- Because today is National Antarctica Day!
We have all heard of Antarctica, but what do we really know about it? Here are a bunch of Antarctica fun facts for National Antarctica Day.
There Is Only One ATM
Yes, that’s right, there is only one ATM in all of Antarctica. This ATM is located in McMurdo station which is the largest research station in the continent. This research states sees up to about 1,000 guests during the summer.
No Permanent Human Residents
Although Antarctica is occupied year round, there are no people that live there permanently. Researchers come and go, which makes it “inhabited” by humans, but no one really lives there. During the winter, there are about 1,000 researchers on site and that number can get to closer to 4,000 during the summer months. Did you know this as one of the Antarctica fun facts?
The Saltiest Lake On Earth
The Don Juan Pond, at the base of the Transantarctic mountains is the saltiest body of water on Earth, with a salt concentration of 40%. In comparison, the Dead Sea has about 30% salt concentration and sea water is about 3.5% salt. And because the salt is actually calcium chloride, the freezing point is lowered even more than it would be if it were sodium chloride or table salt. This means that the water in the lake remains liquid even through Antarctica’s frigid temperatures.
Its Glaciers Are Retreating
An estimated 87% of glaciers surrounding the Antarctic Peninsula are retreating, thinning and accelerating. This is possibly the result of collapsing ice shelves but not good in the scheme of things.
One Large Ice Sheet
Antarctica is more than 98% covered in ice and is the largest ice sheet in the world. Antarctica contains a staggering 90% of the world’s ice and if it all melted. The sea levels would rise just under 197 feet.
Blood Red Water
East Antarctica has a remote area called Taylor Glacier with water the color of blood, thus named “Blood Falls.” It was a mystery for more than 100 years. Scientists discovered in 2017 that the water came from a subglacial lake high in salt and oxidized iron. Once the water comes into contact with the air, the iron begins to rust, causing the dark red color. This is one of the craziest of the Antarctica fun facts, and coolest. Would you want to see this blood red waterfall in real life?
Antarctica Is Its Own Continent
As the fifth biggest of the 7 continents, Antarctica is bigger than all of Europe and nearly twice the size of Australia.
It’s A Desert
Antarctica is the driest continent on the planet and officially a desert. The area has very low humidity and because of the cold temperatures and strong winds, it’s difficult for clouds to form . Rain is possible but still rare, even along the coastline of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Did you know these Antarctica fun facts? Let me know in the comments and watch for more!