The volcanoes of Antarctica could wake up and make the Earth uninhabitable. This is the conclusion reached by scientists who study the pristine lands of the continent.
Today, there are about 5 thousand scientists from different countries on the continent. They are studying the regions that were previously untouched. Due to this, we can learn more not only about the history of our planet, but also the latest changes that affect the climate.
According to the Express, researchers have discovered more than 100 dormant volcanoes under the ice sheet of the continent, making it the largest volcanic region on Earth.
The find became especially important because the activity of these volcanoes could have decisive consequences for the rest of the planet.
If an eruption occurs, it could further destabilize some of the region’s ice sheets that have already been affected by global warming.
” This is a huge icy wasteland is on top of a volcanic mountain range. Antarctica – the coldest continent on Earth, and it’s quite puzzling we did not know that beneath it were buried active volcanoes in 2013, when a group of scientists accidentally discovered two small earthquakes”, – the study authors say.
In total, 138 volcanoes under the ice were found here at once.
“It is only those that we know … We will not have to deal with volcanic gases coming to the surface, at least, before the first eruption. But such an event can have devastating consequences for the rest of the world” – a scientist warns.
Multiple volcanic eruptions can wake up over 100 other volcanoes and destabilize the entire region.
“If the ice melts, it will raise global sea level by about 60 meters, slowing down the movement of large storms and more rain. Hurricanes and typhoons wreak havoc on the Earth’s surface. We will see thousands of deaths and storms sweep away cities from the face of the Earth,” the researchers added.
YouTube channel “What If” has released a documentary about Antarctica, which shows not the best possible scenario. The continent has been scanned with a special radar that can penetrate the ice.
It is worth noting that normal volcanic eruption conditions do not apply to the area. In this situation, there may not be any warning signs, because the volcanoes are located under a layer of ice, the thickness of which reaches about 4 kilometers.
