Planet Mundus

Planet Mundus travels to the Arctic and back - virtually. We talk to an ice navigator, play with beluga whales and learn about ongoing environmental disasters around the Arctic Circle. Many tried to conquer the northwest and northeast passages and paid with their lives. The Arctic was never an easy territory to survive in. But with global warming going strong, things seem to be changing. Melting sea ice offers many opportunities to explore but also to exploit the unique Arctic nature. Find out what nuclear energy, military stations and the Arctic haze means for the future of a soon-to-be holiday destination. Be alert: We also hid a treasure in this show. We’ll give you a hint, when you hear the words ‘sea ice’, play them backwards and listen closely. We talk with Captain David ‘Duke’ Snider and get his take on ice breaking vessels, amateurs in the Arctic and his job as ice navigator. Hamburg correspondent, Ole Krogsgaard, fills us in on the history of the transpolar sea routes, while our Swansea reporter,