Antarctica, the continent shrouded in thick ice and one of the most remote places on Earth, has always piqued the curiosity of scientists. What fascinating findings have researchers made on this frozen land?
Discoveries in Antarctica
Scientists have stumbled upon some incredible discoveries in Antarctica, including 45,000 meteorites originating from the Moon, Mars, and asteroids. According to NASA, in 2016, a total of 22,000 samples were found, and 19,000 of them were sent to scientists worldwide. One of these meteorites was a chunk from Mars, weighing about 8 kilograms.
Additionally, scientists have found unexpected ecosystems teeming with life deep beneath Antarctica’s ice layers. As reported by The Guardian on June 6, 2022, a group of New Zealand scientists discovered an ecosystem located 500 meters below Antarctica’s surface, thousands of kilometers from the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf, the largest ice shelf in Antarctica. This ecosystem consists of a swarm of small shrimp-like creatures, roughly 5 mm in size, thriving in the depths of Antarctica.
Furthermore, another discovery is the presence of phytoplankton algae living beneath Antarctica’s ice, where sunlight is nearly absent. According to The Science Times in November 2022, the possibility of these plants surviving may be due to openings in the ice that allow some sunlight to penetrate and enable photosynthesis.
The Antarctica Archaeology Book
These findings also include archaeological discoveries documented in the Antarctica Archaeology book, featuring artifacts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries during the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, spanning from 1897 to 1922. Over those 25 years, 16 major expeditions from eight different countries conducted scientific and geographical exploration.
Remnants from this Heroic Age include seal hunting stations, whaling operations, and huts from Robert Falcon Scott’s expedition to reach the heart of Antarctica, where Scott, the first English explorer to reach the South Pole, tragically lost his life. There’s also the Endurance, Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship from the 1914-1915 expedition, which went missing, and even remnants of “ghost” stations from earlier researchers.
These various discoveries in Antarctica unveil a new chapter in history that must be explored and preserved. They not only showcase the courage of explorers and scientists but also highlight the sacrifices made during their endeavors in Antarctica.
Did Ancient Humans Inhabit Antarctica?
Around 35 million years ago or earlier, Antarctica was an ancient rainforest, not the icy, barren land it is today. However, ancient humans, such as Homo erectus, only appeared around 2 million years ago, and Homo sapiens are known to have existed around 350,000 years ago.
Considering this timeline, scientists believe that Antarctica never had native human populations. Furthermore, there are no clear land bridges or transit points for prehistoric humans to reach Antarctica. The last time Antarctica could have been inhabited by humans without modern technology would have been a very long time ago.
The evidence available to scientists indicates that Polynesians were likely the first to discover Antarctica around 600 AD. This discovery is based on careful studies of Maori oral history and related cultures, which describe encounters with a southern landmass that could have been Antarctica.
First Antarctic Explorers
According to the Royal Museum Greenwich in England, European exploration of the South Pole began in the 18th century. Captain James Cook was the first recorded navigator to cross the Antarctic Circle in January 1773, although he never saw land.
Then, in January 1820, Antarctica was first sighted. It remains a matter of debate because during the same period, two expeditions from England and Russia claimed to have seen the ice-covered continent.
Thaddeus von Bellingshausen reported “a high ice barrier” during the Russian expedition, and Edward Bransfield of the Royal Navy reported seeing “high mountains covered with ice” during the British survey expedition.
Conclusion
After January 1820, explorations of Antarctica surged, culminating in the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration from 1897 to 1922.
Ultimately, the UK established a permanent station in Antarctica in December 1943 for wartime purposes, which later developed into the British Antarctic Survey research station in 1962.
Antarctic Treaty: An international agreement that dictates how the continent should be protected and regulated.
Twelve nations—Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States—first signed this international agreement in 1959, declaring Antarctica a natural reserve, devoted to peace and science.