Karmactive TeamOn Monday, the small Alaskan community of Utqiaġvik, located 320 miles north of the Arctic circle, finally saw the sun again after 65 days of darkness. Despite the brief glimpse, with the sun rising at 1:03 p.m. and setting at 2:15 p.m., the residents of Utqiaġvik were overjoyed to see the sun again after the last one was seen on November 18, 2022.
Photographer Mark Mahaney traveled to the northernmost town in the U.S. to document the first sunrise of the year and to hear from the residents, police and Iñupiat Alaskan Natives about what it’s like to live in the dark. He described the town during the winter as an “energetically heavy place.”
“It was a very intense place to be during that time of year in the town. The crime spikes, different abuse goes up,” said Mahaney. “The local police department gets random calls from citizens saying that they feel disoriented, that they don’t know what time of day it is, or they don’t know the day of the week it is.”
As the days progress, the residents of Utqiaġvik will have the opportunity to experience an increasing amount of sunlight. In the coming days, the town will see an additional 25 minutes of sun each day. By the time February rolls around, residents can expect to see an extra 10 minutes of daylight each day. As we move into mid-March, the town will be bathed in sunlight for 12 hours a day. Even on March 23rd, when the sun dips below the horizon, the town will remain in a state of twilight throughout the entire night.
The residents of Utqiagvik, also known as Barrow, will have to wait until April 23rd for complete darkness again. However, starting May 12th, 2023 the town will be bathed in the light of the midnight sun, with the sun remaining visible until August 2nd. Despite the sun being below the horizon during winter, the low angle of the sun ensures that the town is enveloped in a perpetual state of twilight.
Utqiaġvik Residents Welcome the Sun After 65 Days of Darkness
Latest from Nature
Great Lakes Fish Contain Up to 1,000 Microplastic Particles, ‘Contamination Like I’ve Never Seen’
Scientists have discovered shocking amounts of microplastics in fish from the Great Lakes, raising concerns about water quality and potential health risks. These tiny plastic fragments, smaller than 5 millimeters, are showing
Varroa Mite Reaches South Australia: Threatening Bees, Food Security and Adding $60-70 Annual Cost Per Hive
About one in three food items depends on bee pollination. South Australia has confirmed varroa mite near Pooginook in the Riverland. Here’s what it means for your garden, shopping cart, and the
UK’s ‘Protected’ Marine Areas Hit by 20,600+ Hours of Bottom Trawling as Government Rejects Blanket Bans
When Marine Protected Areas fail to protect marine life, their very purpose crumbles. British seas face this exact crisis today. Over 20,600 hours of bottom trawling occurred in UK offshore MPAs during
Amazon Deforestation Causes 74.5% of Rainfall Decline, Critical 10-40% Forest Loss Threshold Identified
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon is responsible for approximately 74.5% of the reduction in rainfall and 16.5% of the temperature increase during the dry season, according to a Nature Communications study published
San Pedro River Crisis: Court-Ordered Monitoring Well Runs Dry as 7 Water Thresholds Violated in Arizona Conservation Area
A key monitoring well protecting federal water rights in southern Arizona’s San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area has run dry, triggering concerns about the future of this critical ecosystem. According to U.S.
California Deep Sea Mission Finds 3 “Adorable” New Snailfish Species Over 10,000 Feet Below the Pacific
Scientists have discovered three new species of snailfish living in the darkness of the Pacific Ocean at depths greater than 10,000 feet off California’s coast. The discovery includes a pink “bumpy snailfish,”
Rare Oregon Flower Down to Final 11 Locations as 98% of Wet Prairie Habitat Vanishes
A rare flower found only in Oregon‘s Willamette Valley has been pushed to the brink of extinction, prompting conservationists to seek federal protection. The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned the U.S. Fish
NSW Creates 476,000-Hectare Great Koala National Park to Save Endangered Population by 2026
The NSW Government has announced the proposed boundary of the Great Koala National Park and imposed a logging moratorium, with formal gazettal expected in 2026, creating a 476,000-hectare safe haven for koalas
Oceans Absorbed 10% Less CO2 During 2023 Marine Heatwave, Equal to Half EU’s Annual Emissions
The world’s oceans absorbed 10% less carbon dioxide (CO2) than expected during the record-breaking marine heatwave of 2023, according to new research published in Nature Climate Change. A team led by ETH
World’s Famous Greater Gliders Welcome Joey as Species Faces 80% Decline in Two Decades
The world’s most famous endangered greater gliders, Pip and Milo, have welcomed a new joey that first poked its head out of Pip’s pouch on September 4, 2025. The timing coincided with
Adam Bandt to Lead Australian Conservation Foundation After Unanimous Board Selection from 300 Global Candidates
Adam Bandt, former federal Greens leader, will become Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) in January 2026, following Kelly O’Shanassy’s 11-year tenure. Change at the Helm ACF Board Chair
500,000 Pangolins Seized Since 2016: IUCN Warns ‘Extensive Trafficking’ Continues Despite Protection
All eight pangolin species are at high risk of extinction despite international protection, but a lack of reliable data is making effective conservation almost impossible, according to a new report from the
Queensland “Flying Blind” on Species Crisis as 114 Join Threatened List Despite Conservation Wins
Queensland’s latest State of Environment Report shows a mixed picture of environmental health, with significant challenges from invasive species, habitat loss, and climate change alongside some positive developments in conservation efforts. Released
Yellowstone August Visitation Reaches 881,936: 2% Growth Shows Recovery Trend While Park Manages Fishing Bans & Thermal Closures
The trails and viewpoints of America’s first national park filled with 881,936 recreation visits during August 2025, according to fresh data from the National Park Service (NPS). That’s a 2% bump from
Climate Crisis Turns Crop Yields into ‘Rollercoaster Ride’ of Uncertainty
Climate change isn’t just making the planet hotter – it’s turning food production into a rollercoaster ride of unpredictable harvests that threatens global food security. A new study led by the University
