Antarctica has not always been a desolate land of ice and snow.
Earth’s southernmost continent once was home to rivers and forests teeming with life. Using satellite observations and ice-penetrating radar, scientists are now getting a glimpse of Antarctica’s lost world. Researchers said on Tuesday they have detected buried under the continent’s ice sheet a vast ancient landscape, replete with valleys and ridges, apparently shaped by rivers before being engulfed by glaciation long ago.
They said one way to unlock its mysteries would be to drill through the ice and obtain a core sample of sediments below. This could secure evidence revealing the ancient flora and fauna, as was done with samples obtained in Greenland dating back 2 million years. The new study used satellite observations of the ice surface, which in some places followed the contours of the buried landscape, and ice-penetrating radar data from a plane flying over the site.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Scientists Discover Ancient River System Hidden Under Antarctic IceThe Best in Science News and Amazing Breakthroughs
Read more »
Scientists have discovered an ancient river landscape hidden beneath the East Antarctica Ice SheetThe landscape has likely been buried beneath the ice for up to 34 million years.
Read more »
Ancient river valleys discovered beneath Antarctic ice sheetA better picture of the hidden landscape beneath the frozen surface of Antarctica could help us understand how the ice will respond to climate change
Read more »
'Ghost' of ancient river-carved landscape discovered beneath AntarcticaSascha is a U.K.-based trainee staff writer at Live Science. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Southampton in England and a master’s degree in science communication from Imperial College London. Her work has appeared in The Guardian and the health website Zoe.
Read more »
Ancient landscape formed by rivers revealed deep under Antarctic iceAntarctica has not always been a desolate land of ice and snow. Earth's southernmost continent once was home to rivers and forests teeming with life.
Read more »
Scientists find ancient landscape beneath the East Antarctic Ice SheetInteresting Engineering is a cutting edge, leading community designed for all lovers of engineering, technology and science.
Read more »