Far in the north of Sweden stands a mountain some say the future of Europe lies buried near. A two-lane road leads into the mountain, winding down meter by meter. The geologist Laura Lauri steers her pick-up around the curves, turning left and right without hesitation, as if she has known this underground labyrinth since childhood. She gets out 910 meters underground, her headlamp cuts a cone of light into the darkness. It’s a day in March, but that doesn’t matter because every day feels, smells and sounds the same down here.

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