6 billion metric tons of CO2, which is slightly above the pre-pandemic level. Together with emissions from land use, amounting to 3.9 billion metric tons, total emissions will reach 40.6 billion tons, which is slightly below the highest level, from 2019 (40.9 billion tons). These are the outcomes of a report just released by the Global Carbon Project, which the Alfred Wegener Institute helped to prepare.

To what extent does polymetallic nodule mining impact the ecosystem in the deep sea? This is what the MiningImpact expedition SO295 with the research vessel SONNE is investigating for the next two months in the exploration contract areas of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the North Pacific. During the collection of polymetallic nodules, the bio-active layer of the seabed is removed and the sediments suspended during the mining operation blanket also large areas in the vicinity. The aim of the current research cruise is to determine the extent of the…

The Bündnis 90/Die Grünen will hold a panel discussion at the Haus der Wissenschaft on November 11, starting at 7 p.m. on the question of what role science plays in Bremen's and Bremerhaven's urban society: can science make cities more attractive through good networking? What does science need to contribute to a Bremen with a strong future? AWI Director Antje Boetius will participate in the panel discussion, along with other members of Bremen's scientific and urban community. Entry is free of charge

Greenland's glaciers are losing ice at an accelerating rate, causing sea levels to rise dramatically. However, climate models have so far significantly underestimated how much ice could actually be lost by the end of the century. This is suggested by a new study in the scientific journal Nature, in which the Alfred Wegener Institute was also involved. As a result, the contribution of Greenland's glaciers to future sea level rise is significantly higher than previously assumed.

AWI Director Antje Boetius will receive the Carl-Friedrich-von-Weizsäcker-Prize 2022 for her many years of work as a marine researcher and microbiologist. She is delivering pioneering work with her research in the areas of deep sea and polar research, said Gerald Haug, president of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. The award ceremony will take place on Monday, December 12, in Halle (Saale) as part of the Leopoldina's traditional Christmas Lecture. Press release

Polar researcher and deep-sea biologist Antje Boetius will head the Alfred Wegener Institute, which she has coordinated since November 2017, for another five years. In her first term as Director, she has made essential contributions to strong international networking and increasing the visibility of German polar and marine research, overseen the largest expedition in the institute’s history, and paved the way for the construction of the new Polarstern II. Despite the numerous crises currently facing our world, her plans for the years to come remain…

Canada's Acadia University in Nova Scotia awarded Dr. Hans-Otto Pörtner an honorary Doctor of Science on October 7, 2022, for his scholary leadership in researching the impacts of climate change. In his convocation message, he cites this and the loss of biodiversity as the greatest challenges of our time. We extend our congratulations on this outstanding award! 

Climate on land appears to be much more variable than currently simulated in climate models. The reason for this is the oceanic influence, which shapes the fluctuations in land temperature on long time scales. This is the conclusion suggested by a new study published in the scientific journal Nature Geoscience. Scientists from the Alfred Wegener Institute in Potsdam used thousands of pollen records to create for the first time a map of the strength of regional temperature fluctuations over the last 8000 years. The consequence: In addition to…

Today, German Federal Minister of Education and Research Bettina Stark-Watzinger christened the Alfred Wegener Institute’s new research vessel Uthörn at the Fassmer shipyards in Berne. The new ship, measuring 35 metres long and with a price tag of ca. 15 million euros, will be the first seaworthy German ship powered by environmentally friendly, low-emissions methanol, setting new standards for sustainability in German shipping. After a two-year construction phase, the cutter is scheduled for a handover to the AWI this December. Over 200 guests from the…