Did you know that
Antarctica is the largest desert in the world, even though it is covered in snow and ice
Did you know that
Antarctica is the largest desert in the world, even though it is covered in snow and ice
Mysterious Antarctica
Antarctica Continent:
Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent, a giant landmass buried under a thick blanket of ice. This icy giant is the coldest, driest, and windiest place on Earth! Although no one lives there permanently, it's a hub for cool scientific research and home to amazing animals like penguins and seals.
Antarctica Animals:
Antarctica may seem like a frozen desert, but it's teeming with life! Emperor penguins huddle together for warmth, acrobatic seals flip and flop on the ice, and tiny krill munch on algae in the ocean. Whales visit the icy waters to feed, and even some birds, like the snow petrel, call Antarctica home year-round.
Antarctica Mountains:
Peeking under Antarctica's ice sheet, you'll find the Transantarctic Mountains, a massive mountain range that stretches right across the continent. Imagine giants even taller than any in Europe – that's how high these mountains are! They're also home to some of Earth's oldest rocks, whispering secrets of our planet's history.
Antarctica Population:
Believe it or not, Antarctica is too cold and dry for anyone to live there year-round! But that doesn't mean it's empty. Around 5,000 scientists visit during the summer to study the continent, while a smaller crew of about 1,000 tough it out in the winter. These scientists are like explorers of old, but instead of searching for gold, they're unlocking the secrets of this icy land!
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9 chapters in this video
0:00 Introduction to and facts about Antarctica
1:12 Animal and plant life
2:16 Largest desert in the world
3:15 Antarctica's temperature
4:16 Two seasons in Antarctica
4:40 Explorers of the continent
5:34 Sites you would see in Antarctica
6:45 Review of the facts
7:33 Antarctica belongs to everyone
Video Settings
Did you know that Antarctica, the coldest place on Earth, is a desert? Not only that, it's the largest desert in the world! The only continent on which people don't live (except for scientists). Antarctica is an amazing and unique place. Located at the bottom of the earth, it is almost completely covered in ice. Only 2% of it isn't. It is considered a desert because it receives such a small amount of rain every year. So why is there so much snow? It's because the snow that does fall never melts; it's just too cold. Instead, the snow just builds and builds and builds. As a result, it has become one giant piece of ice. It's far too cold for humans to live comfortably, but it's just right for some animals. The creatures who call this place home include penguins, leopard and weddell seals, killer whales (orca), fish, and krill. The plant life that thrive there include moss, non-marine algae, and many fungi and bacteria. Perhaps one of the most interesting facts about Antarctica is that the season of winter yields no sunlight! There are only two seasons here: winter and summer. That means that for six months, the sun doesn't shine! It goes down in March and doesn't come up again until the beginning of October! It is dark 24 hours a day for six whole months.
Antarctica is home to a variety of wildlife, including penguins, seals, whales, and seabirds.
Penguins are the most iconic animals in Antarctica, and there are 17 different species that live on the continent.
Seals are also common, and there are 6 different species that live in Antarctica. Whales and seabirds are also found in Antarctica, and they play an important role in the ecosystem.
Did You Know?
Antarctica is home to two active volcanoes, Mount Erebus and Deception Island.
Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, and driest continent on Earth. The average temperature in Antarctica is -58 degrees Fahrenheit (-50 degrees Celsius), and the wind can blow up to 200 miles per hour (322 kilometers per hour). It also receives very little precipitation, with some areas receiving less than 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of rain or snow per year.
The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was -89.2 degrees Fahrenheit (-128.6 degrees Celsius), and it was recorded in Antarctica.
Famous People
Robert Falcon Scott
British explorer who led two expeditions to Antarctica, the first in 1901-1904 and the second in 1910-1912. Scott and his team were the first to reach the South Pole, but they perished on their return journey.
Antarctica is a place of great scientific importance. Scientists from all over the world come to Antarctica to study the climate, geology, and biology of the continent. They also study the effects of climate change on Antarctica, and they work to protect the environment.
Antarctica is a unique and special place, and it is important to protect it. Antarctica is home to a fragile ecosystem, and it is important to limit human impact on the continent. There are a number of international agreements in place to protect Antarctica, and scientists are working to ensure that the continent remains a place of scientific research and exploration.
Did You Know?
There is a lake in Antarctica that is filled with blood-red water.
In the deepest dive ever beneath Antarctic ice, thriving plants and animals are captured on camera.
Life Under the Ice
Did you know Antarctica is home to the largest lake on Earth... that's covered in ice! Lake Vostok is hidden beneath the continent's thick ice sheet, like a giant, frozen world all its own. Scientists are still trying to figure out what secrets it holds, but one thing's for sure: Antarctica is a place full of surprises! Maybe there are tiny organisms living in the lake, or even fossils from ancient times trapped in the ice. It's a mystery waiting to be solved!
New Zealand scientists drilling through Antarctic ice discovered an underwater ecosystem 500 meters down.
A drill cut half a mile through the Antarctic Ice Sheet to sub glacial Lake Whillans in January 2013. | Kellie Jaeger/Discover
Emperor penguins head for the open ocean in search of food. The brownish patches above them are micro algae that cling to the sea ice and start to photosynthesize in spring.
A hundred feet below the ice, a feather star waves its frond like arms. It’s an animal, not a plant and it can swim.
A Weddell seal, weeks old, comes in for a close-up. It may have been the pup's first swim. Weddell seals are the most southerly breeding mammal in the world.
Scientists accidentally found life under3,000 feet of ice in Antarctica. An image from a video in which scientists saw stationary animals under ice in Antarctica. The creatures appear similar to sponges.
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