alaska week: all things alaska

How can a house made of snow keep you sheltered from the icy cold? Igloos seem like a great paradox, but they're actually quite practical. Who invented them and why?

If Bullwinkle had made the move up north, he would have felt right at home. Though moose in Alaska don't have squirrel sidekicks, they do take advantage of their urban surroundings.

Glaciers carve out lakes, grind down mountains and pulverize rocks to dust. These massive ice slabs shape our Earth, but they may be disappearing.

The Alaska Pipeline carries oil from wells in the far north of Alaska down to the the port in Valdez, Alaska. If that pipeline blew up, what would happen to all that oil, and how much damage would it do?

Sled dogs carry a sled, a driver and loads of gear across icy, dangerous terrain. What keeps them going, and how do drivers keep the dogs from getting hurt?

The polar bear's shocking whiteness, ferocity and sheer size make it an icon of purity and power. How do these animals survive in a frigid climate?