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Conversation
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The human experience

No human eye saw Antarctica until about 230 years ago.

Today, some 45,000 tourists per year visit Antarctica.

Approximately two-thirds of those visitors make Zodiac-style landings.

Most of the rest do sail-by cruises (no landings).

The remainder do sightseeing flights (big planes, no landings), air/land tours (visit research stations, perhaps the South Pole), and high-adventure-sport tours (such as skiing or climbing in Antarctica's interior).

Thousands of scientists and support staffers work at Antarctica research stations during the summer season. Some stay over for the long, dark winter.

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Large

Antarctica's land mass is twice as large as Australia. In the winter, sea ice around Antarctica expands, doubling the continent's surface area.

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Planet's water

About 90% of the ice and 65% of the earth's fresh water (in frozen state) reside in Antarctica.

Yet Antarctica is technically a desert (it averages under 6 centimeters or 2 inches of precipitation per year).

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Government

There is none, though countries operating scientific stations abide by the international Antarctic Treaty. These include Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, United Kingdom, and the USA.

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Ships

50 ships, more or less, currently sail to Antarctica. About half carry fewer than 100 passengers. A few are private yachts with space for six or so people (I saw several of them anchored in Antarctica bays).

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Temperature

The lowest recorded temperature on earth was -89°C (-129°F) at the Russian Vostok Research Station.

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