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The treasured 'eternal snow' on this tropical island is about to disappear forever

Photo: BBC

The mountains of Papua are not far from the equator, but they've been topped with "eternal snow" for centuries.

The peaks in this Indonesian region on the world's second-largest island, just north of Australia, have offered scientists countless insights into the Earth's climate history.

They're also the epicentre of the spiritual universe for many Papuans - a Mecca or a Vatican, as one activist puts it.

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