The Arctic in pictures

The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) is seen in the sky over Arctic Snowhotel in Rovaniemi, Finland February 28, 2019. Picture taken February 28, 2019. (Alexander Kuznetsov/Reuters)
Representatives from many countries and universities arrive in the Svalbard's global seed vault with new seeds, in Longyearbyen, Norway February 25, 2020. (Lise Aserud/NTB Scanpix/Reuters)
The German Arctic research vessel Polarstern in the ice next to a research camp Ocean City in the Arctic region. (Michael Gutsche/Alfred-Wegner-Institut via AP)
KV Svalbard's crew, formed by Norwegian Navy privates and scientists from Norwegian Institute of Marine Research, play soccer as they are protected from polar bears by armed guards in the arctic environment in the sea around Greenland, March 22, 2018. (Marius Vagenes Villanger/Kystvakten/Sjoforsvaret/NTB Scanpix via Reuters)