Buzz
The desolate and foreboding expanse of the Great White North has given rise to countless incredible tales and legends. Even in modern times, many historical and scientific puzzles remain hidden within the frozen lands beyond the Arctic Circle. As climate change begins to thaw the ice, some of these enigmas may be unraveled, while others will remain shrouded in mystery forever.
10. Levanevsky’s Fateful Flight
In 1937, renowned Soviet aviator Sigizmund Levanevsky embarked on what was to be the first cargo-passenger flight across the North Pole from Moscow to Fairbanks, Alaska. The journey was a monumental undertaking, with experts predicting that it would take an entire year to prepare. However, in an effort to impress Stalin, officials rushed the mission and completed preparations in just three months. The risks were glaring, and the aircraft's radio officer even made a grim joke, saying the crew was flying to their doom. Tragically, the so-called 'Russian Lindbergh' vanished along with his six-man crew, and their fate remains one of the Arctic's greatest mysteries.
During takeoff, the engine on the far-right side was visibly emitting smoke, but ground engineers were confident that the issue would resolve itself. Nineteen hours later, a radio transmission came through: “The far-right engine has failed due to an oil system malfunction. Entering overcast conditions. Altitude 4,600 meters. Attempting a landing.” Russian, Canadian, and American rescue teams scoured the Arctic, but the aircraft was never found.
Over the years, several theories have emerged regarding the fate of Levanevsky and his crew. The most widely believed suggests that a radio operator from Point Barrow, Alaska, reported that local Inuit had witnessed a plane crash into the waters near the Jones Islands. A visiting schooner then tried to search the area, but the crew noted a strange occurrence— their compass needle pointed straight down at one point. Despite the search, no wreckage was discovered, and the operation was halted due to thick ice. The report was sent to Moscow but was forgotten once World War II broke out.
Another theory proposes that the flight suffered a navigational mistake while crossing the North Pole, forcing them to descend below the clouds. Unknowingly, the crew made an 80-degree turn that took them back into the Soviet Union, where they crashed into Lake Sebyan-Kyuyel in Siberia. A magnetic anomaly was reportedly detected at the bottom of the lake, but no further evidence emerged, and the theory lost traction by the late 1990s.
One of the more outlandish theories suggests that Levanevsky was forced to land on an ice floe, where he was allegedly rescued by a German submarine. According to this tale, he offered his services to the Luftwaffe and even participated in bombing missions over Moscow.
9. The Dorset Culture
The Paleo-Eskimos were among the earliest groups to settle in the North American Arctic, long before the modern Inuit ancestors arrived. For over 4,000 years, they lived in seclusion, developing the distinctive Dorset culture found in northern Canada and Greenland. However, after AD 1300, they mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind very few traces of their existence. DNA analysis of the hair, bones, and teeth from 169 Paleo-Eskimos in northern Greenland revealed that they were genetically separate from the indigenous populations of Greenland, northern Canada, the Aleutian Islands, and Siberia.
Their isolation appears to have led to inbreeding, which may have contributed to their abrupt disappearance. Other factors likely included climate shifts that diminished their food resources and competition from new groups who had migrated with more advanced tools like bows. Anthropologist William Fitzhugh remarked, “the Dorsets were the Hobbits of the eastern Arctic—a very strange and very conservative people who we’re only just getting to know a little bit.”
The term used to describe them is also a source of debate—'Eskimo' is not favored by modern Inuit, so the label 'Paleo-Eskimo' to refer to these ancient peoples can be seen as problematic. The Inuit have their own oral tradition recounting encounters with a group they called the Tuniit, which may have influenced the transfer of certain Tuniit technologies to the Inuit, such as the techniques for building snow houses and finding soapstone and meteor iron.
8. The Monster Of Lake Iliamna
Lake Iliamna, the largest freshwater body in Alaska, is often compared to Loch Ness due to frequent reports of enormous creatures lurking beneath its surface. Sightings of these creatures have also been reported in the Kvichak River, which flows from Lake Iliamna to the sea. The Aleut people traditionally steered clear of fishing in the lake, believing it to be a perilous place. Pilots have been observing these monstrous beings from the sky since the 1940s. The most plausible theory is that the lake is home to a population of white sturgeon, a large, thick-scaled fish known to grow as long as 6 meters (20 feet). However, no definitive proof of such sturgeon has ever been discovered, leaving the theory unverified.
In more recent years, biologist Bruce Wright has proposed that these 'monsters' might actually be Pacific sleeper sharks, a species that can also reach lengths of 6 meters (20 feet). On the opposite side of the continent, scientists have documented Greenland sharks in the St. Lawrence River. Given that Pacific sleeper sharks share many similarities with Greenland sharks, it’s possible they could survive in freshwater. With Lake Iliamna abundant in salmon and other fish, it provides an ample food source for these sharks. However, no evidence has been found to support their presence in the lake, so it’s safe to go ahead with your Alaskan beach vacation.
7. Rain-On-Snow
In recent years, an unusual meteorological phenomenon has been observed in the Arctic, where northern snow gradually transforms into rain. Instead of melting the snow on the ground, the rainwater soaks through the snowpack, gathers on top of the frozen soil, and freezes into an impenetrable layer, preventing animals from grazing. In 2003, a rain-on-snow event on Canada’s Banks Island led to the starvation of 20,000 musk-oxen. Some of the oxen, desperate for food, tried to find sustenance on floating ice, only to be seen drifting into the sea.
This phenomenon has been reported in Russia, Sweden, Finland, and Canada, and it could have devastating effects on Arctic inhabitants who depend on grazing animals for food and clothing. Some scientists have begun using microwave-imagery satellites to better track these events, as rain-on-snow occurrences cause detectable changes in the snowpack's microwave radiation signature. Many believe that rain-on-snow events are linked to climate change and could become more frequent, with potentially catastrophic consequences.
6. Baffin Island Vikings
Since the discovery of the Viking settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland in 1978, archaeologists have been scouring the eastern coast of North America for further evidence of Norse settlements. In 2012, a dig led by archaeologist Patricia Sutherland, north of the Arctic Circle on Canada’s Baffin Island, uncovered some fascinating whetstones, featuring grooves containing traces of a copper alloy (most likely bronze). These materials were unfamiliar to the Inuit but were commonly used by Viking blacksmiths.
Additional evidence supported the theory of a Norse presence in the region. In 1999, two strands of cloth were discovered on Baffin Island. Unlike the animal sinew cords used by the Inuit, these strands resembled yarn produced by Norse women in Greenland in the 1400s. Other notable finds included wooden tally sticks used for recording transactions, fragments of Old World rat pelts, and a whalebone shovel similar to those found in Greenland. While many researchers remain doubtful, Sutherland is convinced that the Norse had a significant presence in the Canadian Arctic, engaging in trade with locals for valuable items such as walrus ivory and Arctic furs.
Sutherland’s most compelling argument is her discovery of a stone artifact found at a Dorset site in 1960, which contained traces of metal and glass. She believes this artifact is actually a Norse crucible used to melt bronze. If true, this would support the idea of a genuine Norse presence in the region, rather than merely Norse trade goods being re-traded between the Dorset in Greenland and Canada.
A major controversy erupted when Sutherland was unexpectedly dismissed from her position at the Canadian Museum of History. During a radio interview, she suggested that her firing was politically motivated, as her research did not align with Ottawa’s interpretation of Canadian history. Sutherland claimed that the government preferred to fund research on British expeditions, like the Franklin expedition, which would bolster Canada's sovereignty claims in the Arctic. The museum, however, strongly denied these allegations, stating that Sutherland was terminated due to harassment after an 18-month investigation conducted by an independent third party.
5. The Zeleny Yar Necropolis
In 2014, archaeologists at Zeleny Yar, near the town of Salekhard in the Siberian Arctic, uncovered 34 shallow graves, indicating that the area may have been a trading post around the 12th or 13th century AD. Eleven of the bodies were found with shattered bones or crushed skulls, while five mummified adult males were buried wrapped in reindeer, beaver, wolverine, or bear fur and shrouded in copper plates. One of these men had red hair and was buried with an iron hatchet and a bronze belt buckle featuring a bear design. Additionally, three mummified infants were discovered, each wearing copper masks and bound with copper hoops.
All the bodies were buried facing toward the Gorny Poluy River, which may have held religious significance. Among the artifacts discovered were an iron combat knife, a silver medallion, a bronze bird figurine, and several bronze bowls of Persian origin. It is believed that the mummification of the bodies was an unintended result of the use of non-oxidizing copper and a significant drop in regional temperatures during the 14th century.
In 2015, a new set of human remains was uncovered, wrapped in a birch bark 'cocoon.' MRI scans revealed the presence of metal, and upon opening the cocoon, the mummified remains of a young boy, estimated to be around six or seven years old, were found. He was wrapped in animal fur and accompanied by a bronze axe, a bear-shaped pendant, and several metal head rings. The complexity of the burial indicates that the boy likely belonged to a higher social class than the others. Archaeologists are continuing to study the site in hopes of learning more about this vanished Arctic culture.
4. The Flight Of The Eagle
Salomon August Andree was a young Swedish engineer who developed a fascination with balloon technology during his studies in the United States in the 1870s. At the time, no expedition had ever managed to reach the North Pole, and Andree became convinced that the journey could be accomplished best by using a hydrogen balloon. Such balloons were theoretically capable of staying in the air for 30 days, though none had ever remained aloft for more than 15. Despite this, Andree believed that if he launched as close to the Pole as possible, he could float over it and eventually land in Alaska.
His balloon, named the Ornen (‘Eagle’), was constructed in Paris with substantial financial backing from the Swedish king. Made from varnished silk, the balloon stood nearly 30 meters (100 feet) tall and weighed 1.5 tons. Andree personally designed a system of guide ropes and sails for steering against the wind, and placed a cookstove outside the basket to avoid exposing the flammable hydrogen. In July 1897, Andree, along with civil engineer Knut Fraenkel and physics professor Nils Strindberg, set off from the Norwegian island of Svalbard. They were never heard from again.
Thirty years later, a group of geologists and seal hunters arrived at the uninhabited White Island (now Kvitoya) and stumbled upon the ruins of a camp, including a bleached skull that 'lay there smiling dreadfully.' There was also a neatly written sign that read 'Andree’s Polar Expedition of 1897.' Diary entries revealed that the balloon had descended, likely because gaps in the sealant allowed hydrogen to escape. The crew was forced to abandon their mission 65 hours after departure, about 500 kilometers (300 miles) from their starting point. Strindberg had taken the above photograph shortly after landing.
The three men had brought sufficient supplies, including chocolate cake, and initially fared quite well. However, their attempt to reach Franz Josef Land failed, and they began making their way back toward Spitzbergen. They only managed to reach White Island before meeting their untimely end.
The cause of their deaths remains a mystery. It is believed that Strindberg may have died first, possibly due to a polar bear attack, and his body was found partially buried in a rock formation. Shortly afterward, Andree and Fraenkel died together while sharing a sleeping bag, with valuable equipment left scattered around the camp. Some suggest they contracted trichinosis from poorly cooked polar bear meat (Andree’s diary refers to polar bears as 'the wandering meat shops of the Arctic'). Another theory posits that they suffocated from gas produced by a malfunctioning stove, or perhaps they simply succumbed to the harsh exposure. In 1930, the remains of the explorers were returned to Sweden for a formal funeral at Storkyrkan Cathedral.
3. The Inventio Fortunata
In the 14th century, a travel account titled the Inventio Fortunata ('Discovery of Fortunata') was written, allegedly recounting the journey of a Franciscan priest from Oxford to the far north. This manuscript was presented to the English crown in 1360 but mysteriously disappeared sometime during the 15th century. A Dutchman named Jacobus Cnoyen later included much of the Inventio Fortunata in his own travel writings, though that too was lost to time. Fortunately, Cnoyen’s version was extensively cited in a letter by the Flemish cartographer Gerard Mercator to the English courtier and alchemist John Dee.
In the letter, Mercator shares, 'word for word everything that I copied out of [Cnoyen’s book] years ago,' which provides us with a reliable rendition of the Inventio Fortunata’s portrayal of the Arctic:
In the center of the four countries lies a Whirl-pool, into which the four indrawing Seas flow, dividing the North. The water spins and descends into the Earth as if poured through a filter funnel. It spans four degrees on every side of the Pole, meaning eight degrees in total. Beneath the Pole itself, however, lies a barren Rock amidst the Sea. This rock has a circumference of almost 33 French miles, and it is entirely made of magnetic Stone.
The Inventio Fortunata had a profound impact on how contemporary Europeans described the North Pole, often citing the colossal magnetic rock as the reason compasses pointed north. During this period, knowledge of the Arctic was limited, and a mysterious island named Frisland was frequently placed between Iceland and Greenland—possibly as a result of 14th-century Venetian navigators mistakenly mapping the coast of Iceland twice.
It wasn’t until the 17th century that the influence of the Inventio Fortunata faded from Arctic maps. Interestingly, the author of the text remains unknown, though John Dee believed it was the mathematician Nicolas of Lynn. Some theorize that the ideas in the work reflect Norse exploration and mythology, as the great whirlpool described resembles the Ginnungaggap, the vast abyss the Norse believed marked the boundary of the oceans.
2. Aurora Sounds
For many years, a well-known part of Arctic folklore has been the belief that the aurora borealis produces sound. According to the Labrador Inuit, the spirits of those who met a voluntary or violent death, called selamiut ('sky-dwellers'), resided near a gap in the sky, where they created the aurora to guide newly departed souls. These spirits were thought to communicate with the living by making clapping sounds. Scientists, however, generally dismissed such beliefs, arguing that the aurora was too distant to generate sounds audible to humans.
Recent studies in Finland have uncovered evidence that these ancient myths may contain some truth. Aalto University’s Unto Laine explains that while the aurora itself is too far away to produce audible sounds, the clapping noise could be caused by energetic particles from the sun, which also create the northern lights in the distant sky. These particles, or the geomagnetic disturbances they cause, seem to generate sound much closer to the Earth's surface.
Although this finding confirms a noise linked to the aurora, the exact processes behind it remain unclear. Some suggest multiple causes might be at play. One possibility is electrophonic hearing, a phenomenon where the auditory nerves are stimulated by electromagnetic fields, which could explain why people sometimes hear clicking sounds during thunderstorms. Another theory is brush discharge, where the same ionization effects responsible for the aurora reach the surface with a lower intensity, creating static electricity that produces tiny sparks, possibly audible to human ears.
Another hypothesis points to electrophonic transduction, where auroras generate very low-frequency (VLF) radio waves. These waves can be converted into sound by long, thin conductors like grass or hair. As a result, the aurora's sounds could be transmitted as radio waves to the ground, where they are turned into audible sound by the surrounding foliage.
1. Chukchi Sea Blob
In 2009, a group of hunters came across a strange, dark, oily, and hair-like mass floating in the Chukchi Sea between Alaska and Russia. The mysterious blob extended for miles through the icy Arctic waters. Many feared it was an oil spill, but tests revealed it was an atypical algae bloom. Despite this finding, locals were still uneasy, as such blooms can be toxic and harmful to marine life. The Inupiat Inuit, living along Alaska's northern coastline, said they had never encountered anything like it. Although the algae's exact species could not be determined, it has been speculated that it might have been an exotic species that drifted into the region, possibly due to climate change.
Algal blooms naturally occur when the right conditions—sufficient nutrients, light, and water temperature—are met. While it may seem unusual for a bloom to develop in the icy northern waters, it's possible we've underestimated the ability of life to thrive in such extreme conditions. In 2012, the NASA-funded ICESCAPE expedition discovered a vast phytoplankton bloom beneath the ice in the Chukchi Sea. The scientists had expected their phytoplankton-detecting instruments to show no phytoplankton, but to their surprise, they found more phytoplankton beneath the ice than in the open water.
