The thing is that the study with the mice was seriously flawed. There’s been more research since then, which is why we’re getting this announcement now (even though the announcement itself is little more than “oh hey there might be something to this? We definitely need more research before we can know for sure.”)
You jest, but territorial disputes between Canada and Russia over the Arctic are a thing, and there was an active territorial dispute between Canada and Greenland over Hans Island that wasn’t resolved until last year.
Obviously I don’t mean to suggest that any of the stuff you mentioned could reasonably come true, just that it’s less removed from reality than you probably realized.