How to pronounce“polynyas”in English

Polynyas, particularly in the Antarctic, help drive currents that encircle the globe, and play a critical role in moving colder and warmer water where it wouldn’t normally go.

Without polynyas, entire continents might be a lot less pleasant to call home.

But polynyas can be pretty tricky to study, since it’s often difficult to get to the poles during the winter when they’re more active.

They’re called polynyas, gaps in the sea ice.

There are two kinds of polynyas, and each tends to form in a different way.

In fact, polynyas are essential gateways for creatures that breed on land, but hunt in the water.

More generally, having fewer polynyas form could have global effects.