Svalbard is a privileged location for scientific research.
In Longyearbyen there is a university with approximatively 250 students.
Other universities (Tromso, University of Alaska ...) and reseach institutes (Max Planck Institut, EISCAT) perform diverse reseach about our atmosphere, weather, pollution, polar biology, geology ...
Svalbard is used as a starting point for arctic expeditions, being 1200 km from the pole.
Also, it is used as a NASA ground station.
