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Published online 2 January 2008 | Nature 451, 12-15 (2008) | doi:10.1038/451012a

News Feature

Geology: The next land rush

As countries race to file claims to areas of the sea floor before a United Nations deadline, geologists and geophysicists are getting caught up in the frenzy. Daniel Cressey reports.

Daniel Cressey

Russia's twin Mir submersibles are perhaps the most- photographed explorers of the deep sea. Because they are manned, and can dive together to depths of 6,000 metres, film producers love sending them down for unprecedented footage.

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  • With Russia laying to claim to a large area of the Arctic in 2007, geographers at Durham University drew an Arctic Map showing where future border disputes may occur as states lay claim to the region. As searches for new oil, gas and minerals intensifies, and due to historical and ongoing arguments about ownership, Arctic lands and seas could see increased claims ? and conflicts. Durham?s geographers believe their map is the first published map to depict maritime jurisdictional issues in the Arctic with geographic precision. The map shows where boundaries have been agreed, where known claims are and forecasts the potential areas that states might claim. http://www.dur.ac.uk/ibru/resources/arctic/

    • 10 Feb, 2009
    • Posted by: Jonathan Wolton