Skip to main content

Ancient continent discovered beneath the ice of Antarctica

The ice sheets of Antarctica could be hiding the remains of a long-lost continent, according to satellite data collected by the European Space Agency (ESA). Research published in Nature Scientific Reports used information gathered by the Gravity field and Ocean Circulation Explorer (GOCE) mission, a four year satellite project to measure the pull of Earth’s gravity, which orbited the planet from March 2009 to November 2013.

Researchers are still digging through all of the data produced by the GOCE mission, which is how the team from Kiel University in Germany and the British Antarctic Survey were able to spot shapes beneath the Antarctic ice. They combined the GOCE data with seismological data to create a 3D map of the crust beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. By using data on gravity gradients, they were able to look beneath the thick sheet of ice which covers Antarctica and to see the Earth’s crust beneath.

Recommended Videos

They found fractured layers of the planet’s crust around Antarctica which resemble the crust near to coastlines in other parts of the world, suggesting that these coastlines used to match up. It is speculated that the cratons, which are an ancient part of the Earth’s crust, used to be connected to other continents as part of the supercontinent Pangea. In East Antarctica, the gravity data shows a similarity between the crust there and the crust in Australia and India, indicating that these areas used to be connected. By contrast, West Antarctica has a thinner crust with no cratons, suggesting that it must have been connected elsewhere.

These findings are interesting not only for geologists but also for our understanding of the history of the planet as a whole. The continents on our planet were likely joined as the single continent Pangea up until 160 million years ago when they started to fragment and form the continents that we know today. The findings also have a modern relevance, as they inform understanding of how ice sheets behave and how Antarctic regions will respond to rising sea temperatures and melting ice.

You can see a visualization of how plate tectonics formed the Antarctic region and how Antarctica became separated from Australia and India in the video below:

GOCE reveals Antarctic tectonics
Georgina Torbet
Georgina has been the space writer at Digital Trends space writer for six years, covering human space exploration, planetary…
Sebastian Stan lays out Bucky’s future after Thunderbolts
Sebastian Stan in Thunderbolts.

There are some spoilers ahead for the ending of Marvel's Thunderbolts. Stop reading now if you don't want to be spoiled.

Earlier this year, Captain America: Brave New World briefly introduced a new direction for James "Bucky" Barnes, a character Sebastian Stan has been playing since 2011 in Captain America: The First Avenger. In Brave New World, the former Winter Soldier apparently retired from being a reformed hero and went into politics by running for Congress. Thunderbolts reveals that Bucky won his election to the House of Representatives. But his stay in Congress was short.

Read more
Jeep Compass EV breaks cover—but will it come to the U.S.?
jeep compass ev us newjeepcompassfirsteditionhawaii  4

Jeep just pulled the wraps off the all-new Compass EV, and while it’s an exciting leap into the electric future, there's a catch—it might not make it to the U.S. anytime soon.
This is a brand new electric version of the Jeep Compass, and being built on Stellantis' STLA platform—the same architecture underpinning models like the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008—it looks much slicker and packs a lot more inside than previous versions of the Compass.
Let’s start with what’s cool: the new Compass EV is packing up to 404 miles of range on a single charge, a 74 kWh battery, and fast-charging that gets you from 20% to 80% in about 30 minutes. Not bad for a compact SUV with Jeep's badge on the nose.
There are two versions: a front-wheel-drive model with 213 horsepower and a beefier all-wheel-drive version with 375 horsepower. That AWD setup isn’t just for looks—it can handle 20% inclines even without front traction, and comes with extra ground clearance and better off-road angles. In short, it’s still a Jeep.
The design's been refreshed too, and inside you’ll find the kind of tech and comfort you’d expect in a modern EV—sleek, smart, and ready for both city streets and dirt trails.
But here’s the thing: even though production starts soon in Italy, Jeep hasn’t said whether the Compass EV is coming to America. And the signs aren’t promising.
Plans to build it in Canada were recently put on hold, with production now delayed until at least early 2026. Some of that might have to do with possible U.S. tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles—adding a layer of uncertainty to the whole rollout.
According to Kelley Blue Book, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company has “temporarily paused work on the next-generation Jeep Compass, including activities at” the Canadian plant that was originally meant to build the model. They added that Stellantis is “reassessing its product strategy in North America” to better match customer needs and demand for different powertrain options.
So while Europe and other markets are gearing up to get the Compass EV soon, American drivers might be left waiting—or miss out entirely.
That’s a shame, because on paper, this electric Jeep hits a lot of sweet spots. Let’s just hope it finds a way over here.

Read more
Charlie Cox singles out his least favorite Daredevil: Born Again episode
Charlie Cox in Daredevil: Born Again.

Daredevil: Born Again season 1 was largely reconceived after the 2023 actor and writer strikes. Dario Scardapane -- a veteran of The Punisher series on Netflix -- was brought in to be the new showrunner and he made a lot of changes to the series that were well-received. However, there's one episode that Scardapane didn't really change at all, and it happens to be the least favorite episode of Daredevil: Born Again's leading man, Charlie Cox.

During an appearance on The Playlist, Cox noted that he wasn't very fond of the season's fifth episode, "With Interest," which was a largely standalone episode that featured his character, Matt Murdock, in a bank during a hostage crisis.

Read more