Life of the Glacier
Telling the story of arctic glaciers
About
Life of the Glacier is an innovation in immersive education which tells the story of glaciological processes and change over time, using the real-world data and locations across Iceland’s Vatnajökull ice cap.
The project is supported by AECO and is a partnership between the Iceland-based media technology company Into the Blue, the Earth Sciences department of the University of Iceland, the Icelandic Meteorological Office and the Natural Science Institute of Iceland.
The experience is delivered through a virtual reality headset and consists of a 10-12 minute narrative combining advanced visualisation, sound, and storytelling. It provides an accessible and engaging way to understand the role of glaciers in the Arctic landscape.
Users are transported to remote locations around the Vatnajökull ice cap that are otherwise difficult or inaccessible. This immersive approach enables a deeper understanding of glacial landscapes and their transformation over time.
Methods and data
The project integrates historical photography with contemporary geospatial data to create detailed three-dimensional reconstructions. These visualisations illustrate how Iceland’s glaciers have changed over recent decades, based on scientific datasets and archival imagery.
A three dimensional reconstruction of the glacier Fjallsjökull in Southeast Iceland, showing how it has changed over a 43 year period. This component of the virtual reality experience is based on aerial photography from the Natural Science Institute of Iceland.
Last update: 27. July 2026