Photo: Anna Filipova

The town of Ny-Ålesund is situated on the 79th parallel north on the Svalbard archipelago, which makes it the most northerly permanent civilian settlement in the world. Once a mining town, it now houses the largest laboratory for modern Arctic research in existence. Focused primarily on atmospheric and CO2 studies, access to the area is extremely limited to avoid pollution, only scientists and employees of the station are allowed. Photographer Anna Filipova , who has worked for years in the arctic, was granted access and returned with a collection of images highlighting the beautiful and barren research station.: Kathrin Lang, the station leader of the French and German AWIPEV Base , prepares tools for gathering weather data.