On Sept. 15, Anchorage will bar retailers from giving disposable plastic bags to customers. The measure affects plenty of businesses you might not expect.
Oceans
German kayaker passes through Nome on attempt to circumnavigate North America
Freya Hoffmeister, a German sea kayaker, is attempting to circumnavigate North America in her kayak — a trip she expects will take her 8-12 years.
Russian nuclear power plant afloat in Arctic causes anxiety across Bering Strait
A Russian barge mounted with nuclear reactors is expected to traverse the Arctic this month. Across the Bering Strait, Alaskans are worried — though one Arctic security expert also sees room for optimism.
Storms flood Kotlik as other Western Alaska communities see little damage
Weekend storms battered the coast of Western Alaska. While flooding damaged some villages, others fared better.
Honored nationally, a Juneau scientist helps Alaska fisheries managers see the bigger picture
Elizabeth Siddon is the only Alaskan this year to receive the highest honor from the U.S. government for early career scientists. Her work helps Alaska’s fisheries managers see the bigger picture.
Years of data suggest ecosystem shifts in the Northern Bering Sea
Scientists say based on years of observations and data gathered in the Northern Bering Sea, as well as a recent research cruise, they can see warming waters and biological changes going farther north.
Point Lay sees earliest walrus haulout ever
It’s the earliest walrus haulout since it began happening in 2007, according to the federal agency. The haulouts are associated with declining sea ice due to climate change.
In hot water: How warmer years might affect salmon populations
This year saw record-breaking temperatures in Bristol Bay – part of a temperature trend that spans decades. As the waters warm, scientists are trying to predict what could happen to the salmon.
On Yukon, late salmon run means month-and-a-half fishery reduced to less than two weeks
With the month-and-a-half summer fishery compressed to less than two weeks, there was no room for error. But when the fishery finally opened, a series of unfortunate events hit.
Kodiak whale necropsy adds to the growing body of data about 2019 gray whale deaths
According to NOAA, over 180 gray whales have washed up dead along the West Coast so far this year. But each new specimen adds a little more clarity for scientists.