Runaway Slopes: The Geography of Thermokarst
As the Arctic warms, its frozen ground is beginning to thaw and collapse, creating a chaotic landscape of 'drunken forests' and massive 'thaw slumps.' This process, known as thermokarst, is…
Tag: permafrost
Frost Heaving: The Ground That Lifts
Frost heaving is the powerful natural process where freezing water in soil expands, pushing the ground upwards with enough force to destroy roads and foundations. This same force is a…
Periglacial Landscapes: Beyond the Ice
Beyond the colossal power of glaciers lies a subtler, yet equally dramatic world. These are the periglacial landscapes, found at the frigid edges of ice sheets and in the vast…
Canada’s Ice Roads
Canada's ice roads are a remarkable feat of engineering and a vital lifeline that materializes each winter across the nation's north. These temporary highways, built over frozen lakes and tundra,…
Solifluction: When Permafrost Soil Flows
In the world's coldest regions, the ground itself is on the move. Discover solifluction, the slow, creeping flow of soil driven by the relentless cycle of freezing and thawing that…
Svalbard Seed Vault: Humanity’s Arctic Backup
Journey to the Arctic Circle and discover the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, a fortress of ice safeguarding the future of our food. Buried deep within a frozen Norwegian mountain, this…