Aerial view of icebergs in Antarctica

ARCTIC OCEAN, ANTARCTICA - RECENT, 2023 - The Arctic, a polar region located in the far north of the Earth, has been the most affected by global climate change in recent years, resulting in rapid melting of ice and warming, as well as affecting wildlife, particularly the polar bear. Polar bears, the world's largest land predators, have been designated as "vulnerable" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List due to declining populations, and are most likely to lose habitat in the Arctic territories of Canada, Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Russia, and the US (Alaska) if the melting trend continues, putting marine mammals' survival at risk. The 3rd National Arctic Scientific Research Expedition was held under the auspices of the Turkish presidency and the coordination of the Marmara Research Center (MAM) Polar Research Institute, which is a part of the Ankara-based Scientific and Technological Research Institution of Türkiye (TUBITAK). The Turkish team did research at 28 different locations for a full month in the Barents Sea of the Arctic Ocean with the Norwegian-flagged Polar Xplorer, a 62-meter (203-foot) research vessel. (Footage by Şebnem Coşkun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)