Scientists discover 4 crore years old 1000 km long river system in Antarctica

Geologists have made a discovery in Western Antarctica that has shocked the world. A 4 crore year old river water flow system has emerged here. This river system has been found covered under a sheet of ice. Scientists are saying that millions of years ago a river of about 1 thousand kilometers long used to flow here. The surprising thing is that at that time there was such a huge climate change on Earth which changed the shape of the planet.

This discovery is being said to be the biggest discovery in history regarding changes in the Earth’s weather. to search Science Advances In the journal named (via) has been published. According to study co-author Johann Klages from the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Center for Polar and Marine Research in Germany, if we want to understand the maximum impact of climate change on Earth, we must learn from even bigger events that have happened in history.

The biggest change in the Earth’s atmosphere took place in the era called Eocene, 34 million to 44 million years ago. At that time the amount of carbon dioxide is said to be double than the present time. Scientists are saying that if the level of carbon continues to increase due to greenhouse gases for the next 150-200 years, then the amount of carbon dioxide present at that time will be able to accumulate on Earth.

After the climate change that occurred 40 million years ago, when the carbon level gradually started decreasing, glaciers started forming on the Earth. At present, most of Western Antarctica is buried in ice. Therefore, it is difficult to gather information about the rocks buried beneath it. Without studying the rocks, it is difficult to imagine the environment of that time.

In 2017 also, Johann Klages and his team had set out on a similar expedition. After drilling to a depth of 100 feet in the seabed, the team found evidence of rocks of two different ages. When the half-life of radioactive elements was measured, it was found that the lower remains were 85 million years old. These were said to belong to the middle Cretaceous period.