15 Photos Of Freaky Things Found Lurking Under The Ice

One can only wonder how many skeletons the Earth keeps in its closet, how many monsters will show up or how much treasure we will finally unearth once the ice melts. Part of us can't wait to see it but at the same time, we don't want all the ice to melt just yet.

The most extreme places of the Earth often hide the most unique and fascinating wonders mankind has yet to see. They say that 95 percent of the ocean is unexplored and the subzero regions are a big part of that. The arctic and antarctic are part of another world.

Most of the finds are dangerous, from a slow shark that attacks anything on sight, to a cursed caveman that caused the deaths of many, read on as we count down all the freaky things that can be found under the ice.

15 Sleeper Sharks: The Slow Killers Of The Deep

Swimming at the icy depths of the Antarctic is Somniosus Antarcticus, a bloodthirsty carnivore ready to pounce on anyone and anything (even humans). The shark can grow upwards of 12 feet, is known to be blind and can swim at a sluggish 0.3 m/s. It's a slow but menacing predator. In fact, it's one of the oldest sharks in the world (average age of 400 years old).

14 Lost Continent: Antarctic's Ancient Graveyard

Remnants of an ancient civilization lie beneath the Antarctic shelves, according to scientists. Could this be another Atlantis-like region? Geologists claim that Antarctica was once part of Gondwana, a supercontinent, and fragments match Australia's. There is also evidence of human settlement so it's very possible that a small community may have existed in the inhospitable environment.

13 Sub-Antarctic Lava Lake: Ready To Blow Up Anytime

Mount Erebus is literally ice and fire. It is also one of the highest ultra mountains on Earth, with an elevation of 12,400 ft and remains the most active southernmost volcano on Earth, making it a cold day in hell. Scientists have concluded that the lava lake has been causing major ozone depletion and there's probably nothing we can do about it.

12 300 Mile-Wide Gravity Anomaly: Evidence Of Extraterrestrial Life On Earth

A 250-million-year-old mystery was uncovered by NASA in 2019. Consistent with a gigantic impact crater, countless theories have been spawned such as how they could actually be secret German WW2 bases or some alien lair, could this be the passage to the center of the Earth?

11 Prehistoric Germs: More Deadly Than The Bubonic Plague

Who knew that the Siberian ice plains were weapons of mass destruction? From anthrax to methane, permafrost could preserve anything for hundreds of millions of years and as climate change reaches new records, we are just moments away from unleashing these bugs.

10 Creepy Featherstar: Camouflaged Toxic Species

We never knew that the Antarctic had the worst-looking creepy crawlies such as this Feather Star that seems to feed on everyone's fears. Imagine coming face to face with a spiny, mutated plant. They emit toxic fumes, and their glowing colors usually help them fend off predators.

9 Super Giant Arachnids: As Huge As A Dinner Plate

Sorry arachnophobes, you aren't safe here on Earth, not even in the poles. For some reason, sea life in colder climates develops a weird mutation called "Polar Gigantism" which causes them to swell up. These daddy long legs can grow to over 1 foot in length and they breathe through their legs.

8 World's Oldest Pyramids: Remnants Of An Ancient Civilization?

A few million years ago, the Antarctic was teeming with life. Alien-like plants dwelled in extreme climates and there's a possibility that the first humans were able to adapt to the environment. Plenty of conspiracy theories have been springing up lately, the perfect cone you see above is thought to be a pyramid.

7 Cursed Mummies (Otzi The Iceman): Touch Him And It's All Over

Otzi is said to have lived during late 3000 BCE. He met a violent end and was discovered in 1991 in the Otzal Alps. Shortly after, mysterious occurrences took the lives of the examiners along with some archaeologists, similar to the Curse of the Pharaohs. Otzi was believed to have been a victim of a ritual sacrifice leading many to believe that black magic was responsible for the archaeologists' deaths.

6 280-Million-Year-Old Fossil Forests: Remnants Of An Old Civilization Shows How Earth Was A Healthier Planet

Once upon a time, Antarctica was covered with forests and the continent was warmer, a green region. Just recently, researchers unearthed a little piece of history, similar to the fossils found in Yellowstone Park dating back to the Permian Period. When the Earth shifted, Antarctica was chiseled from the supercontinent Gondwana and wiped out 70-90 percent of life on Earth.

5 A Lost World War II Squadron: Plunged Into Greenland

Under 300 feet of ice, a P38 sat quietly waiting to be discovered, until 2018 when a team of researchers excavated the plane. This is just 1 of 8 other planes that crash-landed into Greenland after a blizzard threw them off course. The airmen were recovered, fortunately, but the other servicemen who flew this course were not so lucky.

4 Skeleton Lake: Dozens Of Hikers Meet Their Doom In The Himalayas Every Year

Located in India, this frozen lake of skeletons made the headlines a few decades ago when a soldier patrolling the area caught a glimpse of the morbid scene. Research shows that these remains dated all the way back to 850 AD and even worse, all of them died by blows to the head, not by weapons but by hailstones probably during a pilgrimage.

3 Blood (Flowing Endlessly): Ice-Cold Cocktail Of Death

The Antarctic bleeds iron. As you can see above, the elevated salinity coupled with iron results in oxidation. The bloody water extends deeper into a network of subglacial lakes and rivers. It's magical since this is the coldest glacier on Earth yet there is a waterfall on the side of it.

2 Sunken Yacht: The Antarctic Is A Big Graveyard Of Ships

In 2012, a Brazilian yacht (Mar Sem Fin) sank in the Antarctic ocean after being hurled by strong winds. Luckily, all crew members were rescued. A year later, the owner recovered the ship but it was beyond repair. The photo above shows the ghastly remains of the ship, enough to give anyone a dose of Thalassophobia.

1 A Kraken?: Legendary Monster That Devours Ships

One of the largest predators of the seas has awoken. This legendary "Kraken" was spotted off the coast of Antarctica. It stands over a hundred feet tall. Researchers, however, suggest that this is just one huge rock, the volcanic "Sail Rock" to be precise. We may have to hunt for Cthulhu somewhere else.

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