Storm washes up mysterious wreck: researchers fear for historical treasure. As another storm approaches eastern Canada, a desperate attempt to preserve the wreckage begins.
The origin and age of the wreck are still a mystery. A centuries-old wreck was also recently recovered in Germany. But climate change poses further threats to shipwrecks: increasing carbon pollution in the atmosphere is changing the chemistry of seawater. This can accelerate the decay of delicate organic materials preserved on the wrecks, such as ropes, sails and textiles. In 2016, archaeologists recovered a piece of wood from the Arctic seabed riddled with white shipworms.