Polar Horizon

30/09/2026

POLAR CURIOSITY # 2
Why can an iceberg look almost impossibly blue?
The answer is hidden inside the ice itself.
As snow is compressed over many years, air bubbles are gradually squeezed out and the ice becomes increasingly dense. Light can then travel deeper through it, with red wavelengths being absorbed more strongly than blue ones.
What returns to our eyes can therefore be a spectacular blue.
A small visual clue to a much longer story written in ice.

25/09/2026

POLAR CURIOSITY #1 : Is Antarctica really a desert?

The largest desert on Earth isn't covered in sand. It's covered in ice!
Antarctica is a POLAR DESERT.
When we hear “desert,” most of us picture heat, sand and dunes.But temperature isn't what defines a desert. Precipitation is.
Antarctica receives so little precipitation that it qualifies as a polar desert while simultaneously holding an enormous volume of ice accumulated over very long periods.
Cold. Dry. Frozen and very definitely a desert.

23/09/2026

We are thilled to introduce POLAR CURIOSITIES a new educational series from Polar Horizon exploring the fascinating science, nature and stories of our planet’s polar regions.

Why are some icebergs blue? Is sea ice salty? How much of an iceberg is hidden beneath the surface?

Through clear explanations and engaging visuals, each edition will answer one intriguing question and reveal something surprising about the Arctic, Antarctica and the frozen world around them.
Because the polar regions are dynamic environments full of extraordinary phenomena, complex ecosystems and discoveries that help us understand our planet.

One question at a time, let’s explore what lies beyond and beneath the ice.
Stay curious! Stay Tuned !

16/09/2026

Inspiring the next generation to care for our planet starts in the classroom.

Polar Horizon is excited to share a wonderful opportunity for educators and students, offered by We Save the World and the founder Bridget Palmer!

From September 18–27, teachers of grades 3–12 can access the virtual Trees & Seas Film Festival completely FREE.

Featuring environmental films ranging from just a few minutes to about an hour, the festival gives educators an easy and engaging way to bring important environmental topics into the classroom.

These stories can spark curiosity, encourage meaningful conversations, and inspire young people to think about the role they can play in protecting our shared planet.

Teachers, we hope you’ll take advantage of this fantastic resource. And if you know an educator who might benefit, please share this post and help spread the word.

Learn more and access the festival:

https://www.wesavetheworld.org/trees-and-seas-film-festival

Free environmental film resources for students and teachers from the Trees and Seas Film Festival produced by Plastic Oceans as well as other film resources

14/09/2026

As another Arctic season for our co-founder Sara Catella comes to an end, our commitment does not.

The landscapes, wildlife, and communities of the Arctic remind us every day of both the extraordinary beauty of our planet and the responsibility we share to protect it.

At Polar Horizon, our work goes far beyond a single season. We remain committed to educating, inspiring, and connecting people with the natural world because awareness can lead to understanding, and understanding can inspire action.

Our mission continues to encourage people everywhere to care, to act, and to become part of the effort to protect our beautiful planet for generations to come.

A lot of new topics in our learning hub on the way, new international collaborations and new events…Stay tuned 🙂

07/09/2026

Pack ice at 82° North in the High Arctic
Up here, sea ice stretches across the ocean in a constantly changing mosaic of floes, cracks and pressure ridges. But not all sea ice is the same.

First-year ice forms during the Arctic winter and has not yet survived a summer melt season. Multi-year ice has survived one or more summers, becoming generally thicker and more resilient over time.

Sea ice is an important part of the global climate system. Its bright surface reflects a large share of incoming solar energy back into space. When sea ice disappears, the darker ocean absorbs more heat, contributing to further warming a process known as the ice-albedo feedback.

Sea ice also influences exchanges of heat and moisture between the ocean and atmosphere, affects ocean circulation, and provides essential habitat for Arctic wildlife.

At 82° North, seeing the pack ice firsthand is a powerful reminder of how closely the Arctic is connected to the rest of our planet.

05/09/2026

Another language joins the Polar Horizon Learning Hub: Chinese! 🇨🇳

After offering our classes in five languages (English, French, Italian, Spanish, and German) we’re proud to announce that they are now also available in Chinese, making our learning content accessible to an even wider international community.

A huge thank you to our co-founder, Daisy Yao , who took on the incredible work of translating all of our classes into Chinese. Your dedication has helped us take another important step toward making polar knowledge and education more accessible across languages and borders.

We’re excited to continue growing the Polar Horizon Learning Hub and welcoming learners from around the world!

01/09/2026

Some Arctic stories deserve to be told again and again.

While guiding in Svalbard, Sara Catella co-founder of Polar Horizon , had the privilege of visiting Bamsebu , a small, remote hut with an extraordinary story .

This is where Sunniva Sorby and Fålun Strøm spent two Arctic winters living in isolation, surrounded by the raw wilderness of Svalbard.
But they weren’t simply overwintering.

Through Hearts in the Ice , they dedicated their time to citizen science, collecting observations and contributing to research while bringing global attention to the changes taking place across our polar regions.

Their journey was one of courage, resilience, science and purpose and a remarkable chapter in the history of women in the Arctic.

Standing outside Bamsebu, looking across the same landscape they called home through the long polar nights, made their story feel very real.

And as a co-founder of Polar Horizon , it is a reminder of why we do what we do.

The Arctic is more than spectacular landscapes and wildlife. It holds stories of exploration, science, resilience and people who have dared to do something extraordinary.

We’re proud to help keep those stories alive.

28/08/2026

Polar geoengineering is a complex and often controversial topic and that’s exactly why it deserves informed, open discussion.

In a recent presentation during her work in the Arctic , Polar Horizon’s co-founder Sara Catella introduced what geoengineering actually means, why it is being discussed in the context of the polar regions, and some of the projects and approaches being explored that could potentially help slow aspects of climate change.

The goal was not to advocate for geoengineering as a solution, but to explain the science and ideas behind it.

As climate change continues to transform the polar regions, we believe it is important to understand the full range of ideas being researched including the controversial ones and to create space for thoughtful, evidence-based discussion.

21/08/2026

Permafrost: the frozen ground that matters to the whole climate system

When we think about the cryosphere, glaciers, ice sheets and sea ice often come to mind. But there is another crucial component beneath our feet: permafrost.

Permafrost is ground that remains at or below 0°C for at least two consecutive years. It is widespread across the Arctic and other cold regions, and in some places it has remained frozen for thousands of years.

But why is it so important?

It is a major part of the cryosphere.
Permafrost connects frozen ground with ecosystems, hydrology, snow cover and the atmosphere. As temperatures rise, the seasonally thawed “active layer” can deepen and previously frozen ground can begin to thaw.

It stores enormous amounts of carbon.
Frozen soils preserve organic matter that has accumulated over centuries and millennia. When permafrost thaws, microorganisms can decompose some of this material, releasing carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere.

It interacts with the climate system.
These greenhouse gas emissions can contribute to further warming, creating a positive climate feedback: warming leads to permafrost thaw, which can lead to additional greenhouse gas emissions, reinforcing warming.

Its thaw also transforms landscapes.
Permafrost degradation can alter ecosystems and water systems, destabilise slopes and coastlines, and damage infrastructure in Arctic communities.

Understanding permafrost therefore means understanding much more than frozen soil. It means exploring the connections between the cryosphere, carbon cycle, ecosystems and global climate.