NOAA

Arctic sea ice reached its lowest annual maximum extent on record in March 2026, with satellite data showing a continued erosion of the winter ice cap that scientists attribute to accelerating polar warming.

Three separate satellite programs are converging in 2026 to transform wildfire detection from space, while university researchers benchmark AI models that could process the flood of new orbital data.

The ISA adjourned without completing deep-sea mining rules as a Nature study found 90 percent of species in the target zone remain unknown and the US fast-tracks its own permits.