Whenever scientists dig underground or dip their heads underwater, they never know what they’re going to find under the surface. But there’s another place where scientists and explorers make fascinating discovers — and that’s under ice. Whether it’s left over from the last ice age or simply from a cold corner of the world, ice is great at preserving things and great at keeping secrets.
Over the years, scientists have made many important discoveries when they have found humans, animals, or other items that have been literally trapped in ice. In some cases, the items found almost seem closer to science fiction than science fact. However, they are strikingly real and most hold great historical significance to specific events or give us insight into life hundreds of years ago. Be prepared to be equal parts intrigued and creeped out as we take a look at the 20 craziest things scientists have discovered trapped in ice.
Woolly Mammoth
Not surprisingly, scientists have stumbled upon plenty of woolly mammoths that have been frozen in ice and largely preserved from when they were alive. Those scientists who are brave enough to explore areas in northern Alaska, Siberia, and anywhere around the Arctic Circle are the most likely to find one of these prehistoric creatures surrounded by a block of ice. In 2007, one of the most famous mammoths, a calf named Lyuba was discovered. Testing revealed she died nearly 42,000 years ago when she was barely one month old. Lyuba’s organs, eyes, blood, and skin were so well-preserved that some scientists believe it may be possible to clone her and potentially bring woolly mammoth’s back to life. That day isn’t here just yet, but if it does, we’ll owe it to the scientists who find these specimens stuck in ice.
Wikipedia
Lighthouse
Okay, so lighthouses aren’t a new and exciting discovery, but they are sometimes found completely covered with a thick layer of ice. This lighthouse pictured is in Michigan, where the winters are so cold that rock-solid ice can sometimes surround entire buildings. Fortunately, there was nobody inside this lighthouse when some extreme weather event caused it to become trapped under a sheet of ice (not that the building was going anywhere). It’s almost as if Queen Elsa from the movie Frozen used her magic powers on this lighthouse. It’s truly mesmerizing to think that this could happen via Mother Nature alone.
