98 Foot Per Year Expansion in Crater Opens to Reveal Curious Ancient Forests
Known to the local Yakutian people as the “doorway to the underworld“, Batagaika Crater has been “growing” and revealing ancient forests buried beneath the earth in Siberia.
“Growing…” you ask? Well the Siberian permafrost has been super unstable recently and part of that includes giant holes appearing out of nowhere, vibrating grounds, and yes… expanding areas of land collapse. This is especially a problem around areas like Batagaika Crater. By the way this “crater” was not from a meteor impact. Oh, no, no, no. You see, a nearby area in the 1960’s was “cleared” for human needs and the pre-crater ground wasn’t shaded anymore in the really hot summer months. This sped things up more than the normal cycle, caused too much permafrost melting, and led to the subsequent collapse of the land that formed the crater. Add record floods from 2008 for the area and you’ve got a cocktail for mushy unstable land. Let’s call that cocktail the “Human Mudslide“. Got a nice ring to it.
Ok, so you’re like “So what, we screwed up some forest. We got plenty.” You’re right, we’ve got plenty and I suppose you could think that way… if you’re a total idiot that never researched anything.
So here’s the deal.
Melting permafrost should have set off all kinds of alarms in your head. When the permafrost melts it releases carbon into the air that’s been trapped in there for a gazillion whatevers (it’s technical but you get it). Latest word from those with knowledge says that there’s as much carbon in the permafrost as there is in the atmosphere. So when this stuff melts “you’re gonna have a bad time.”
Just think of it. Old carbon. Ewww. Gross.
Know what else? That carbon… it’s a greenhouse gas. We know you know that one. That 98 foot a year headline on this article starting to worry you? It probably should. Or not. I personally believe that we as little humans can merely study these forces right now. We’re way to primitive to even begin to counter some of the processes this world has going on. Seriously, go ahead and tell me how many aluminum cans I need to recycle before the giant hole in Siberia starts healing itself. Exactly. I’m like you, humanly powerless.
Hey wanna hear somethin’ else? We know like nothing about Siberia as far as it’s climate history. Something we do know about it though… this “slumping” phenomenon that’s going on hasn’t been seen since the “end of the last ice age“. Wouldn’t it be something if this is a warning sign? You know something that happens at the beginning and end of a cycle of weather? Sexy isn’t it?
I for one as usual welcome this phenomenon. I’m for anything that turns this world to mud and brings on the next ice age. Eat bacon.
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