At this Arctic science base, life is anything but lonely

Research assistant Nora Fried uses a handheld IceCube, an instrument that measures the specific surface area of snow particles on the sea ice. The structure of snow is critical to how much light it absorbs or reflects, and therefore how it contributes to atmospheric warming.

A temporary tent provides shelter for researchers working on a meteorological experiment that required 24-hour monitoring. Because polar bears are a constant concern outside of the station boundaries, the camp always has a Greenland dog to keep watch.

Preparing for guests can be a lot of work for the six soldiers who run Station Nord. Snowdrifts sometimes threaten to bury entire buildings.

Hansen helps researcher Helge Goessling (right) brush up on his rifle skills. No one is permitted to leave the station perimeter without a firearm for protection against polar bears.