10 Surprising Facts About Antarctica
#1. The first confirmed sighting of the continent by humans was in 1820.
#2. If Antarctica’s ice sheets melted, the worlds oceans would rise by 60-65 meters (200 – 210ft).
#3. Antarctica is the best place in the world to find meteorites.
#4. The lowest ever temperature recorded,-129.28°F (- 89.6°C), was at the Russian Vostok station on Antarctica.
#5. The ice can be more than 2.4 miles thick in some places.
#6. Antarctica holds between 60 to 70% of all of the world’s fresh water.
#7. Only 0.4 percent of Antarctica is not covered by ice.
#8. The largest land animal in Antarctica is an insect, a wingless midge, Belgica antarctica, less than 1.3cm (0.5in) long.
#9. The Dry Valleys of Antarctica is the driest place on the planet. In fact, the Dry Valleys went 2 million years without rain!
#10. There is no time zone in Antarctica. Scientist communities in Antarctica tend to keep the time relating to their home lands.