Free Republic

Deep beneath the thick ice that covers East Antarctica, scientists are revealing new discoveries about a mystery that has been hidden beneath the continent’s frozen exterior for half a billion years. According to newly published research, clues to the formation of a mountain range the size of the Alps tucked away below Antarctic ice are being revealed, offering geologists a unique glimpse at the processes behind their formation. The Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains, initially discovered by Soviet scientists during an expedition in 1958, have puzzled researchers for decades. Now, these massive features beneath Antarctica’s frozen surface, which were formed long ago...

A trough beneath Denman Glacier is the deepest continent point in the world, measuring more than 2 miles beneath sea level. Scientists have known for years that Denman Glacier, a very large glacier in East Antarctica, has a trough beneath it, but they had no idea just how deep it was until glaciologists at the University of California, Irvine, mapped the region. According to this recently compiled a sophisticated map of the icy continent, this trench is actually two miles (3.5 kilometers) below sea level, which practically makes it the deepest point in the world. The new topographic map of...