Anthropology – A study of humans. In geological terms the Anthropocene has been created to mark the time period human’s impact will leave on the earth. The impression one gets is that Svalbard, and arctic community has been passing yet vibrant. It’s history of humans is tied closely to its natural resources. Some of it has come and gone. Oil from whales, Ivory from walruses, furs from fox and bear. Some of it is still being exploited. Coal is still being mined in Barentsburg.

Its history is tied to adventure. A launching point to reach the North Pole. Its history is tied to geographical location – warmed ever so gently by the gulf stream – it has open waters making it ideal for exploration. The jet stream reaching down makes it ideal for weather watching – making it a battleground in WWII. Most of what is seen has already begun to be reabsorbed by the earth. Huts built to provide shelter and abandoned already are nothing but stone foundations.

Svalbard is also the watch station for climate change. The one blight is the ironic power plant in Barentsburg that belches particulate from the low grade coal it mines. Norway has jurisdiction over Svalbard and manages a University in Longyearbyen providing modern conveniences for the booming eco-tourism and researchers who study the global impact. It is also the repository for the World Seed bank, a cold storage facility to protect the heritage of the flowers and plants of our planet. Svalbard is also home to Ny-Ålesund a research town considered the furthest north town in the world.