Antarctica — a snow-covered and ice-covered continent that still holds many mysteries. For obvious reasons, its study is difficult, and besides, it is not very promising from an economic point of view. However, how do you know — maybe we’ll see domed cities amid eternal ice?
Interesting facts about Antarctica
- Antarctica — the least explored continent of our planet (interesting facts about Earth).
- Antarctica has its own first-level Internet domain.
- It does not belong to any of their countries.
- The ice of Antarctica contains 70 to 80 percent of the world’s fresh water.
- More than 140 subglacial lakes of liquid water have been discovered on the territory of Antarctica.
- It is the only continent not divided into time zones.
- There has been no precipitation in the Antarctic dry McMurdo Desert for more than two million years. It is the driest place on the planet.
- Antarctic dry deserts — an area most similar to what awaits us on Mars (interesting facts about Mars).
- There are no permanent residents in Antarctica. The total number of scientists working here from different countries is usually about a thousand people in winter and up to 5 thousand people in summer.
- The warmest month in these parts — February
- Trees don’t grow in Antarctica (interesting facts about trees).
- Icebergs in these parts reach unrealistic sizes. In 2000, an iceberg over 295 kilometers long and over 37 kilometers wide broke away from one of the Antarctic glaciers. This is more than the island of Jamaica.
- Off the coast of Antarctica is the cleanest sea in the world — Weddell Sea (interesting facts about the seas).
- In winter, due to glaciation of coastal waters, the area of Antarctica increases by 2 million square kilometers, that is, almost doubles.
- Employees who have not removed their appendix and wisdom teeth are not allowed to work at Antarctic scientific stations.
- A mountain range the size of the Alps is hidden under the ice of Antarctica.
- Due to the melting of the northern ice, some scientists propose to relocate polar bears to Antarctica.
- Temporary rivers appear in Antarctica in summer, which flow several months a year (interesting facts about rivers).
- Antarctica — the driest continent, with five times less rainfall than the Sahara desert.
- 6 of the 17 existing penguin species live here.
- There are no winged insects in Antarctica.
- This is where the strongest winds on Earth blow.
- The only concert ever held in Antarctica — a concert by rock band Metallica, who performed for the staff of the scientific station.
- The lowest temperature on the planet was recorded in Antarctica — minus 89.2 degrees.
- Average ice thickness covering Antarctica — more than one and a half kilometers.
- 52 million years ago it was warm in Antarctica, even hot.
- Until 1972, a nuclear power plant operated in Antarctica, but due to damage to the reactor vessel, it was stopped.
- About a hundred species of mosses and two hundred species of lichens grow in Antarctica (interesting facts about mosses).
- Antarctica was discovered only in 1820, although the existence of the southern continent was predicted by scientists long before this event.