Scientists Say There’s A Geological Time Bomb Hidden Under Alaska – And It Could Be Catastrophic
In the remote reaches of Alaska, scientists have bored a tunnel deep beneath the tundra – and revealed something horrific. At this exact moment, though, the incredible danger around them is sealed in permafrost. Yet that doesn’t offer much comfort for the scientists. Why? Because they know the frozen soil is starting to melt. And when the permafrost melts it will trigger a time bomb that could have frightening consequences for humankind...
Diving In
The experts knew about the danger going in, of course. Alaska has always been a wild and beautiful place – but a worrying secret has laid buried for thousands of years in this stunning landscape of ice and snow. And even though life has changed little over the centuries here, this secret has the potential to wreak havoc across the Earth as we know it today.
What Lies Beneath
But what could this time bomb beneath the Alaskan wilderness be? Well, outside of Fairbanks – the state’s second-largest city – scientists have made some troubling revelations. In the 1960s, you see, researchers from the U.S. Army decided to dig a tunnel close to Fairbanks. And there they uncovered far more than they had bargained for.
Studying Permafrost
Apparently, the military’s goal was to study the natural phenomenon known as permafrost. What’s permafrost? This is a catch-all term for the type of frozen ground that covers some 85 percent of the entire state. It’s basically soil that has frozen solid. So why is that important?
Not Just On Land
According to scientists, permafrost impacts around 25 percent of the Northern Hemisphere. Consisting of substances such as gravel, sand and soil, permafrost typically occurs when the ground remains at freezing temperatures for more than a couple of years. And permafrost doesn’t just appear on land, either; it can also be found beneath the depths of our planet’s oceans. That’s where it can cause the most damage, too.
