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Is this mysterious ‘door’ an entrance to a secret underground bunker in Antarctica? Truth behind viral pic

What do you think is the truth behind this viral picture that social media users claim shows a doorway to a secret underground bunker in Antarctica?

Published on: Oct 16, 2024, 14:23:15 IST
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“Massive door in Antarctica?” a Reddit post asked while sharing a screenshot of an “unusual addition” to Antarctic ice that they spotted on Google Maps. As expected of social media, the picture went viral, prompting outlandish ideas. While many suggested that it is a doorway to a secret underground bunker, others were more creative with their imagination, adding that it is the remains of a UFO. A few also claimed that it was the broken gate of an aeroplane.

This image of a mysterious “door” in Antarctica has prompted people to post outlandish ideas on social media. (Google Maps)
This image of a mysterious “door” in Antarctica has prompted people to post outlandish ideas on social media. (Google Maps)

What does the picture show?

“69°00'50"S 39°36'22"E,” a Reddit user mentioned the location coordinates while sharing the screenshot. The picture shows a satellite view of Antarctic ice. The terrain is mostly ice-covered, with patches of exposed rocks in some areas. In the middle of the viral photo, there is also a structure which has piqued everyone’s curiosity.

What is the truth behind it?

Though the ideas proposed by Reddit users are interesting and exciting, the truth is rather mundane. According to the New York Post, it is an iceberg.

“This is an iceberg that became grounded and is now stuck and melting out [in place],” Bethan Davies, a professor of glaciology at the University of Newcastle, told the outlet. “You can see many other icebergs in the area,” Davies added.

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Professor Martin Siegert, co-director of the Imperial College London’s Grantham Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, confirmed the same.

“This is simply ice flow around a solid subglacial obstacle, influenced also by melting and re-freezing of ice and by katabatic winds,” Siegert told the outlet, adding, “The ice is quite thin here, as evidenced by other outcrops of rock nearby, so the influence of the bed on ice flow will be strong.”

“It’s an interesting pattern, but not unusual or surprising glaciologically,” he continued.

  • Trisha Sengupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More