World3 min(s) read
Truth behind mysterious 'pyramid-like' mountain discovered sitting beneath ice in Antarctica
.jpg_xKEaT0?tr=cr-0.328.2730.3058,f-webp,q-70,w-100)
Deep in the icy continent of Antarctica lies a structure that has raised questions for years.
Eagle-eyed Google Earth users may have noticed that a scour across the southernmost continent reveals a mysterious mountain peak that looks almost identical to a man-made pyramid.
It looks to have four symmetrical sides, which come to a pointed peak.
The formation or structure is located in the Ellsworth Mountains, with social media sleuths trying to work out what it may mean.
It first surfaced online in 2016, with many comparing its geometric proportions to the Great Pyramids of Egypt, claiming it could be evidence of an ancient civilization buried beneath the ice.
The peak was first documented by the British Antarctic Expedition (1910–1913), but its striking appearance and resemblance to the pyramids didn't gain attention until much later.
Theories around the 'pyramid' structure
The mountain appears to have four symmetrical faces, while standing at 4,150 feet (1,265m) tall, with many believing that it may not have formed naturally.
After all, the Pyramids in Giza were man-made millennia ago.
Some social media users started to claim that the Antarctic structure was built by a lost ancient society that existed before Antarctica froze over, 'a civilization from before the Great Flood'.
They aren't alone in referencing Biblical events, as a team has carried out work in Turkey after believing they have found Noah's Ark.
There have been some wild theories, including one saying that Antarctica was warm 10,000 years ago, allowing a civilization to build the structure, even though the continent has been permanently glaciated for roughly 34 million years.
Luckily, scientists have weighed in on the subject.
Geologists reveal the real reason behind the 'pyramid' shape
According to experts, the Antarctic “pyramid” is not a man-made structure.
It is instead a natural mountain formation that has been shaped over millions of years by erosion.
Speaking to IFL Science, geologist Dr. Mitch Darcy explained: “The pyramid-shaped structures are located in the Ellsworth Mountains, which is a range more than 400 km long, so it’s no surprise there are rocky peaks cropping out above the ice. It’s simply a coincidence that this one has that shape.”
He explained that this formation is known as a nunatak, which is where a rocky peak protrudes through a glacier or ice sheet.
Its pyramid-like appearance has been caused by freeze-thaw erosion, where water seeps into cracks in the rock, freezes, and expands, eventually breaking pieces off over time.
A natural structure and not work of aliens
All three sides of the mountain seem to have eroded at a similar rate, while the fourth developed independently, which can trick some into believing it's a perfect pyramid, per Live Science.
While the mountain may not prove that aliens exist or that an ancient civilization created the structure, its mysterious symmetry continues to captivate social media users.
Antarctica’s frozen landscape remains one of Earth’s least explored regions, with its constant blizzards and uninhabitable weather proving an obstacle over decades.