12 curiosities about the polar region of Antarctica
Around the world we have several polar regions of which we sometimes do not know many things due to their remoteness or because they are not really fully discovered. One of them is “The Antarctica”. The word Antarctica comes from the Greek language, from antarktikos, which means “opposite the arctic”.
In turn, the arctic comes from the Greek word arktikos, whose meaning is "of the bear", in reference to the boreal constellation called Ursa Minor, in which the Polar Star is found, which indicates the North Pole. Therefore, antarktikos means "opposite of the bear"; that is, it alludes to the South Pole, which is located on this continent. Antarctica is one of those places that belongs to the popular ideology of the world. A white scenery that we are all capable of recreating in our minds but that very few have actually seen and that you only find in the polar regions.
The Antarctic continent (whose name means 'opposite to the arctic') is the southernmost territory on Earth, containing the geographic South Pole and having an area of about 14 million square kilometers. It was first sighted in 1820 and it was not until 1895 that the first landing was made by a team of Norwegian explorers. The impressive surface and harsh weather conditions have made Antarctica one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, but also one of the most interesting and studied. For this reason, from
12 +1 CURIOSITIES YOU DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE POLAR GROUNDS OF ANTARCTICA
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How big is Antarctica?
The size of this polar region is not always the same depending on the time of year. The size of Antarctica doubles by winter. The reason for this is due to the ice sheets; the sea freezes In summer, the surface of the continent is 14 million square kilometers and in winter it reaches 30 square kilometers, that is, the equivalent of the US and Mexico together.
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When did people start arriving in this giant polar region?
1957 was the year in which the first tourists arrived in Antarctica. A Pan American flight from Christchurch, New Zealand, landed briefly in McMurdo Sound.
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How do penguins survive in Antarctica?
It is full of penguins who can withstand those temperatures in the polar regions all year round. Why don't penguins' feet freeze on the ice? Well, otherwise they would use heat. Their coats and fat are so effective that their feet serve as air conditioners. Just like that!
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Does Antarctica belong to any country?
According to the Antarctic Treaty, Antarctica does not belong to any country. It is a continent that is intended for scientific research and for peaceful purposes only, where mining operations are prohibited. The member countries of the treaty represent 80% of the world population. Now that's one big polar region!
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And if we go to Antarctica, what do we pay with?
There is an Antarctic coin. Its name is the Antarctic dollar and despite having no legal value, it is the most valuable for a collector. They are issued by the Antarctica Overseas Exchange Office, which donates much of the proceeds to student projects. Even the polar regions have their currency!
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Are there weddings on the sixth continent?
In 1999 a couple got married at the Amundsen-Scott station at the geographic South Pole. The couple was able to spend their first night of their honeymoon in a heated tent.
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Is Antarctica made of water?
This polar terrain is Water, water and more water! About 80% of the planet's fresh water is in Antarctica. It is the largest reserve of fresh water in the entire world and it is due to ice. Antarctica plays a very important role in the movement of ocean currents and is therefore a highly protected territory.
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And that in Antarctica ice never melts, or what?
There is ice that is more than a million years old. It is three kilometers thick and 1.5 million years old. Scientists are studying it to draw conclusions about climate change that is strongly reflected in this polar terrain.
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Was Antarctica always ice?
Antarctica was not always one big block of ice. Millions of years ago, Antarctica was a tropical forest. Fossilized plants, leaves and branches have been found, proving that before the continent completely froze, it was a forest where even dinosaurs lived in this polar terrain.
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Is Antarctica in danger?
It is warming faster than anywhere else in the world. In the last 50 years it has been at a frenetic pace.
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Is Antarctica a desert?
Although it may not seem that way, it is the driest continent in the world. 90% of its territory is desert and the air is dry due to the cold temperatures.
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What animals can we find in the waters of Antarctica?
The seas of Antarctica are the preferred habitat of the giant squid. The ocean that surrounds the continent is the habitat of the colossal squid, the largest species of squid, weighing up to 500 kg and measuring 10 m.
Also…. Did you know that this is the best place to find meteorites?
If you ever want to go looking for a meteorite, Antarctica is the best place in the world to find them. The continent has earned a reputation as the place to find these space rocks thanks to a few key features. Although almost equally likely to fall anywhere on Earth, Antarctica is almost entirely covered in snow, and the monochrome landscape makes the dark rocks stand out. Simultaneously, ice currents tend to move them and drop them in the same area. The continent's climate also tends to preserve them very well because it is a very dry climate. Any meteor that falls anywhere else, for example in the jungle, will quickly corrode and decay.
Antarctica is the southernmost continent and one of the most mysterious and wild places in the world. Thousands of adventurers and adventure sports enthusiasts who are passionate about risk would love to be able to travel here and be dazzled by its nature. What would you do to visit this polar region?
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