Shengping He and his team from the University of Bergen have revealed how the changing Arctic ice landscape is affecting winter temperatures around the world. The findings shed light on the complex relationship between ice, the ocean and climate change.

Warm Arctic, cold Eurasia

Scientists have been puzzled by a strange pattern for the past few decades. The Arctic is warming incredibly fast—about three to four times faster than the rest of the planet. But regions like East Asia are also experiencing unusually harsh winters. One prime suspect: shrinking Arctic sea ice.

Over the past four decades, we have lost 12.2 % of our summer sea ice every decade. It's tempting to connect the dots: less ice in the north, colder winters in the south. But is that the whole story? (Sanjana Gajbhiye, more at www.earth.com)