In a remarkable discovery that seems straight out of a Cold War thriller, NASA scientists stumbled upon an abandoned military base hidden beneath the ice sheet of Greenland. This secret city, known as Camp Century, was unearthed by chance during a routine survey in April, shedding light on a long-forgotten relic of US-Soviet tensions. According to Chad Greene, a scientist with NASA, what started as a search for the bed of the ice quickly turned into an unexpected journey into history.
Camp Century was initially constructed in 1959 by the US Army Corps of Engineers at the height of the Cold War. The base served as part of Project Iceworm, an ambitious plan to deploy missile launch sites under the ice sheet. This nuclear-powered site was not just a military installation but also a research facility where soldiers and scientists worked together to drill ice core samples and explore the feasibility of constructing missile silos in such extreme conditions.
The project aimed to house up to 200 personnel and featured an extensive network of tunnels and even an experimental railway system designed to transport missiles. However, despite these grand plans, Project Iceworm never came to fruition, and Camp Century was decommissioned and abandoned in 1967.
For decades, Camp Century lay forgotten until recently when advanced radar technology aboard a Gulfstream III plane revealed detailed images of what lies beneath the ice. These scans showed the intricate layout of tunnels and structures that now lie about 100 feet below the surface.
While previous radar scans had hinted at something beneath the ice, it wasn't until this latest survey that researchers were able to get a clear view of Camp Century's remnants. The discovery has sparked interest not only among historians but also among scientists who are keen to understand more about this Cold War artifact.
Although Walter Cronkite once toured Camp Century for CBS News shortly after its establishment, revealing its existence to the public, many details about its operations remained shrouded in secrecy. Today's revelation offers a new glimpse into this intriguing chapter of history.
NASA's recent findings have been described as "a novel curiosity acquired by chance," but they also underscore how much remains hidden beneath our planet's surface waiting to be discovered. As researchers continue to analyze data from this find, Camp Century is once again capturing imaginations around the world, reminding us of the lengths nations once went to in preparation for nuclear conflict during one of history's most tense periods.
Camp Century was initially constructed in 1959 by the US Army Corps of Engineers at the height of the Cold War. The base served as part of Project Iceworm, an ambitious plan to deploy missile launch sites under the ice sheet. This nuclear-powered site was not just a military installation but also a research facility where soldiers and scientists worked together to drill ice core samples and explore the feasibility of constructing missile silos in such extreme conditions.
The project aimed to house up to 200 personnel and featured an extensive network of tunnels and even an experimental railway system designed to transport missiles. However, despite these grand plans, Project Iceworm never came to fruition, and Camp Century was decommissioned and abandoned in 1967.
For decades, Camp Century lay forgotten until recently when advanced radar technology aboard a Gulfstream III plane revealed detailed images of what lies beneath the ice. These scans showed the intricate layout of tunnels and structures that now lie about 100 feet below the surface.
While previous radar scans had hinted at something beneath the ice, it wasn't until this latest survey that researchers were able to get a clear view of Camp Century's remnants. The discovery has sparked interest not only among historians but also among scientists who are keen to understand more about this Cold War artifact.
Although Walter Cronkite once toured Camp Century for CBS News shortly after its establishment, revealing its existence to the public, many details about its operations remained shrouded in secrecy. Today's revelation offers a new glimpse into this intriguing chapter of history.
NASA's recent findings have been described as "a novel curiosity acquired by chance," but they also underscore how much remains hidden beneath our planet's surface waiting to be discovered. As researchers continue to analyze data from this find, Camp Century is once again capturing imaginations around the world, reminding us of the lengths nations once went to in preparation for nuclear conflict during one of history's most tense periods.
