An unusual ice formation near Japan’s Showa Station in East Antarctica has sparked wild theories on the internet. This rectangular shape, resembling a giant doorway, has led some to speculate about its origins, ranging from a secret Nazi base to a Bigfoot vacation home.
An astute user on Reddit first spotted the mysterious structure on Google Maps at the coordinates of 69° 00′ 50″ S, 39° 36′ 22″ E. One user asked: “Giant door in Antarctica?” Another suggested, “Boeing’s doors just blown off,” referring to recent airborne accidents, and yet another joked, “I wonder if DoorDash is there.”
A giant door in Antarctica? 3/20/24
byu/realg00n conspiracy
Scientists have since considered more grounded explanations. Bethan Davies, professor of glaciology at Newcastle University, used Google Earth Pro and historical imagery to explore the coordinates. She said: “This is an iceberg that fell to the ground and is now sticking together and melting. There are many other icebergs that can be seen in the area.” .
Adding to this, Professor Martin Siegert, co-director of the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and Environment at Imperial College London, said: “This is simply ice flow around a solid obstruction under the glacier; thawing and refreezing, as well as the kabatic phenomenon.” Wind. He stressed that the ice in this region is very thin and the bedrock can have a strong influence on ice flow.
Glaciologist Richard Smelley said the formation was probably caused by a ridge of rock exposed by falling ice, contributing to the “doorway” appearance. He said there are “two prominent parallel snow tails that form the sides of the ‘doorway’,” indicating the main wind direction.
Smelly added that with a good imagination, the whole thing can look like a weak and completely false door. “I’m sure this is just a natural phenomenon and nothing to get excited about.”
