The planet's climate is changing rapidly. The Arctic is warming faster than anywhere else on Earth and we know almost nothing about the life that flourishes there. With some forecasts predicting an ice-free Arctic summer within the next ten years, the ICE CHASER expedition is investigating how carbon - a major player in the control of global climate - is recycled and stored in the Arctic.What drives 28 scientists and technologists to travel to one of the most inhospitable places on Earth?

I have spent five weeks with a team of scientists and technologists as they delve into the Arctic marine ecosystem: scraping beneath the ice, digging into the mud and sampling from the open water to see where the carbon is going.

The stories and science from one of the most remote and inaccessible regions on our planet are recorded here. We detail the preliminary findings and will continue to expand the story as samples are analysed and results come in. Read about the science then find out how three of our scientists - and myself - fared on this major expedition.

BBC NEWSNIGHT FOLLOWED THIS EXPEDITION. YOU CAN WATCH THE FEATURE ON ICECHASER HERE