An icebreaker called Polarstern is revealing the Arctic’s secrets

THERE IS “LOCKDOWN”. And then there is lockdown. Those who have spent the past weeks allowed out only to exercise and visit the shops might spare a thought for the passengers and crew of Polarstern (Pole Star), pictured above. Polarstern is an icebreaker belonging to the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, in Germany, and her ship’s company are in a different class of lockdown entirely. Their vessel is afloat in the pack ice of the Arctic Ocean, and communications are so minimal as to preclude phone calls, let alone Zoom. Only pictureless messages and emails are possible.