Antarctica is the southern polar region of our planet. Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, and driest region on Earth. It also differs from the North Pole or the Arctic due to the presence of a permanent Antarctic ice shelf. Below are some of the most interesting weird facts about Antarctica that you should know.
30 fascinating facts about Antarctica
All you should know about Antarctica
- Antarctica is the driest continent on the planet. The driest place in Antarctica is the valleys near McMurdo Bay. An area of about 8,000 square kilometers, not covered by ice, has not seen rain for more than 2 million years.
- About 98% of Antarctica is permanently covered with ice and perennial snow. Most of the remaining 2% are lifeless, dry deserts.
The Weddell Sea :
- The Weddell Sea, which is part of the Southern Ocean and washes the shores of this continent, is the cleanest in the world. The transparency of its waters in it is just a little short of the transparency of distilled water, purified from impurities.
Species at Antarctica :
- In Antarctica, there are only two types of flowers: Antarctic meadow grass and Colobanthus quito. But there are about 100 species of mosses and 200 species of lichens.
- In Antarctica, scientists from the United States and Argentina have discovered a new species of herbivorous dinosaurs that lived on Earth 190 million years ago.
Animals at Antarctica :
- According to the British Antarctic Survey, Penguins, Blue Whales, Antarctic Arca, Fur Seal, and Albatross can be seen in almost all the islands of Antarctica and land areas.
- Antarctica is a home shelter for 240 different variety of animals.
No Polar Bears at Antarctica :
- There are no polar bears living in Antarctica. There are no vast fields of sea floating ice with sagebrush, and they would not be able to get food for themselves.
World Longest Mountain Ranges :
- The Transantarctic mountains divide the continent into western and eastern parts. They stretch for 3,500 kilometers and are one of the longest mountain ranges in the world.
River in Antarctica :
- There is a river in Antarctica. It’s called Onyx. Two months a year, the river flows east through a Dry Valley to Lake Wanda, and its length is 40 kilometers.
First Explorer to the South Pole :
- Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen was the first person to set foot on the surface of Antarctica (the South Pole). He beat the explorer of the North, Robert Falcon Scott, and planted the Norwegian flag on December 14, 1911.
First Baby have rights to Claim Antarctica :
On January 20, 1979, the first child, Emilio Marcos Palma, was born in Antarctica. This was part of the idea of Argentina to claim the territory of Antarctica. The government of the country sent a pregnant woman specifically for this purpose.
Weird Waterfalls in Antarctica :
- There is a Bloody waterfall on the territory of Antarctica. The water in it contains divalent iron, which, when in contact with oxygen, turns red-brown.
Unknown Facts about Antarctica
- The only music concert in Antarctica took place when the band Metallica performed here at one of the polar stations.
- Antarctica has its own first—level domain. aq. It can only be obtained by a state organization that is related to any country that signed the Antarctic Treaty in 1959. The domain is issued for a period of 2 years.
- In winter, the area of the continent increases by about 2 million km2 due to the freezing of coastal waters. When the summer becomes relatively warm, the ice melts, and the area of the mainland shrinks again. Then the cycle repeats.
- There was a nuclear reactor in Antarctica. It was located at McMurdo Station, owned by the United States. In 1972, cracks were found in the reactor vessel, and it was stopped. After that, it was decided not to develop a nuclear industry in Antarctica.
- The climate in Antarctica changed, according to scientists, about 52 million years ago. Previously, this continent was closer to the equator but gradually shifted to the place where it is now. Most of the living creatures here are extinct, but some species, such as penguins, have managed to adapt to the new conditions.
- In 1959, after secret negotiations, 12 countries signed an agreement on the peaceful status of Antarctica. To date, there are already 48 participating countries.
Interesting Facts about Antarctica :
- 53 million years ago, palm trees grew on the coasts of Antarctica, and in the interior of the continent, the average temperature was about 20 ° C. This time period scientists call the “Eocene greenhouse”: the high concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere led to a greenhouse effect.
- Actually, Antarctica is located in all time zones of the planet, as it is located at the South Pole. The exception is Amundsen-Scott Station, where New Zealand Time operates.
- The mass of Antarctic ice is incredibly huge. The European Space Agency says that if they start to melt, then rising sea levels will not be our only problem — the displacement of significant masses from the pole can affect the gravity of the Earth.
- There is a fire station in Antarctica. It is located at McMurdo Station, and there are real firefighters working there.
- There’s a bar in Antarctica. It is located at the Ukrainian station “Akademik Vernadsky” and is considered the most inaccessible bar in the world.
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Fun Facts about Antarctica for Kids
- The lowest temperature on Earth was recorded at the Vostok station on July 21, 1983. It was -89.2 ºC.
- Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent. Its area is 14 million kilometers squared.
- The existence of Antarctica was unknown until 1820.
Unbelievable Facts about Antarctica
- 14.99% of the surface of Antarctica is covered with ice. The largest glacier is the Ross Ice Shelf, covering an area of 472,960 square kilometers.
- The average thickness of the ice layer in Antarctica is 1.6 kilometers. In Antarctica, 70% of the planet’s drinking water is concentrated.
