What is hidden in Antarctica?

Antarctica holds many secrets beneath its vast ice sheets - even a massive mountain range. Hidden below a two to four thousand kilometre thick sheet of ice are the Gamburtsev Mountains. They stretch for 1,200 kilometres and rise to 3,000 metres, a third of the height of Mount Everest.

What is hidden under the ice in Antarctica?

The scientists found the secret subterranean habitat tucked away beneath the Larsen Ice Shelf — a massive, floating sheet of ice attached to the eastern coast of the Antarctic peninsula that famously birthed the world's largest iceberg in 2021.

Why is no one allowed in 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.

What was found under 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.

What was found in Antarctica 2021?

The team discovered 77 species — including sabre-shaped bryozoans (moss animals) and serpulid worms — more than the total number previously known from all the frozen continent's ice shelves. The team concludes that there must be enough algae carried under the ice shelf from open water to fuel a strong food web.

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.

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.

Is anyone buried in Antarctica?

Beneath layers of snow and ice on the world's coldest continent, there may be hundreds of people buried forever.

Does Antarctica have a hole?

A few years ago, a giant hole opened up in the Antarctic sea ice, capturing attention around the world. Not since the 1970s had such a chasm appeared in the mid-ocean ice of the Weddell Sea. Scientists showed in previous research that ocean processes and cyclones contributed to the hole, called a polynya.

What are the 12 countries in Antarctica?

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.

Who owns the Antarctic?

People from all over the world undertake research in Antarctica, but Antarctica is not owned by any one nation. Antarctica is governed internationally through the Antarctic Treaty system. The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 by 12 countries who had scientists in and around Antarctica at the time.

What did Antarctica look like before ice?

But before Antarctica's deep freeze 34 million years ago, the valley was relatively flat and filled by a lazy river, leaving a riddle for geologists to decode: How did Lambert Graben get so steep, and when was it carved? The key to Lambert Graben's history was found in layers of sediments just offshore, in Prydz Bay.

Are there guns in Antarctica?

Antarctica is a demilitarized zone. This means that no military activity can take place on the territory, including carrying out maneuvers and establishing military bases. In addition, no firearms (or explosive devices) are allowed without a special dispensation.

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.

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 you go to Antarctica without permission?

The Antarctic Treaty does not prevent tourists, military personnel or scientific researchers from being present in Antarctica - but they do require an appropriate permit from a Treaty Party.

Can you just go to Antarctica?

You can get to Antarctica by boat or plane. Sailing the Drake Passage from the tip of South America to the Antarctic Peninsula takes 48 hours. Flying to Antarctica takes 2 hours. Approximately 54,000 visitors make the journey each year, with around 50 expedition vessels sailing Antarctic waters each season.

Why do we drill in Antarctica?

Their aim is to extract ice cores that will help them to piece together what happened to our planet's climate during a crucial and mysterious period of change that occurred around 1 million years ago.

How deep is the water under Antarctica?

"If you could squeeze out all that water and pool it on the surface, the water would range anywhere from about 220m in depth all the way up to 820m.

What is under the Ross Ice Shelf?

The largest, the Ross Ice Shelf, is roughly the size of Spain; the ocean underneath it contains as much water as the North Sea.