What is Permafrost?
Permafrost is any ground that is completely frozen (32°F/0°C or colder) usually for at least 2 years straight. Most permafrost can be found in the Arctic. It’s made of a combination of soil, rocks, and sand that are held together by ice, and can be found on land and below ocean floors.
What does Permafrost do?
Due to the fact that Permafrost is completely frozen land, over time, it’s been used for infrastructure to be built on. It also stores organic carbon and animals and bacteria from the past.
Why is Permafrost Important?
The melting of Permafrost could destroy homes, roads, and infrastructure by losing the ground beneath them. It would also allow microbes to decompose the organic carbon it stores, allowing for Carbon Dioxide and Methane, both Greenhouse Gases, into the atmosphere. It would also uncover bacteria that could bring new and/or old harmful illnesses like smallpox or Bubonic plague. Here’s a video that gives a little more insight into why Permafrost is essential to life on earth.