NASA scientists recently discovered Camp Century, a Cold War-era U.S. military base buried 100 feet beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet. The base was identified through advanced radar mapping of the ice sheet, revealing its tunnels and structures in unprecedented detail, according to NASA cryospheric scientist Alex Gardner.
Built in 1959 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Camp Century was a nuclear-powered base designed to test Arctic missile operations. The project, known as “Project Iceworm,” was abandoned in 1967 due to logistical challenges.
Camp Century: Did you know there’s an abandoned Cold War military base in Greenland, 100 feet below the surface? Check out this new view of the “city under the ice” from NASA… https://t.co/7qEbE036L5 pic.twitter.com/jWruGAvJHW
— Marc Weinberg (@MarcWeinbergWX) November 27, 2024
According to reports, NASA has identified hazardous materials at Camp Century, which were left behind with the belief that the ice would permanently seal the site. Scientists expressed concern that climate change could cause the 100 feet of ice covering the base to melt, potentially releasing waste into the atmosphere.
Scientists estimate that the buried waste covers 136 acres and includes 53,000 gallons of diesel fuel, 63,000 gallons of wastewater, and an unknown quantity of low-level radioactive coolant from the nuclear generator.
“The waste was not designed to be retrievable, but it could become an environmental hazard,” Gardner noted.
The data gathered during NASA’s expedition will help model the ice sheet’s behavior and assess the risks posed by Camp Century’s buried materials, according to reports.
