Hidden nearly 16,500 feet above sea level in Uttarakhand, Roopkund Lake looks like any other frozen Himalayan lake—until the snow melts. As the ice recedes, hundreds of human skeletons emerge from its shores, earning it the chilling nickname "Skeleton Lake."
The mystery first grabbed global attention in 1942 when a British forest ranger stumbled upon human bones scattered around the glacial lake. Since then, scientists have recovered the remains of several hundred people, but one question has refused to go away: Who were they, and how did they all end up in one of the world's most remote places?
