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August 30th

8/30/2013

 
Pictureen.wikipedia.org
Beneath the ice sheet that smothers most of Greenland, scientists have discovered one of the biggest canyons in the world. See more on this story at BBC News.
While researching climate change, the British Antarctic Survey mapped Greenland’s bedrock by radar and came upon the stunning canyon measuring 800km long and up to 800m deep. A great river carved out the land more than four million years ago, before the ice.

The discovery of such a remarkable massive geographical feature previously unseen left The British Antarctic Survey team stunned.


Picturewww.businessweek.com
The hidden valley, longer than the Grand Canyon in Arizona, snakes its way from the centre of Greenland up to the northern coastline. Before the ice sheet packed the canyon with ice, it would have contained a river gushing into the Arctic Ocean.

Apparently, the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets hide a lot. The canyon would have been partly uncovered at the time of the last interglacial 100,000 years ago.

The canyon has never been seen by humans, who didn't exist four million years ago. If the Greenland ice sheet melts completely it will raise global sea level and swamp many major cities.

And now, dear friends, my favorite part—the history: Greenlandic Inuit people are considered to be descended from Dorset and Thule people, who settled Greenland in ancient times. As 84% of Greenland's land mass is covered by the Greenland ice sheet, Inuit people live in three regions: Polar, Eastern, and Western. In the 1850s, additional Canadian Inuit joined the Polar Inuit communities.

Humans are thought to have arrived in Greenland, possibly from Ellesmere Island, around 3000–2500 BCE. Other researchers believe the first humans in Greenland were the Saqqaq culture people that migrated to west Greenland from Siberia around 2500 BCE. Saqqaq people, who survived until 800 BCE, are unrelated to contemporary Greenlandic Inuit people.


Picturewww.virginmedia.com
Around 1000 BCE, people from the Dorset culture settled in Greenland. Dorset people flourished in Greenland from 600 BCE to 200 CE. Thule culture people entered Greenland about 900 CE. Thule people used kayaks, harpoons, and dogsleds. Erik the Red led Viking colonization of the island, beginning in 982 CE. Denmark claimed Greenland in 1605 and again in 1775.

People shifted around a lot in the days of old. But most amazing of all, why did they want to live in such a cold place? I dread the approach of winter.
I don't think modern woman, living in an overheated home, would survive those harsh conditions.


Sherryl Wilson link
8/29/2013 09:54:02 pm

I agree with you! I don't think I would be happy in such hard conditions. I complain now when it is under 35 for more than a day.

Francene Stanley link
8/30/2013 03:14:21 am

Ate we weak nowadays, or what? Maybe the people who live in frezing conditions cope better because they're prepared.

Sophie Bowns link
8/29/2013 11:23:16 pm

Wow! They are amazing! Isn't nature an incredible thing? I am also no good at coping with the cold!

Francene Stanley link
8/30/2013 03:15:22 am

Nature constantly strikes me with awe.


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    Author

    Francene Stanley, author of many published novels. If you like my writing, why not consider purchasing one of my books? You'll see them on the sidebar below.
    Born in Australia, I moved to Britain half way through my long life.

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