Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Polaris of Enlightenment

More whales in Icelandic waters

Published 18 August 2024
– By Editorial Staff
Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus).
1 minute read

A large number of whales have been observed around Iceland after the summer whale count. Fin whales are the main species observed by the researchers.

The Marine and Freshwater Research Institute of Iceland (MFRI) has recently conducted a census of whales in Icelandic waters. The count, which took place over a month, shows that the whale forecast for the year was very good with over 4000 whales counted.

– A great number of whales were spotted, MFRI whale expert Guðjón Már Sigurðsson told Icelandic state broadcaster RUV. Most of all, fin whales. After those, long-finned pilot whales, northern bottlenose whales, and humpback whales.

There have also been reports of large pods of humpback whales near the island of Grímsey, north of Iceland, according to Sigurðsson. It is believed that these particular whales were following a school of mackerel, but the expert also believes that humpback whales in general have increased in numbers.

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Iceland’s prime minister: “No own army in my lifetime”

Published 19 October 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Kristrún Frostadóttir and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
2 minute read

Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir rejects the idea of an Icelandic defense force and instead wants the country to continue relying on the US-led military alliance NATO through increased financial contributions and infrastructure support.

At the eleventh edition of the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavík, Iceland, Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir was asked whether Iceland is considering building its own military force. Her answer was clear: No.

— In all honesty, and I can’t speak for the entire Icelandic people, I think everyone is happy with the current state of affairs in terms of our presence and security. And so is the government, she responded.

Frostadóttir emphasized that Iceland can play a more significant role by increasing financial support to NATO, investing in infrastructure, and continuing to function as a host nation for allied forces, primarily from the United States.

— Personally, I think we can do more with funding, whether it’s NATO funding, other infrastructure or whatever, and by strengthening our position as a strategically important location and as a host nation, she said.

Although discussions about an Icelandic army do occur, such plans are not on the government’s agenda. The prime minister was clear in her assessment of the future.

— But I don’t think we’ll see an Icelandic army in my lifetime, Frostadóttir concluded.

American military presence since World War II

Iceland’s military dependence on foreign forces has deep historical roots. The US Navy and Air Force base at Keflavík, Naval Air Station Keflavík (NASKEF), was built during World War II and remained operational until September 2006.

Since the closure of NASKEF, Keflavík Airport has continued to function as a transit point and base for NATO, albeit with reduced facilities. The military zones at the airport remain operational and are managed by the Icelandic Coast Guard on behalf of the US-led military alliance.

Iceland’s continued absence of its own defense force means the country remains entirely dependent on NATO and primarily American forces for its military protection, a situation the prime minister clearly signals will persist.

Majority in Iceland wants to separate church and state

Published 18 October 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Church in Hof, Iceland.
1 minute read

Just over half of Icelanders support a separation of church and state, according to a new survey from polling institute Prósent. Support is strongest in the capital region and among young voters.

In Iceland, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (Þjóðkirkjan) is a state church and holds a special status under the country’s constitution. Approximately 58.6 percent of Icelanders belong to this church.

In the survey, which included 2,000 Icelanders, 52 percent stated they support a separation between church and state, while 21 percent oppose it. An additional 27 percent indicated they are neither for nor against, reports RUV, Iceland’s national broadcaster.

In the Reykjavik capital region, 58 percent support separation, compared to 39 percent in rural areas. Among the youngest respondents, support reaches 71 percent, while opinions in the oldest age group are evenly divided.

Finnish city tests forest microbes in playgrounds to boost children’s health

Biodiversity

Published 17 October 2025
– By Editorial Staff
The sandbox consists of fallen trees filled with sand and humus. If the test succeeds, the concept could be expanded to more playgrounds.
2 minute read

A new type of sandbox has been installed in Kupittaa Park in Turku, Finland. Instead of regular sand, it contains soil from the forest floor filled with microorganisms that, according to research, strengthen children’s immune systems.

The city of Turku is now taking a unique step to counteract health problems in children growing up in urban environments. In Kupittaa Park, the country’s first sandbox has been built that mixes traditional play sand with humus and microbes from the forest.

The initiative is based on research from the Natural Resources Institute Finland, the University of Helsinki, and Tampere University, which shows that exposure to forest microbes improves the regulation of children’s immune systems.

The study showed that children who played in sand enriched with forest soil exhibited improved immune regulation. The discovery is particularly important because urban children are increasingly affected by immune-related diseases such as allergies, asthma, atopy, and type 1 diabetes.

The cause is linked to the fact that city children have limited contact with the diversity of microorganisms found in nature.

Follow-up will determine the future

The new play box is constructed from logs – naturally fallen trees – and filled with a mixture of sand and humus from the forest floor. The design is deliberately simple so it can be replicated if the concept proves successful.

— I became enthusiastic about the Natural Resources Institute’s research showing that sand mixed with soil containing microbes from the forest improved children’s resistance. I thought the box would be easy to test at a playground in the city. Based on user experiences, we will assess whether such a play box could be implemented on a larger scale, says Anna-Kaisa Hatakka, responsible project manager at the City of Turku, in a press release.

The city will now monitor how popular the new play box becomes among children and parents. If the project succeeds, it could mean a new direction for Turku’s playgrounds, where in recent years rubber mats have increasingly been chosen over natural surfaces such as grass and gravel.

PFAS levels declining in Sweden’s major lakes

Published 10 October 2025
– By Editorial Staff
PFAS levels have been measured in fish from Lake Vättern, Lake Vänern, and Lake Mälaren, three of Sweden's largest lakes.
2 minute read

Bans on dangerous PFAS substances have shown results in Sweden’s major lakes. However, levels still remain above limit values in Lake Vättern.

PFAS are environmental toxins often called “forever chemicals” because they break down very slowly and therefore accumulate in soil, water, animals and even humans.

Certain PFAS substances can be harmful to humans, with several studies having pointed to their potential to cause cancer, liver damage, impaired reproductive ability, intestinal diseases and thyroid disorders, among other health issues.

It was recently discovered that Swedish wild animals have unusually high levels of these substances, with forest voles among others likely suffering liver damage due to the forever chemicals.

Decreased since the 2000s

In a new study conducted by the Swedish Museum of Natural History, commissioned by the Water Conservation Associations, researchers measured the occurrence of these substances in fish in Swedish lakes. This was done using samples from the museum’s environmental sample bank, which dates back to the early 1970s.

The results show that PFAS levels have generally decreased in Swedish lakes. In Lake Mälaren and Lake Vänern, levels have decreased since the early 2000s, and in Lake Vättern since 2008.

Problems remain

The reason for the decrease is believed to be the international banning of the most well-known PFAS substances. However, Arctic char in Lake Vättern still exceed the Water Framework Directive’s limit value for PFOS, one of the PFAS substances that has been banned.

Our results show that measures and bans have had an effect, but also that the PFAS problem is far from solved, says Suzanne Faxneld from the Environmental Analysis and Research unit at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, in a press release.

Stricter limit values for these chemicals are now being discussed in the EU. If these are implemented, Faxneld believes that Sweden’s major lakes will exceed the new limit values. The study shows that preparations should be made for stricter regulations from the EU.

It’s also very important to prevent these substances from entering the environment in the first place, she says.

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