Has anyone fully explored Antarctica?

In 1911, a Norwegian team led by explorer Roald Amundsen first reached the South Pole. Since then, there have been thousands of expeditions across the continent, for adventure as well as science. However, due to the challenging terrain and extreme temperatures, many areas of Antarctica have not yet been fully explored.

Is any of Antarctica unexplored?

Antarctica is a continent that's mostly uninhabited and filled with unexplored areas. Most scientists and researchers who spend time in Antarctica inhabit areas around research stations because the extreme landscape is largely unlivable.

Why is no one allowed to explore Antarctica?

Well, that is because visiting Antarctica is a privilege and a responsibility at the same time. The Antarctic Treaty includes a protocol on environmental protection, which designates the continent as a natural reserve. There is a set of rules any visitor has to follow.

Is there a permanent human presence in Antarctica?

Antarctica is the only continent with no permanent human habitation. There are, however, permanent human settlements, where scientists and support staff live for part of the year on a rotating basis. The continent of Antarctica makes up most of the Antarctic region.

What is forbidden in Antarctica?

However, in Antarctica, taking anything is banned. This includes rocks, feathers, bones, eggs and any kind of biological material including traces of soil. Taking anything man-made is also completely banned, as some might actually be research equipment.

Why No One's Allowed To Explore The Antarctic

Why do planes not fly over Antarctica?

No, planes don't fly over Antarctica because it is too remote and ETOPS regulation requires that aircraft are within a certain distance of a diversion airport at all times in case there are engine problems. As there are no diversion airports in Antarctica, routes must stay closer to other continents.

Is it illegal to live in Antarctica?

Access to Antarctica is restricted by the Antarctic Treaty. If you want to organize your own trip or expedition there, you will have to request permission from the government of your own country.

What does Antarctica smell like?

Oddly enough, there are very few smells in Antarctica. Ice and snow have no smell, and in the cold temperatures, everyday objects hold onto their aromatic chemicals. So that when you stumble into an aroma, it stands out like a black volcanic rock on a snowfield.

What language is spoken in Antarctica?

And in addition to English, there are small but sizable populations of German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Chinese and Italian speakers, among others. Even though English is the most represented, Antarctica provides a promising microcosm of the world.

Has anyone been born in Antarctica?

Eleven babies have been born in Antarctica, and none of them died as infants. Antarctica therefore has the lowest infant mortality rate of any continent: 0%.

Can planes fly over Antarctica?

There are no commercial flight routes over Antarctica due to the continent's lack of infrastructure and virtually non-existent population. Antarctica also has extreme weather that makes it difficult to fly and land on the continent.

Can you buy land in Antarctica?

Antarctica is the Earth's only continent without a native human population, and no one country can claim to own it.

What is buried under Antarctica?

Antarctica is hiding a huge amount of water beneath its surface. Researchers have long suspected that there might be groundwater buried beneath the ice, but until now there has been no conclusive evidence to confirm that suspicion.

What did they find under the ice in Antarctica?

Massive aquifers may lie under all Antarctic ice streams. Beneath a fast-flowing ice stream in West Antarctica, scientists have discovered a vast aquifer brimming with seawater that's likely been locked down there for thousands of years.

Has anything been found in Antarctica?

Researchers have discovered a common martian mineral deep within an ice core from Antarctica. The find suggests the mineral—a brittle, yellow-brown substance known as jarosite—was forged the same way on both Earth and Mars: from dust trapped within ancient ice deposits.

Does Antarctica have a mcdonalds?

There are over 36,000 McDonald's locations all over the planet, and the chain is on every continent except Antarctica.

Has Antarctica got a flag?

True South is the only flag of Antarctica formally recognized by members of the Antarctic Treaty System, the condominium that governs the continent. However, adoption of the flag is not yet universal, and dozens of unofficial designs have also been proposed.

Is it illegal to touch a penguin?

Even if a penguin comes extremely close to you, however, remember: you're not allowed to touch or hold them.

What is the warmest part of Antarctica?

Winter temperatures rarely reach as high as 52 °F (11 °C) on the northern Antarctic Peninsula, which, because of its maritime influences, is the warmest part of the continent.

Are there police in Antarctica?

The Marshals Service became the official law enforcement entity for the South Pole through an agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Attorney for Hawaii.

Are drugs legal in Antarctica?

The Antarctic Treaty forbids anyone of any citizenship from doing things like setting off nuclear bombs, but it has nothing to say about the consumption of cannabis (or any other drug, for that matter). So growing, consuming, or selling pot is technically legal. There's no law saying you can't.

Can I build a house on Antarctica?

Unlike just about any where else in the world, it is not really possible to build easily in Antarctica using naturally found materials (igloos aside which aren't permanent structures). There are no trees at all for instance and so no wood.