The Secret Nuclear City Under Greenland’s Ice Cap

It seemed innocent enough at the time-build an underground polar research station to study ice core samples. What people didn't know about was the covert plan to set up a nuclear launch pad capable of firing off hundreds of missiles at Russia.Show more

The U.S. Army has left a ticking time bomb in Greenland—but it doesn’t take the form that you might think…this powder keg is environmental in nature.

In 1959, the Army Corps of Engineers commenced “Project Iceworm”, an effort to build secret nuclear missile launch sites under the ice of Greenland. A base called Camp Century was established, and an underground city of sorts was created. The official cover for the base was as a research station, investigating ice construction techniques.

When they discovered that the constantly moving ice is unstable for future construction, Camp Century was abandoned, leaving a small city complete with a theater, a chapel and it’s very own nuclear reactor.
The reactor was removed in 1967, but a great deal of toxic waste is still left behind, and what with global warming taking its toll on the ice caps, that waste leaking into the world’s ocean is just a matter of a century or two.

“Out of sight” doesn’t always mean “Out of mind” too.