24 curiosities about Antarctica

La Antarctica it is a continent that, since its discovery (which is believed to have been in 1603), has attracted human attention. Taking into account that the Earth is spherical, and that at that time it was already known that at the North Pole, very close to the polar region, there are continental areas covered with snow, logically there had to be something similar at the South Pole.

In the eighteenth century, Spanish and South Americans began to spend their summers there, although it would still take another century for the rest of the mortals to know of the existence of this incredible continent, of this great White Desert. From there, Antarctica has gradually unveiled its mysteries, but… surely there are at least 24 things you don't know about it. 24 curiosities about Antarctica that will amaze you.

1. Antarctica is the largest desert in the world, of neither more nor less than 14,2 million km2. An incredible extension, don't you think?

2. You won't find reptiles of any kind here. It is the only continent where there is no.
3. The reason why you will find these animals here, and why life here is very complicated even if you are warm-blooded, is because the lowest temperature to date has been recorded. Which? -93,2ºC. Surely more than one of you would like to have a few warm soups, right?

4. You can't work in Antarctica unless your wisdom tooth and appendix have been removed. It's funny, isn't it? But anyway, we don't need those two parts of the body at all. The first one when it comes out, if it does come out, causes a lot of pain, and the other when it starts to become inflamed can become a source of bacteria.
5. Even though they are called bears polar, In fact you will only see them in the arctic. In Antarctica, however, you will see many penguins, like the nice specimen in the image above.
   

   Image - Lin padgham

   6. If you thought that there were only active volcanoes in warm and temperate regions ... you were wrong. In Antarctica there is also a volcano. And it is active. It is the one that is located further south. Is named Mount Erebus, and expels crystals.
   

   Image - 23am.com

   7. There are 300 lakes they don't freeze on this continent. Would you like to take a dip? No, I'm not kidding.
   8. The highest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica was 14,5ºC.
   

   Image - Peter rejcek

   9. Is there some part of this continent where it has not rained or snowed absolutely nothing in the last 2 million years.
   10. But there are cataracts. The ones we imagine are transparent water, but here there is one that is red.
   

   Image - Christopher Michel

   11. A scientist in Antarctica can date his girl just 45 minutes.
   

   Image - Christopher Michel

   12. Living here is a huge challenge. Is the continent colder, windier, drier and higher (It is above 2000m of sea level) in the world. Still, there are human beings living in Antarctica.
   13. But there is no schedule. In fact, in Antarctica there is no schedule.
   14. Once, 52 million years ago, It was as hot as California is today. It housed a tropical forest like those in the Amazon region, or in Southeast Asia. Anyone would say it now, right?
   

   Image - Factslides

   15. If you are a believer, you should know that there is seven christian churches in Antarctica.
   

   Image - Christopher Michel

   16. Antarctica has only 1 ATM, which is 1,01325 bar, or 101325 pascals.
   17. And, despite the fact that it hardly ever rains, 90% of fresh water is here. Yes, frozen. But as a result of global warming, if the seas melt they could rise several meters ...
   

   Image - Christopher Michel

   18. Humans have always been trying (and still continue today) to colonize spaces and territories, even the most inhospitable. So much so that in 1977 Argentina sent a pregnant mother to Antarctica to give birth there, with the sole purpose of being able to claim a part of the continent. He was the first human being to be born in Antarctica.
   19. Although coming into the world in a place where the wind can blow up to 320km / h… It is a challenge.
   

   Image - 23am.com

   20. The largest iceberg ever measured is bigger than Jamaica: 11,000km2. But it separated from the mainland in 2000.
   

   Image - 23am.com

   21. Most of the continent is permanently covered in ice, except 1% ​​of the total, where it melts with the arrival of the Polar Light (what

   which would be spring in this frozen desert).

   

   Image - Christopher Michel

   22. Thawing has caused a small change in gravity of the region.
   

   Image - Christopher Michel

   23. The average thickness of the ice in Antarctica is approximately xnumxkm. 
   24. Chile is the only town that lives here. They have a school, a post office, hospital, Internet, and mobile phone coverage.

   Now you know a few things about this magnificent and frozen continent. What do you think?