Mysterious signal heard across the planet kept humming for nine days

In September 2023, scientists monitoring seismic activity around the world detected a mysterious signal. This signal, unlike any seen before, was recorded everywhere from the Arctic to Antarctica.
Instead of the usual earthquake rumble, the signal was a continuous hum with only one vibration frequency, and it lasted for nine days.
At first, researchers were puzzled. They classified it as a “USO” — an unidentified seismic object.
Eventually, the source of the signal was traced to a massive landslide in Greenland’s remote Dickson Fjord.
A huge amount of rock and ice, enough to fill 10,000 Olympic swimming pools, had plunged into the fjord. This caused a mega-tsunami with a wave 200 meters high, twice as tall as Big Ben in London. The landslide also triggered a seiche, a back-and-forth wave in the fjord, which continued for nine days.

This event is a reminder of the growing impact of climate change. (Photo: Getty)

The landslide’s immense power was due to the thinning of the glacier, caused by global warming.
In a new study, published in the journal Science, the team added that the signal was generated by standing waves in the Dickson fjord due to the rockslide. “Our findings highlight how climate change is causing cascading, hazardous feedbacks between the cryosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere,” the paper read.
Over decades, the glacier lost tens of meters in thickness, weakening the mountain’s support. When the mountain collapsed, it sent vibrations through the Earth, shaking the planet and generating seismic waves that were felt globally.
This event is a reminder of the growing impact of climate change.
As glaciers thin and permafrost warms, landslides and tsunamis in polar regions are likely to become more common. The landslide in Dickson Fjord highlights how climate change is not only affecting weather patterns and sea levels but also the stability of the Earth’s crust.
Scientists warn that we may see more of these unexpected events as the planet continues to warm.