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