What is permafrost?

About this episode

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! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: How can you secure your home before leaving on holiday? What is last chance tourism? Which are the best cities in the world to live in? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. First Broadcast: 7/4/2022 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices