Alaska’s frozen ground is vanishing, and scientists warn that nearly 40 percent of the state could become unstable by mid-century. Permafrost, long locked beneath the surface, is thawing at an alarming rate as temperatures climb.
The state of Alaska is warming at roughly two to three times the rate of the rest of the United States, and the effects are visible in its terrain. In areas where the ground has long been held together by permafrost, rising temperatures are causing the soil to destabilize. Trees in some forests lean at sharp angles because the ground beneath them is softening. Local residents have referred to thes…
Scientists may have finally proven Alaska’s lake monster—and what they found makes Jaws look tame. For decades, locals reported something massive lurking in Lake Iliamna, some claiming to spot a creature longer than a boat.
Lake Iliamna in southwest Alaska is one of the largest bodies of fresh water in the United States. It stretches roughly 77 miles long and 22 miles across, with depths reaching more than 1,000 feet in places. The area around it is remote wilderness, accessible mainly by small aircraft. Indigenous communities have lived along its shores for generations.For a long time, local oral traditions describe…