Scientists have discovered the largest volcanic region on Earth. It consists of almost 100 volcanoes. They are two kilometres below the surface of the vast Antarctic ice sheet.
The newly discovered volcanoes range in height from 100 to 3,850 metres. All of them are covered in thick layers of ice.
The active peaks are concentrated in a region known as the west Antarctic rift system. The system stretches 3,500 km from Antarctica's Ross ice shelf to the Antarctic peninsula.
The discovery is important because the activity of these volcanoes could have crucial implications for the rest of the planet. If one erupts, it could further destabilise some of the region’s ice sheets, which have already been affected by global warming. Meltwater outflows into the Antarctic ocean could trigger sea level rises.
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