Ice
Ice is pretty amazing in that just about anything can be preserved in ice. Over the years, scientists, explorers, archaeologists, and even normal, everyday people have come across some pretty interesting things frozen in time. Scientists have recently uncovered unlikely species trapped in ice for centuries, and other amazing things have been discovered. Here are some of the most interesting things that have been found. The reason that animals and objects that are thousands of years old are now being discovered has a lot to do with global warming. As glaciers and mountains begin to thaw, things that have been frozen in time for thousands of years are finally seeing the light of day.
A Frozen Lighthouse
There are times when it gets so cold outside that the surrounding architecture can completely freeze. This is a common occurrence for a lighthouse in Michigan. It was so cold out that the spiral staircase froze completely. It wasn’t long before the whole lighthouse was enveloped in ice. Fortunately, the lighthouse isn’t manned during the winter months. Anyone inside could have easily frozen to death.
Mammoth Brains
This is the only species of the mammoth to be found with its brain intact. This mammoth wasn’t found in an ice patch. It was found in some permafrost of the Laptev Sea coast. The mammoth is around 39,000 years old, and experts believe that it was just a child when it died, between six and nine years old. Scientists believe that the mammoth fell and died instantly. =
The Frozen Fox
A Herman hunter was out by a lake in Germany when he came across this fox frozen in the ice. It is not uncommon to find just as many modern animals in the ice as prehistoric ones, because, in some regions of the world, the temperature outside gets really cold. The hunter who found the fox says that it isn’t the first animal he found in a block of ice. He also found a deer and a wild boar. The frozen fox is not displayed outside of a German hotel.
Alive In Ice
Alligators are different than most creatures in that they don’t freeze to death. The physiology of certain alligators makes it possible for their internal organs to remain preserved in frozen water. Where most living things will freeze to death or at least get frostbite, these alligators can survive and even thrive.
A Plane
In 1952, a military plane was heading for Anchorage, Alaska. It was carrying 41 passengers and 11 crew members. The plane came a bit short and crashed into a nearby glacier. The conditions were so unsafe at the time that rescue workers couldn’t get to the wreckage. It took 50 years for the glacier to recede enough for a salvage mission to be sent to the crash site.
Interrupting Dinner
This is a fantastic specimen that was found by a fisherman. This fish was in the middle of eating another fish; the water got too cold to bear. He was frozen in time, in the middle of having his dinner. The man who found the fish say that it was the find of a lifetime.
A Dinosaur
This is a nodosaur, and it is believed to be about 110 million years old. This places it in the Cretaceous period. This was a time where predation was intense. They had to change and evolve to survive, and the nodosaur grew spikes and armor. This mummified dinosaur skeleton was found in ice, and freezing was likely the cause of death.
A Frozen Kingfisher
The kingfisher uses its incredibly long, sharp beak to catch its dinner. It dives under the water and comes back up with fish. This specimen was found in Weisendorf, in northern Bavaria. It appears that the bird was hungry, so it dove into the water for dinner like it usually did. Unfortunately, the water was so cold that it froze instantly when it went into the water. The bird must not have known how cold the water was.
Frozen Ice-Age Puppy
Researchers were deep in the Siberian tundra looking for mammoth tusks when they came upon this frozen prehistoric puppy. Scientists believe that the puppy is around 12,460 years old. It wasn’t as well-preserved as other animals found in ice, but for its age, it was in better condition than you would expect.
Copper Arrowheads
When copper arrowheads were found preserved in ice, it gave experts a better idea of how modern society once was. The discovery suggests that the culture understood metallurgy. The arrowhead was barbed and made like a modern-day fishhook. The style of the weaponry shows that technology back then was much more advanced than we once believed.
Evidence Of Vikings
In Juvfonna, Norway, scientists found evidence of Viking gear within several glaciers. The clothing was made from the skin and fur of reindeer. They also found sticks, bows, arrows, and leather parts of shoes. These objects are believed to be 3,400-years-old. They even found reindeer traps that gave a bit more insight into the life of a Viking.
Bloody Ice
One of the most incredible sights in Antarctica is a blood-red stream called Blood Falls glacier. It looks like blood, but the water is actually red due to a high content of iron in the water. Where the iron is coming from is unknown, but it is pretty amazing to see.
Old Forests
When glaciers advance, they crush everything in their path. They are also capable of picking up rocks and debris. The sediment is called moraine. It acts as a cushion for things that the glacier should have crushed. This is a frozen forest. Rather than destroying the forest, the moraine preserved it. There are placed in the world where entire forests are frozen in ice.
Victims Of the White War
During World War I, many battles occurred in the Alps. This was tough on the soldiers because of the frigid temperatures. Many people didn’t die in battle; instead, they froze to death. During an expedition to the Alps, many bodies were found frozen and preserved.
First Nations People
Not long ago, scientists found the body of an ancestor to the nearby First Nations people, and it is believed to be 300-years-old. The man has been dubbed, “Long Ago Man,” and was found wearing a robe made from the skins of 95 pelts. He also had a walking stick, a fur coat, and fish scales in his pockets. It is believed that he died when he fell into the glacier.
Woolly Mammoth
More than one woolly mammoth have been found in places like Alaska and the Arctic. Recently, a woolly mammoth was found in an ice tomb in Siberia. It is believed to be 39,000 years old. It was found in the Novosibirsk islands, which is an archipelago in Northern Russia. One of the most finely preserved specimens ever found. The blood and muscle tissue was intact, which makes scientists believe that cloning is possible. Why anyone would want to resurrect the woolly mammoth is unknown.
Spears In Yellowstone
In Yellowstone, scientists have discovered a spear that is said to be 10,300 years old. It is believed that the spear was used to kill animals such as bison and elk. The discovery proves that there were humans in Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. This goes against what scientists previously believed.
Otzi Man
Otzi Man is one of the most famous humans ever to be found frozen in ice. The well-preserved boy was found in the Alps, between Austria and Italy. It is said to be 5,300-years-old. After studying Otzi Man, it was determined that he was a genetic ancestor to many people in Austria. Researchers also discovered that he was riddled with diseases including gallstones, gum disease, worn joints, hardened arteries, parasitic worms, and Lyme disease. He had an arrow embedded in his shoulder, and the cause of death was a blow to the skull.
Woolly Rhino
The woolly rhino was covered with fur to protect it from the cold temperatures. One specimen was so well-preserved that fur covered every part of its body that hadn’t already been gnawed on by predators. The rhino that they found was discovered in Sakha, Russia, which is one of the coldest areas of northern Russia. It is believed to have been 18-months-old when it froze to death. The species died out 10,000 years ago.
Sabretooth Tigers
A group of Russian scientists found the remains of a frozen sabretooth tiger that was remarkably well-preserved. The specimen was found in Yakutia, Siberia. It was a cub and was covered with fur. This species died out over 10,000 years ago. Not long after, another one was found off the coast of the UK, and it weighed over 881 pounds.
Atlatl Darts
Atlatl darts are one of the first known weapons made by anatomically modern humans. These weapons came before the bow and arrow. It is a four to six-foot-long spear with a handle and a notch at the end. Scientists found one frozen in ice, and it is in impeccable condition.
Dart Shaft
Scientists were looking in the petrified poop of a caribou, and they found a dart shaft. This proved that there were hunters in the area and that they were skilled craftsmen. Digging through poop is pretty gross, but scientists can learn a lot by doing it.
Ancient Bacteria
Scientists have come across bacteria samples that are believed to be around a quarter of a million years ago. Another specimen was found that was thought to be around 8 million-years-old. The only type of bacteria that can sustain such cold temperatures must be able to form spores. The spores can go into hibernation, making it impervious to the freezing cold temperatures.
Caribou Poop
As mentioned earlier, caribou poop contains clues to mysteries that have left scientists stumped for years. The poop can tell them what the caribou ate, where, and when. It may sound gross, but poop can answer more questions than you know.
A Frozen Prehistoric Moose
As the snow and ice melted, the antlers of a prehistoric moose have come up through the snow. The discovery gave scientists a better understanding of ancient creatures. These prehistoric creatures had a lot in common with the ones that live today.
A Horse-Squid Hybrid
This strange squid was found frozen in the ice. Scientists describe it as a horse-squid hybrid, and it appears to have legs and hair. This could be due to the ice around the squid or the way it is positioned. When scientists thaw out the specimen, they will be able to learn more about it.
A Frozen Frog
This sweet little frog was just trying to get across a stream when the worst happened. He must have been wet when the cold air came and froze him in the middle of this journey. It isn’t surprising that he froze because the temperature in Norway, where he was found, can be extremely cold. Scientists believe that he didn’t feel anything when he froze.
Frozen Donkeys
This photo is heartbreaking. The person in charge of caring for these donkeys didn’t do their job. When the cold weather came, the donkeys froze to death right where they were standing. It is incredible that the donkeys didn’t fall over when they started to freeze to death.
Human Sacrifice
The Incas often performed ritual sacrifices of children on the highest peaks of the Andes Mountains. They believed that sacrificing children would bring them rain, better crops, and protection. The highest peaks are around 15,000-feet, and over the years, over 115 different burial sites have been found. In 1954, the body of a young girl named Juanita was found, and she was one of the sacrifices.
