Slate has a good explainer about the rush to claim the arctic seabed and its possible natural resources. I was familiar with that fight, but what I didn't realize is that the U.S. is somewhat hamstrung in the competition by its failure to ratify the Law of the Sea as the other involved nations have (for more on the Law of the Sea and why conservative opposition to it is totally wacky see this piece by Kate). Most amusingly, Russia has asserted it's claim by dropping a flag onto the sea floor last month, which reminds me of this:
