Submitted by Dr C.M. Martin-Jones on Tue, 10/02/2026 - 10:15
In a recent panel discussion, researchers from Cambridge University and the British Antarctic Survey came together to discuss what makes Greenland a vital natural laboratory for scientific research.
Greenland sits at the frontline of global change. Its vast ice sheet is melting at an unprecedented rate, with profound consequences for global sea level and for the communities who live alongside it. Beneath the ice, Greenland’s rocky landscape preserves a rich record of Earth’s geological history and contains critical mineral resources essential to the global energy transition. At the same time, the peoples of Greenland and the wider Arctic are among the first to experience these rapid environmental changes.
A recent webinar chaired by Professor Jerome Neufeld brought together three leading researchers to explore why Greenland has become one of the most important natural laboratories on Earth:
- Kelly Hogan, Marine Geophysicist, British Antarctic Survey
- Owen Weller-Gibbs, Professor of Metamorphic Petrology, Department of Earth Sciences
- Michael Bravo, Professor of the History and Geography of Science, Scott Polar Research Institute
From ice-ocean interactions and climate history, to the geological history of this frozen landmass to the human dimensions of Arctic science, the speakers explored how research in Greenland helps us understand our planet’s future, and why it matters far beyond the Arctic.
Watch the full discussion here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvGmdZHXC2o
Feature image: views across Eriksfjord from Ilimmaasaq (Greenland). Credit: Carrie Soderman.