A 3-D view of the subglacial canyon, looking northwest from central Greenland. Source J. Bamber, University Bristol
Trick question: what planet has a canyon grander than the Grand? Answer: if the science denier wing has their way, it may be coming soon to a continent near you:
The age of discovery isn’t over yet. A colossal canyon, the longest on Earth, has just been found under Greenland’s ice sheet, scientists announced Thursday in the journal Science.
“You think that everything that could be known about the land surface is known, but it’s not,” said Jonathan Bamber, lead study author and a geographer at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. “There’s still so much to learn about the planet.”
Really cool. Although I’m hoping it won’t be exposed any time soon.
How about another canyon, not as big as this one, but also bigger than the Grand, and a little more accessible than the one under the Greenland ice sheet:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper_Canyon
Then there are a few in Tibet and Nepal which are bigger than the Grand, but a bit harder to visit.
Awesome.
Answer to trick question: Mars (Valles Marineris) and Venus (Baltis Vallis).
As well as the grander canyons on Earth.
I personally prefer the smaller, twistier, more enclosed canyons.
They feel more intimate.
NY canyons, frixample. Only they don’t call them canyons there, more typically gorges or just “creeks.”
But here in CA, they’d be called canyons.
@ DonDueed :
Plus I’d guess also Miranda – Ouranaian moon with a really bizarre shattered surface :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miranda_(moon)
which boasts the tallest cliff in our solar system, Verona Rupes.
Plus maybe a few other moons and perhaps the ice dwarf planet Pluto too – although we’ll have to wait until New Horizon’s has flown by before we can know there.
Bad news for you, Steven Andrew, your post shows you are as stupid as the “science deniers” you decry, worse actually.
“Trick question: what planet has a canyon grander than the Grand? Answer: if the science denier wing has their way, **it may be coming soon to a continent near you**:”
You’re a moron. You should probably stay away from keyboards.
@ ^ wtfwhatever : Apt name there dude. I suggest you take your own advice.
Because you are claiming Stephen “DarkSyde” Andrew is “as stupid as a climate change denier, a moron” and your evidence and argument for that extraordinary and also ungrateful and abusive claim is, what?
You include a quote which doesn’t seem to support your case with personal abuse and no argument or supporting logic or evidence.
Why is what Stephen “DarkSyde” Andrew wrote “stupid” in your view? I see nothing wrong with that quote although “continent near you” obviously depends on the location of the blog reader. Greenland is a long way from me here in Australia but I’d expect most ‘Zingularity’ blog readers are from the USA and Greenland is near them. I suppose we could quibble over whether Greenland is technically a ‘continent’ and “soon” is a relative non-specific term but if you think that makes Stephen “DarkSyde” Andrew stupid or whatever, well, “What the”?
I think you’re totally missing the point,wtfwhatever, and also apparently seem to have some axe to grind.
BTW. Good article and another good clip here discussing this can be found here :
http://climatecrocks.com/2013/08/30/newly-found-canyon-under-greenland-ice/
Apparently Greenland is actually an atoll albeit one that’s a bit snowed under at present.
Oops also meant to add this link :
http://nsidc.org/greenland-today/
via the NSIDC which is a good site to follow the “progress” of the Greenland ice sheet’s melting for y’all.