Discovered in Italy's Northern Dolomites
Alpine Permafrost Threatened by Global Warming
Glaciers in the Italian Alps have been melting due to the heatwave, revealing the bodies of soldiers from 100 years ago. These are believed to be soldiers who died during World War I.
On the 21st (local time), Italian media such as 'Corriere della Sera' reported that two sets of remains were excavated on the 19th at an altitude of 2,700 meters on Marmolada, the highest peak of the Dolomites in northern Italy. The Dolomites are part of the Alps, located in northern Italy.
Remains of World War I soldiers found in the Italian Alps [Image source=Captured from Italian ANSA News Agency]
The remains were discovered by a Marmolada cable car maintenance worker. This worker was responsible for covering the glacier with a waterproof tarp to protect it from sunlight and heat, and one day, while organizing the tarp, he found the remains.
Investigations confirmed that the bodies belonged to infantry soldiers from the Como Brigade who participated in mountain warfare between the Italian army and the Austro-Hungarian Empire from 1915 to 1918. The Austro-Hungarian Empire was a major power in World War I but was dissolved after the war ended in 1918.
Local Italian police were able to identify the remains thanks to dog tags. The dog tags bore the white and blue insignia symbolizing the Como Brigade. The remains, trapped in thick ice for over a century, have reemerged as the glacier melts.
Meanwhile, the Alps' perennial snow is also threatened by global warming. The Marmolada glacier has been melting rapidly recently, causing explosives buried there to slide down the mountain. In 2021, 340 explosives were found; in 2022, 785; and last year, 1,039. Recently, 53 shells used during World War I were discovered, prompting bomb disposal experts to be dispatched.
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