Rosalind Evans
In a remarkable scientific feat, researchers have unveiled a hidden ancient landscape preserved beneath the East Antarctic ice sheet, providing crucial insights into the Earth’s past. Using satellite data and planes equipped with ice-penetrating radar, scientists mapped out 32,000 square kilometres of land, revealing a terrain formed by rivers and resembling the hills and valleys of present-day North Wales. This significant discovery was made in an area that is “less well known than the surface of Mars,” according to lead study author Stewart Jamieson, a professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Durham.
“The land underneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet is less well known than the surface of Mars,” said Jamieson. “And that’s a problem because that landscape controls the way that ice in Antarctica flows, and it controls the way it might respond to past, present, and future climate change.”
The meticulously preserved nature of the landscape is what makes it extraordinary. Usually, the movement of ice sheets would erode and grind down ancient terrains, but this landscape survived the test of time. “In other areas, we’d expect there to be liquid water between the ice and the bed, which helps grind stuff away. We don’t have that in our location. So that partly explains how something could survive for so long,” explained Jamieson in a phone interview.
Understanding the reason behind the survival of this ancient landscape could aid scientists in predicting the future dynamics of the East Antarctic ice sheet. This is particularly important as the East Antarctic ice sheet contains the equivalent of approximately 60 meters of potential sea level rise, a critical factor as the planet continues to warm.
The researchers have not yet determined what kind of plants and wildlife may have once inhabited the area. Still, the presence of rivers suggests that the landscape was likely vegetated, making it a valuable snapshot of Earth’s ancient past.
This groundbreaking discovery of an ancient landscape beneath the East Antarctic ice sheet opens a window into a long-lost world, providing valuable insights into the history of our planet. The well-preserved nature of the landscape is a testament to the unique conditions of the Antarctic region, which have allowed scientists to uncover this hidden treasure. As we continue to grapple with the challenges of climate change, understanding the past becomes ever more crucial in shaping our response to the future.
