What is permafrost?

Permafrost is ground that remains frozen for two years or more. It’s made up of soil, rocks and sand, and held together by ice. In some places, this ground layer formed over 100,000 years ago, and can reach several miles in depth. Around 24% of land in the Northern Hemisphere has permafrost underneath it, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Center. It’s mostly found in Arctic countries, in places like Russia, Canada and Alaska. As planet Earth’s climate warms, this permafrost is thawing, an alarming situation which is already having a dramatic impact.

What’s happening to the permafrost then? How does that affect the rest of us who don’t live in those regions? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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