Interesting Fact - Travel

According to a  study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the  loss if sea ice in the Arctic will allow ships to navigate freely across the North Pole by the middle of this century.

(Currently the Northwest Passage is navigable in summer only about once in every seven years, but this could be open in around 40 years, and polar icebreakers will soon be able to cross directly over the North Pole.  

The downside is geo-political tensions between countries that have territorial claims in the region, will increase. Canada claims that the Northwest passage falls under its sovereignty whilst the US insists it is an international shipping route, and Russia has made territorial claims extending out to the North Pole.  Hah! Wait till they find my little LEN flag flying there.)