Source India Today
Scientists have uncovered a vast and dramatic hidden landscape beneath Antarctica, revealing giant mountain ranges, deep valleys, and ancient landforms never seen before.
A newly released high-resolution map of Antarctica’s bedrock has exposed a mysterious world buried under kilometers of ice, transforming scientists’ understanding of the frozen continent. The map shows towering mountain ranges comparable in size to the Alps, along with deep basins, rugged plateaus, and river-like valleys that have remained concealed for millions of years.
The breakthrough comes from years of data collected using ice-penetrating radar, satellite measurements, seismic surveys, and airborne missions. By combining these datasets, researchers were able to strip away the thick ice cover digitally and reconstruct the shape of the land beneath.
According to scientists involved in the project, the newly revealed terrain plays a crucial role in how Antarctic ice flows toward the ocean. Mountain ranges can slow down glaciers, while deep valleys may act as channels that accelerate ice movement. This information is critical for improving predictions of future sea-level rise as global temperatures continue to increase.
“The landscape beneath Antarctica is far more complex than we previously imagined,” researchers said. “Understanding this hidden geography helps us better model how the ice sheet responds to climate change.”
One of the most striking discoveries is the scale of the buried mountains, some stretching hundreds of kilometers across. These features suggest Antarctica once had a dynamic geological history, with tectonic activity, erosion, and possibly even river systems before it became encased in ice.
The map is also expected to guide future scientific missions, helping researchers decide where to drill ice cores to study Earth’s past climate. Ice trapped above valleys and basins may preserve records going back millions of years.
Scientists say the findings highlight how much of Earth remains unexplored, even in an age of satellites and advanced technology. Hidden beneath Antarctica’s ice lies a lost world—one that could hold vital clues about the planet’s history and its future in a warming climate.
