Antarctica - Antarctica—an Overview, Geology, Climate, Plants And Animals, Exploration Of The Continent, Scientific Exploration
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Of the seven continents on planet Earth—North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and Antarctica—the last lies at the southernmost tip of the world. It is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent. Ice covers 98% of the land, and its 5,100,000 sq mi (13,209,000 sq km) occupy nearly one-tenth of the Earth's land surface, or the same area as Europe and the United States combined. Despite its barren appearance, Antarctica and its surrounding waters and islands teem with life all their own, and the continent plays a significant role in the climate and health of the entire planet.
Humans have never settled on Antarctica because of its brutal climate, but, since its discovery in the early 1800s, explorers and scientists have traveled across dangerous seas to study the continent's winds, temperatures, rocks, wildlife, and ice. Scientists treasure the unequaled chance at undisturbed research; as travel to the continent improves, tourists enjoy the opportunity to visit the last "frontier" on the earth; environmentalists focus on Antarctica as the only continent largely unspoiled by human hands; and, in an increasingly resource-hungry world, others look at the continent as a key source of oil and mineral resources. While some countries have tried to claim parts of the continent as their own, Antarctica is an independent continent protected by international treaty from ownership by any one country.
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Antarctica does not have a town, a tree, or even a blade of grass on the entire continent. That does not mean that Antarctica is not vital to life on earth. Seventy percent of the world's fresh water is frozen atop the continent. These icecaps reflect warmth from the Sun back into the atmosphere, preventing planet Earth from overheating. Huge icebergs break away from the stationary ice and …
Antarctica is considered both an island—because it is surrounded by water—and a continent. The land itself is divided into east and west parts by the Transantarctic Mountains. The larger side, to the east, is located mainly in the eastern longitudes. West Antarctica is actually a group of islands held together by permanent ice. Almost all of Antarctica is under ice, in some areas by …
Antarctica is the coldest and windiest place on Earth. The wind can gust up to 200 MPH (322 km/h), or twice as hard as the average hurricane. Surprisingly, little snow actually falls in Antarctica; because the air is so cold, the snow that does fall turns immediately to ice. Because of the way the Earth tilts on its axis as it rotates around the Sun, both polar regions experience long winter night…
While the Arctic region teems with life, the Antarctic continent is nearly barren due to the persistently cold and dry climate. Plants that grow in the region reflect this climate and geology. The pearlwort (Colobanthus quitensis) and grass (Deschampsia antarctica) are the only two flowering plants on the continent. Both grow in a small area on or near the warmest part of the continent, the Antarc…
Greek philosopher Aristotle hypothesized more than 2,000 years ago that the earth was round and that the southern hemisphere must have a landmass large enough to balance the lands in the northern hemisphere. He called the probable but undiscovered land mass "Antarktikos," meaning the opposite of the Arctic. As hunting ships began traveling farther and farther south in the early 1800s…
While various countries were busy claiming rights to Antarctica, scientists were cooperating effectively on research as early as 1875. Twelve nations participated in the first International Polar Year in 1882 and 1883. While most of the research was done in the Arctic, one German station was located in the Antarctic region. A second International Polar Year occurred in 1932-33, followed by the Int…
A wide variety of research is continuing on Antarctica, primarily during the relatively warmer summer months from October to February when temperatures may reach a balmy 30–50°F ( -1–10°C). The cold temperatures and high altitude of Antarctica allow astronomers to put their telescopes above the lower atmosphere, which lessens blurring. During the summer months, they can…
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