Did You Know That Antarctica Has An Active Volcano?

Antarctica

Antarctica is the driest places on earth. It has valleys where snow and ice cannot even accumulate, which leaves the valleys as just a dusty expanse of dirt.

It is also the windiest place on earth. Wind speeds up to 200 miles per hour have been reported.

The Antarctic Ice Sheet is the single biggest mass of ice in the world and can sometimes be up to four miles thick. The continent as a whole contains about 90 percent of the planet's freshwater ice and around 70 percent of the total fresh water on earth.

If the West Antarctic Ice Sheet were to melt, it would raise global sea levels by about 16 feet.

The Ross Ice Shelf is a floating tongue of ice that extends off the continent's main landmass and is the largest ice shelf that has ever been discovered.

Antarctica holds one of the world's biggest mountain ranges called the Gamburtsev Mountains. They stretch out more than 745 miles. The highest peaks are estimated to be around 9,186 feet or about one-third the size of Mount Everest.

Hidden under the ice sheet is Lake Vostok, a freshwater lake buried under almost 3 miles of frozen water. This lake is about the size of Lake Ontario and is one of more than 200 different bodies of water that has been discovered beneath the ice.

Antarctica has an unnamed canyon that was found during a 2010 expedition. It extends 62 miles, is more than 6 miles wide and reaches depths of more than 1.5 times deeper than the Grand Canyon. Scientists speculate that it could be even larger, but further exploration is required.

Antarctica has a active volcano named Mount Erebus. It is the southern-most active volcano in the world - as well as the only known "lava lakes," which have held liquid magma for eons.

There are 80 research stations from 30 different countries. There are 4,000 people operate them during the summer months and only 1,000 during the long, harsh winters.

In January of 1979, Emile Marco Palma became the first human ever to be born on Antarctica. Only 10 other people have been born on the continent.

The continent remains dark throughout the entire winter season and during the summer months the sun does not set in Antarctica.

Deep Lake in Antarctica is so salty that it cannot freeze, even in temperatures as low as negative 15 degrees Celsius.