Unending Discoveries
There is millions of year's worth of history buried under our very feet.
Once in a while, someone will either stumble upon, or intentionally dig up some amazing things that have been hiding under permafrost and in glaciers - from clothing to entire forests.
Message In A Bottle
It wasn't because of a research team digging in some far-off place.
An Alaskan teen found a bottled that had been lost since the Cold War. The message inside was from a Russian soldier who asked the person who found the bottle to contact him.
War Remains
During WWII, there were actually 6000 troops who were trained in a very unique specialization.
These men might have had the higher ground, which made it good for fighting the enemy, but it also meant that many of them suffered from frost bite and then froze to death.
Bacteria
With all the ancient ice that's melting, there is also ancient bacteria that's popping up.
Some samples contain bacteria that's over 700,000 years old. This of course, poses problems for the world population. But don't worry, there will be no zombie outbreaks in the near future.
Grasshoppers
We're not talking about one or two ... or a few hundred. It's way more.
There are at least three glaciers in the world that are full of them - numbering in the high millions. Many of these swarms are also over a million years old. Two of them are in Wyoming and Montana.
Treasure
In 2013, a mountain climber was exploring Mont Blanc and stumbling on something shiny.
While we think of most buried treasure being found in the ocean wherever X marks the spot, this box was thought to be lost from a plane crash in the 60s. It contained over $300,000 worth of sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. The climber was so honest, he immediately turned it over to the police.
A Nuclear Reactor
It started with "Project Iceworm", which was a secret Cold War program that aimed to develop a network of mobile nuclear missile launch site under the Greenland ice layer.
The main objective of this mission was to strike at targets within the Soviet Union. To study the complexity of working under the ice, a highly publicized cover project, known as “Camp Century." Needless to say, the local government wasn't happy when they found out.
Ancient Air
Air might not sound that interesting, but when it's from 20,000 years ago, there's a lot scientists can learn.
The deep pockets have been sealed off and still contain gases, such as Krypton, that revealed what the atmosphere was like during that time. They are often uncovered by oil drilling teams.
Anthrax
Due to melting permafrost, one small town in Siberia got a huge scare.
The melting had uncovered infected reindeer carcasses that had been buried decades ago. After coming in contact with warm air, the spores were re-released. It seeped into the ground and town water, infecting thousands.
Otzi Man
It is one of the best preserved set of remains ever found (and dating back 5,300 years).
He was so well preserved, that scientists could tell that he suffered from gum disease, gallstones, worn joints, hardened arteries, Lyme disease, and parasitic worms. Poor guy.
Pithovirus
It first discovered in 2014 and was found in Siberia in 30,000-year-old ice.
The virus can latch on to its target and cause them to literally burst wide open. Thankfully it only attack amoebas, so us humans are safe. Still, very scary.
An Iron Age Tunic
Weapons and tools, including horseshoes and arrows are common finds under the ice.
But researchers found one tunic that dated back to 250-350 A.D. What made it extra interesting was that it had been rolled up into a ball and covered with horse droppings, and ended up frozen.
A Subglacial Forest
No, it doesn't mean some trees were coated in ice after a harsh storm.
In Mendenhall Glacier region of Alaska, researchers discovered thousands of trees literally frozen under the earth. It was like a forest frozen in a snow globe. The team dated the find at around 3000 years old.
Fish In A Fish
If you've ever seen a flash flood, you know how relentless Mother Nature can be.
But many people don't know that water can freeze just as quickly. Because of this, researchers uncovered a wonderfully preserved fish with a smaller fish barely sticking out of its mouth. Ah, the scary circle of life.
Ancient Plants
Ellesmere Island region had what's known as a "little ice age."
While the permafrost killed off most of the plant life, there was one very hearty moss that endured being encased for over 400 years. What's even cooler is that it didn't just de-frost, it started growing again!