Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is seen near Ny-Aalesund, Svalbard, Norway, April 5, 2023. Researchers have been studying the polar region for decades, with Ny-Aalesund’s weather records going back more than 40 years, but as Svalbard temperatures climb up to seven times faster than the global average, scientists’ work has become vitally important because what happens in the Arctic can impact global sea levels, storms in North America and Europe, and other factors far beyond the frozen region. REUTERS/Lisi Niesner