Camera Dropped in Antarctica Reveals Hidden World Below the Ice Leaving People Frightened

In a viral TikTok clip, PhD student Austin Carter from the Center for Old Ice Exploration (COLDEX) shares footage of a camera plunging 305 feet into the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. The stunning descent reveals ice layers dating back 2.7 million years—some of the oldest ever found—offering new clues about Earth’s climate history and leaving viewers both fascinated and unsettled.

Another remarkable discovery was made in Antarctica when researchers lowered a camera 305 feet through a hole in the sea ice to study the geological history of the ice sheets.

While the upper layers of sea ice often freeze and melt with the seasons, deeper down lie ancient ice sheets that have remained almost permanently frozen for centuries. These untouched layers preserve a wealth of information, offering scientists valuable insights into Earth’s past.

In a TikTok clip, PhD student Austin Carter shared that his research group from the Center for Old Ice Exploration (COLDEX) had drilled an ice core at the Allan Hills Blue Ice Area. The striking video captures a camera plunging down the borehole in the East Antarctic Ice Sheet at an astonishing speed, revealing the distinct layers of ice that become visible the deeper it goes.

Carter explained that the ice in this region is among the oldest ever discovered on Earth—estimated to be 2.7 million years old. Studying it, he said, could reveal crucial insights into “the fundamental properties of our climate system.”

Despite the scientific significance, the eerie video sparked a wave of unease among TikTok viewers.

“Honestly, this was really scary,” one user commented.

Another wrote, “Why do I feel claustrophobic, lol.”

And someone else summed it up, “Bro, imagine getting dropped in there.”

Near Ping’e village in South China’s Guangxi region, cave explorers discovered a massive sinkhole with an ancient forest at the bottom. Measuring 306 meters long, 150 wide, and 192 deep—with a volume over 5 million cubic meters—it qualifies as a large sinkhole.