Happy Antarctica Day! Today celebrates the anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959. Since the 1800s, a number of nations had laid claim to parts of Antarctica, which led to diplomatic disputes and even some armed clashes. Scientific bases there increased international tension, causing President Dwight D. Eisenhower to become concerned about the Cold War possibly spreading to that continent. So he convened an Antarctic Conference of the 12 countries that were active there at the time. They signed a treaty recognizing Antarctica as a preserve for peace and scientific study, banning military activity, mining, nuclear explosions, and nuclear waste disposal. Today, 56 nations recognize the treaty.
Antarctica is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent on the planet. It’s also the only continent that doesn’t have a native human population. It’s about 40% larger than Europe, making it the 5th largest continent. Around 70% of the world’s freshwater reserves are frozen in Antarctica. If they melt, that would be very, very bad for Earth, causing sea levels to rise by almost 200 feet. The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth, -128.6 degrees, was recorded in Antarctica in 1983.
The main human activities in and around Antarctica are tourism, research, and fishing. Most of the population consists of the staff of research stations. The number of people conducting and supporting scientific research varies from 1,200 in the winter to around 4,800 in the summer. These are scientists like geographers, meteorologists, climatologists, marine biologists, and astronomers. Antarctica is the only planet without a time zone, so scientists either go by the time of their home country or the supply line that brings them supplies.
There is relatively little wildlife diversity in Antarctica as compared to most of the rest of the world. There are 7 seal species and 8 penguin species, including Emperor Penguins, which return to the same ancestral breeding grounds there every winter. The ocean surrounding the continent, however, is among the most diverse on the planet.
Just last week, the worlds largest iceberg broke loose from Antarctica. It’s massive, almost 1,500 square miles and 1,300 feet thick. It’s headed toward the Southern Ocean at a rate of 3 miles per day. Scientists are watching it closely, as it could cause issues for wildlife if it runs aground in breeding areas. Learn more here.