Scientists have unveiled a new map revealing the landscape beneath Antarctica’s vast ice sheets in unprecedented detail.
The research was lead by Helen Ockenden of the Grenoble-Alpes University and published in the journal Science on January 15. By combining satellite data with models of how glaciers move, researchers were able to reconstruct the continent’s hidden surface.
The map reveals thousands of previously undiscovered hills and ridges, and offers the clearest views of Antarctica’s buried mountain ranges to date. While some uncertainties remain, scientists say the findings could improve understanding of how Antarctica’s ice sheets respond to climate change, and what that could mean for future sea-level rise, one of the most compelling challenges humanity is facing.
The continent, the last great wilderness on Earth, has captivated humanity for centuries. Shrouded in mystery and locked beneath impenetrable layers of ice, this desolate land has inspired explorers, scientists, and dreamers to push the boundaries of possibility. What explorers would have once considered to be magic, humanity was able to craft through innovation and a relentless quest to unveil the unknown.
Click through this gallery to see how Antarctica was mapped and charted across centuries.