Since his historic passage through the birth canal, only 10 other people have been born on the continent. Mount Erebus in Antarctica is the southernmost active volcano on Earth. They did this in hopes of claiming Antarctic soil as their territory. 7. These two settlements developed around permanent research stations on the continent. The increase in UV radiation caused cancer rates to spike. Reptiles can’t regulate their own temperature, and being in the Antarctic would only freeze their already cold blood. Mount Erebus stands on Antarctica’s Ross Island at 3.8 km high. Just like tree rings, they tell how old a layer of ice is, and what happened in that time. Facts About Antarctica. The most recent eruption was in 1972 and continued until 1992. All life in Antarctica depends on the ice around the continent. Even doctors do research in Antarctica, such as how viruses work and how the human body adapts to such a harsh environment. 25 Interesting Facts About Antarctica:-Antarctica is that the largest desert within the world. By Andrea Thompson - Climate Central 10 March 2014. According to "15 Interesting Facts About Antarctica," the continent has earned a reputation for being the best place to find fallen space rocks. The Mount Erebus Disaster of November 28, 1979 took 237 passengers and 20 crew members’ lives. 3. Contrary to this intense cold , there are also relatively warm regions in Antarctica, such as the Antarctic Peninsula, where temperatures can reach around 0 ºC. Here are some interesting facts about Antarctica. Such conditions make life relatively sparse compared to other regions in the world, but the Antarctic animals that do occupy this frosty landscape are well adapted to handle the incredibly harsh conditions seen regularly by explorers and scientists stationed there. This movement causes earthquakes, and is the reason why the Earth today looks nothing like it was millions of years ago. Their cute appearances in popular fiction, circuses, and marine parks make people think otherwise, but leopard seals are predators. It’s also the name of a Russian research station in East Antarctica, which stands on the ice above Lake Vostok. There is little or no running water. Facts about Antarctica’s Climate 3: the ice cap climate. Their jaws make up a quarter of their body, with well-developed teeth pointing to them being carnivores. The continent is so vast that it may seem that scientists are just beginning to explore its large territories and hidden treasures. 12 nations implemented the Antarctic Treaty System on June 23, 1961. Scientists exploring this southerly landmass have reported... 3. The Dry Valleys in Antarctica are the driest places on earth. Limited infrastructure, bad weather, and the fact that the Sun never rises in winter makes Antarctica unreachable in the winter season. You’ll thank me for it! No, it’s not the one that sank the Titanic. Bonus Fact. Antarctica is, on average, the windiest place on earth. The bar retains the old name of Faraday Bar, even after the rest of the station switched to a Ukrainian name. Finally, Antarctica has a higher elevation than the Arctic, by about 3 km on average, helping make it colder than the Arctic. Iceberg B-15 broke off from the Ross Ice Shelf in March 2000 and drifted north into the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, they’re also called Colossal Squid to set them apart. Antarctica is the best place to go searching for meteorites if you ever find yourself there that is. Out in the wilderness, it’s not a problem, since there’s nothing to burn. It’s not enough to make them self-sufficient, but it’s enough to keep them from being completely-dependent on supply shipments. It is characterized with dry and cold weather. 3. The eruption was a gentle one, lava pooling in the volcano’s crater and flowing down its slopes many times over the years. Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent, lying in the southernmost part of the earth. The lake is not encased by earth and rock, but the ice of a glacier. A 7-day cruise in Antarctica may cost from 7000 USD to 15.000 USD, excluding flights. As it leaves the overlying glacier, the iron oxidizes with oxygen in the air, giving the water a blood-like color. There are cracks and rifts in the ice, many of them hidden by thin ice that cover a fall of hundreds of meters. Antarctica is bigger than Europe and almost double the size of … This makes Antarctic winters and summers colder and warmer than their Arctic counterparts. Almost 90% of the world’s ice in the form of ice sheets is available in Antarctica. Required fields are marked On the southernmost tip of the planet sits one of the world's most massive and mysterious landmasses: the frozen realm of Antarctica. Buried 2 km deep under the ice, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory uses the ice as both a mirror and detector for the small and fast particles. Antarctica holds most of the world’s fresh water David Henry Lewis of New Zealand single-handedly sailed to Antarctica in 1972. (1, 2) 2. The same goes for most scientists and other people in Antarctica. Deep Lake in Antarctica is so salty that it cannot freeze, even in temperatures as low as negative 15 degrees Celsius! In contrast, Colossal Squid weighs at most 500 kg, though recovered beaks point to specimens of up to 600 kg. Read also: 16 Africa Facts Culture Tribes History More. Because of the earth's tilt, the sun does not rise in Antarctica from the vernal equinox to the autumnal equinox, which means the continent remains dark throughout the entire winter season. The South Pole is found in Antarctica. This removes the risk of them developing appendicitis while in Antarctica. Yes, Antarctica is a continent. 10 physical features of Antarctica that will amaze you. Despite all that, life still found a way to survive in such a hard land. Vostok means east in Russian. Metallica’s Antarctic concert took place at Carlini Station for an hour. Ever heard of tree rings? It is the fifth largest continent ahead of Europe and is almost twice the size of Australia. Indicative of this warming trend is the fact that four ice shelves on the peninsula are melting rapidly. Melting caused by the rising temperatures somewhat mild at present, but it is gradually increasing. Our collection of best interesting facts about Antarctica. This icy expanse stretches out to cover more than 14 million square kilometres, making it the fifth largest continent in the world. If you now want to learn more about that beautiful continent you should read the following 25 fun facts about Antarctica. Photo: Marsel van Oosten, Karsten Bidstrup and Andrea Klaussner. Wilkins Ice Shelf’s collapse from 2008 to 2009 followed the said trend. Reply. Those plates float on a thin layer of lava between the crust and the rest of the mantle. The collapse of the Larsen-B Ice Shelf in 2002 alarmed scientists as the beginning of a dangerous trend. Enrich your knowledge and increase your chances of winning at your next pub quiz with these 20 cool facts. Mount Erebus in Antarctica is the southernmost active volcano on Earth. Antarctica Facts and Information 1) Where is Antarctica on the globe? Another interesting geographic feature hidden under the ice sheet is Lake Vostok, a freshwater lake buried under 4 kilometres of frozen water. They were only supposed to fly over Antarctica for a few hours before returning to Auckland. There’s one for ironic Antarctica facts. There is also evidence of rich oil and gas deposits in the waters around the continent. This mountain range has been dubbed the Ghost Mountains because its entirely buried under ice and snow. 6. It is one of the remotest places and the least visited place on the planet. Lose some. There’s one for hopeful Antarctica facts. Out of the whole continent, it’s West Antarctica’s ice that’s most affected by global warming. Antarctica is completely surrounded by the Southern oceans. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean and parts of Canada, Russia, the USA, Greenland, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Iceland. Between the continent’s position and the satellite’s orbits, and there’s a daily limit to how long they can use the satellites. This antifreeze raises the freezing point of liquid to keep it from freezing in the cold. Fact 1: Antarctica surrounds the South Pole and it is a place of extremes.The coldest, windiest and driest weather conditions occur there. Depending on the season, there are only between 1000 to 5000 people in Antarctica. In terms of total area, Antarctica is the fifth largest continent of the world. How’s that for cool Antarctica facts? Polar bears are exclusive to the Arctic. If they melted, it would "spring back" about 500m (1 625 ft). 2. It’s a small and flightless insect, measuring between 2 to 6 mm long. Satellites are the only reliable way to communicate to and from Antarctica. Starting from the incredibly drawn natural glaciers, largest icebergs, and uniquely created residential areas, this country is full of some exciting places and facts which can leave the person in complete shock. Conversely, during the summer months the sun does not set in Antarctica, which means it actually receives more sunlight than the equator during that time frame. The word 'Antarctica' comes from the Greek term 'antarktike' which means 'the opposite to arctic' or 'opposite to north'. Measuring 295 km long and 37 km wide, the iceberg had a surface area of 11,000 km². Layers of snow added on top of the ice sheet every winter tell a lot about what happened during that year, including volcanic eruptions, weather patterns, and even asteroid impacts. At least 17 other species of penguins live in Antarctica, including King Penguins, Chinstrap Penguins, and the Adélie penguin. 10 Weather-Fueled Facts about Antarctica. Antarctica is the southernmost region on Earth. This reduces their blood’s ability to carry oxygen by over 90%. However, Antarctica is cold and dry, with little to no liquid water and life present. The Penguin: Seven Facts About Antarctica’s Most Iconic Bird by Robert C. Brears Blog There are 17 species of penguin, some of which are found as far north as the equator, but only eight penguin species can be seen in Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands: chinstraps, emperors, Adélies, gentoos, kings, Magellanics, rockhoppers, and macaronis. 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