BBC Homepage
  • Skip to content
  • Accessibility Help
  • Your account
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Innovation
  • Culture
  • Travel
  • Earth
  • Audio
  • Video
  • Live
  • More menu
More menu
Search BBC
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Innovation
  • Culture
  • Travel
  • Earth
  • Audio
  • Video
  • Live
Close menu

What happens when the permafrost thaws?

What happens when the permafrost thaws?

Around 11% of the Earth's land mass is covered by permafrost. But its delicate balance is being threatened by climate change.

Made by BBC Ideas in partnership with the Royal Society, external, external

  • Watch Frozen Planet II on BBC iPlayer

  • Find out more about Professor Gideon Henderson, external

Film by Daniel Nils Roberts, originally published 15 April 2024

💡 Watch more videos at BBC Ideas

  • Published
    10 July 2024
Share page
About sharing

Explore more

  • What happens when the permafrost thaws? Video, 00:08:15What happens when the permafrost thaws?

    • Published
      10 July 2024
    8:15
    A woman in a winter coat on the Arctic tundra
  • Up Next. Why do we waste so much food? Video, 00:05:48Why do we waste so much food?

    • Published
      10 July 2024
    Up Next
    5:48
    Image of waste food (Shutterstock)
  • Three ways to breathe your way to better health. Video, 00:04:53Three ways to breathe your way to better health

    • Published
      10 July 2024
    4:53
    Woman in a white shirt sits cross-legged with her eyes closed ( Shutterstock)
  • The man who tried to eat every animal on Earth. Video, 00:03:53The man who tried to eat every animal on Earth

    • Published
      10 July 2024
    3:53
    Illustration of a man eating with a fork
  • The science of snowflakes. Video, 00:04:22The science of snowflakes

    • Published
      10 July 2024
    4:22
    An illustration of a snowflake up-close
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Innovation
  • Culture
  • Travel
  • Earth
  • Audio
  • Video
  • Live
  • Terms of Use
  • About the BBC
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies
  • Accessibility Help
  • Parental Guidance
  • Contact the BBC
  • BBC emails for you
  • Advertise with us

Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.

You might also like:

news | sport | weather | worklife | travel | future | culture | world | business | technology