But it is also of great interest to tourists and travelers. Antarctica is the last vast wilderness on the planet. Its giant icebergs, ice-covered mountain ranges and emptiness of the polar plateaus evoke fear, while the temperature, winds and weather seem to advise against the risky journey to these harsh places. It is a place of extremes, beautiful and serene, wild and strong, and its scale is almost incomprehensible, whether the observer is on the ground of Antarctica (more likely "on the ice") or viewing this continent from an airplane. Antarctica is the most isolated continent on the planet, and a trip to the polar south must still be carefully planned because it can only be accomplished by a long and uncomfortable voyage on a passing ship or an expensive plane flight. Weather and ice, not clocks and calendars, set the schedule for travel here. Regardless of the reason for visiting, all people on the mainland are always and everywhere completely dependent on the vagaries of the weather.
Antarctic glacier, Bellingshausen Russian station
And yet, more than 40 thousand tourists from all continents of the Earth visit these harsh places every year. They mainly come to this region to sail around the planet’s south pole, explore scientific bases, take unique photographs, or take a trip to the “ zodiacs» (inflatable boats, which are well known to everyone from Cousteau’s films) to the breathtaking natural attractions of the mainland.
Antarctic Kayak Tour
However, more and more people are traveling for skiing, snowmobiling, trekking or diving in the shelf seas adjacent to Antarctica (diving under the ice of ice shelves or inland lakes is especially exotic). Currently, scuba diving, including night diving, is offered to suitably qualified tourists. Dives are conducted to depths of less than 39 meters and the diver must have at least 100 logged dives or a PADI rescue diver qualification or equivalent.
Paradise Harbor, a strangely shaped glacier
One of the excursions that can only be carried out here is a flight over the entire Antarctic (as the entire adjacent region is called, and not just the mainland itself) on an airliner. Australian airline Qantas began such flights in 1994, and they quickly became very popular. The comfortable Boeing 747-400 that carries the flight does not land on the continent, but offers breathtaking panoramic views of glaciers, icebergs and mountains. The aircraft does not descend below 3,050 meters (610 meters above the highest point in the outlying areas), and the engines are reduced to less than a third of full power, reducing noise, pollution and ensuring Better conditions for observation from the windows (and from such a height, in the ultra-clean and dry Antarctic air, you can look out at up to 185 kilometers of space in all directions!).
Signs in all directions
Polar stations and research bases often serve as magnificent attractions in themselves - each of them is involuntarily turned by the staff into an exhibition of the country's scientific achievements and differences national character. It is quite typical for any scientific complex in the region to have video rooms with scientific films and video reports on research; billiard rooms, which are usually decorated with all the imagination of which man is capable; libraries and even bars. They are also erected to morally support brave explorers in the white silence of Antarctica.
Church of the Holy Trinity, RF station "Bellingshausen"
General concert evenings are quite common, and often “neighbors” from scientific expeditions in other countries are invited to them (if possible). Antarctic polar explorers have a clear penchant for clubs, with at least 300 clubs with a wide variety of traditions. At the Amundsen-Scott base (USA) near the South Pole, for example, joining the club requires entering a sauna heated to +93 ° C and then immediately running around a marker that marks the pole point, while the temperature outside can reach up to -73°C. The Wanda Swimming Club, at the New Zealand summer base of the same name, is made up of those who were able to swim through Lake Wanda, which was constantly encased in ice, and then managed to get to the base on their own (in the cold!). Probably, every scientific town has its own chess club.
Church of the Snows, Fr. Ross, US McMurdo Station
- a narrow channel between the Antarctic Peninsula on one side and Booth Island on the other. This is one of the most popular destinations for tourist cruise ships - breathtaking views with huge ice cliffs falling straight into the sea, sparkling ice walls of glaciers, waters teeming with wildlife and majestic panoramas of floating icebergs against the backdrop of the unique Antarctic sky are guaranteed.
This is such a “photogenic” strait that the place has received the nickname “Kodak Gap” - according to the humorous calculations of polar explorers, at least 600 kilometers of photographic film are spent here every year on photographs.
Snowy peaks of Unas Tits
At the northern end of the strait lies a picturesque pair of tall, rounded and often snow-capped peaks known as Unas-Tits — favorite place landing tourist groups on land and holding various picnics. Many companies also award certificates for crossing the Antarctic Circle.
Unas-Tits
Unique - Victoria, Wright and Taylor- are unusual in that rain has not fallen there for at least two million years. They don't have any ice or snow because the air is too dry (ice-free areas in Antarctica are called "oases") and are considered by many scientists to be the driest place on the planet. The valleys are huge (about 3000 sq. km), deserted and were discovered by the famous Robert Scott in December 1903. He wrote about these places: “We did not see any living creatures, not even moss or lichen... This is of course "Valley of the Dead" According to biblical prophecies, even the largest glacier, which once crushed them with its weight, died far from here.”
Antarctic Valleys of Death
Despite their harsh appearance and conditions, the valleys support some of the most extraordinary life forms on the planet. American biologists in 1978 discovered here algae, fungi and bacteria living inside the stones (!!). These stunningly ancient life forms grow in the air cavities of porous rocks and feed on the light, carbon dioxide and moisture that penetrates the surface of the rocks.
Dry valleys of Antarctica
The “alien” nature of the local landscape is emphasized by bizarre forms rock sculpture "ventifacts", which abound in the area, replete with bizarre landscapes formed by the omnipresent wind. Scientists believe the Dry Valleys are the closest Earth equivalent to the surface of Mars, and NASA did a lot of research there before launching Viking to the Red Planet.
Ventifact sculpture
("Deception") from the composition South Shetland Islands called the "Santorini of Antarctica". Its destroyed volcanic caldera" Neptune's Furs", despite the volcano's periodic eruptions, makes it one of the safest natural harbors in the world. Ships enter the relatively calm waters of the port of Forster (12 km wide) through a collapsed section of the caldera wall, which is surrounded by snow-capped hills up to 580 meters high.
The island has interesting story- it was the base camp for several early exploration expeditions and is still the subject of dispute between Argentina and Britain. The volcano is still very active and its eruptions have caused significant damage and injury scientific stations and whaling bases (during 1920-1921, the water in the harbor became so hot and saturated with volcanic activity that it corroded the paint on the hulls of ships specially built for sailing in these harsh waters). The most recent eruption was in 1991-1992.
Often tourist ships come here specifically to organize swimming in thermal and highly mineralized waters Pendulum Bay(so named because of the British gravitational pendulum, built here specifically for experiments on Earth magnetism carried out in the last century). Here you should be very careful when bathing, because if you stir only the top layer warm water(literally a meter!), you can severely burn your skin with hot or almost boiling water gushing from the bottom, or get slight frostbite from the icy water of a thermocline disturbed by too intense movements while swimming. There are large colonies of penguins on the outer coast of the caldera, but few marine animals enter the harbor because the numerous volcanic springs and fumaroles heat the water too much and unevenly.
penguins of Pendulum Bay
IN South Sandwich Islands- One of the largest penguin colonies in the world, approximately two million king penguins live here permanently. Bouvet Island (54°42′ S, 03°37′ E) is the most isolated island on Earth. The closest land to the island is more than 1,600 km to the northeast. Glaciers cover about 93% of the 54 square kilometers. km of the island and prevent landings on the southern and eastern coasts, while steep cliffs 490 meters high block access in the north, west and southwest. Between 1955 and 1958, a single low-lying lava patch appeared on the west coast of Bouvet, providing a tiny nesting area for birds on the island.
Zavidovsky Island, penguin colony
The island is rarely visited, but it is surrounded by many secrets and mysteries, and two events in its history are especially mysterious: first, in 1964, a lifeboat from a passing ship sank (by the way, the reason for its sinking is also unknown), and supplies of food and equipment from its board were discovered by rescuers in the center (!!) of the island untouched, but where did the crew with such good means for survival has never been established. The second case is even more mysterious - in September 1979, a powerful explosion was recorded west of Bouvet, determined by scientists as a thermonuclear bomb explosion, but its source was not discovered, and not a single country that has ever had nuclear devices has been seen sending such devices into these waters.
Paradise Harbor on the Antarctic Peninsula, is one of the most visited areas of Antarctica and the site of "zodiac cruises" among the icebergs that are "born" from the glacier at the head of the harbour. "Zodiac Cruises" become in Lately a very popular form of recreation, since such “regattas” allow you to observe the life of Antarctic waters almost at arm’s length.
"Zodiac Cruise"
No landing on land is usually planned on these trips, but glaciers and mountains look most beautiful from the water, and the serene nature and sea are the highlight for many visitors, which is why such cruises are gaining more and more popularity every year.
The article talks about places on the mainland that are favored by tourists from all over the world. Describes the living conditions of research station employees.
Sights of Antarctica
Antarctica is the last vast wilderness on the planet that has not yet been fully and thoroughly inhabited by humans.
Due to Antarctica being the most isolated continent on the planet, travel to the polar south must be considered. Visiting these places is possible only in a long and inconvenient way: a flight on a passing ship or an expensive flight. Despite the harsh conditions and insurmountable roads, there is a lot to see in Antarctica. The circumstances of arrival and stay here are dictated by:
- ice;
- weather conditions.
In these places, no one is guided by wait times or calendar schedules.
Rice. 1. Tourists in Antarctica.
The polar stations and research bases are great attractions in their own right.
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Any of them is transformed by the people living there into an exhibition of the scientific achievements of the state to which it belongs.
Antarctic polar explorers have a clear tendency towards clubs - there are at least 300 of them. Clubs are characterized by individual characteristics and unique traditions.
At the Amundsen-Scott base in the South Pole region, in order to become a member of the club you need to visit the sauna at a temperature of +93 ° C, and then run around the marker, which serves as the approximate point of the pole. The temperature outside can sometimes drop to minus 73°C.
Rice. 2. Polar clubs.
Attractions of the mainland Antarctica
Lemaire Strait is the pride of Antarctica. This is a narrow channel between the Antarctic Peninsula and Booth Island. A favorite place for visiting tourist ships. At the northern end of the strait there is a colorful pair of rounded, snow-covered peaks - Unas Tits. This is a favorite place for tourist picnics.
Tourist companies present certificates at these peaks indicating that you have crossed the Antarctic Circle.
Zavidovsky Island in the South Sandwich Islands is one of the largest penguin colonies in the world. About two million king penguins regularly live here.
Rice. 3. King penguins on the island.
Bouvet Island is the most isolated and most mysterious island on Earth. Glaciers cover about 93% of the 54 square kilometers. km. territory of the island. This area is rarely visited, but it is shrouded in many secrets and mysteries. In September 1979, a powerful explosion was noted in the western part of the piece of land, which was classified as a thermonuclear bomb, but the source was never discovered. Not a single country in the world took responsibility for what happened.
What have we learned?
We found out where on the mainland the largest colony of king penguins in the world is located. We found out which place is recognized as the most mysterious and enigmatic. We got acquainted with the entertainment provided by polar scientists.
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Antarctica is the last vast wilderness on the planet. Its giant icebergs, ice-covered mountain ranges and emptiness of the polar plateaus evoke fear, while the temperature, winds and weather seem to advise against the risky journey to these harsh places. It is a place of extremes, beautiful and serene, wild and strong, and its scale is almost incomprehensible, whether the observer is on the ground of Antarctica (more likely on the ice) or viewing this continent from an airplane. Antarctica is the most isolated continent on the planet, and a trip to the polar south must still be carefully planned because it can only be achieved by a long and uncomfortable voyage on a passing ship or an expensive plane flight. Weather and ice, not clocks and calendars, set the schedule for travel here. Regardless of the reason for visiting, all people on the mainland are always and everywhere completely dependent on the vagaries of the weather.
And yet, more than 40 thousand tourists from all continents of the Earth visit these harsh places every year. They mainly come to this region to sail around the planet's south pole, explore scientific bases, take unique photographs, or travel on zodiacs (inflatable boats that are familiar to everyone from Cousteau's films) to the breathtaking natural attractions of the mainland. However, more and more people are traveling for skiing, snowmobiling, trekking or diving in the shelf seas adjacent to Antarctica (diving under the ice of ice shelves or inland lakes is especially exotic). Currently, scuba diving, including night diving, is offered to suitably qualified tourists. Dives are conducted to depths of less than 39 meters and the diver must have at least 100 logged dives or a PADI rescue diver qualification or equivalent.
One of the excursions that can only be carried out here is a flight over the entire Antarctic (as the entire adjacent region is called, and not just the continent itself) on an airliner. Australian airline Qantas launched these flights in 1994, and they quickly became very popular. The comfortable Boeing 747-400 that carries the flight does not land on the continent, but offers breathtaking panoramic views of glaciers, icebergs and mountains. The aircraft does not descend below 3,050 meters (610 meters above the highest point in the outlying areas), and the engines are set to less than a third of full power, reducing noise, pollution and providing better conditions for viewing from the windows (and from this height in ultra-clean and dry conditions Antarctic air can be seen up to 185 kilometers of space in all directions!).
Polar stations and research bases often serve as magnificent attractions in themselves - each of them is involuntarily turned by the staff into an exhibition of the country's scientific achievements and differences of national character. It is quite typical for any scientific complex in the region to have video rooms with scientific films and video reports on research; billiard rooms, which are usually decorated with all the imagination of which man is capable; libraries and even bars.
General concert evenings are quite common, and neighbors from scientific expeditions in other countries are often invited to them (if possible). Antarctic polar explorers have a clear penchant for clubs - there are at least 300 clubs with a wide variety of traditions. At the Amundsen-Scott base (USA) near the South Pole, for example, joining the club requires entering a sauna heated to +93 ° C and then immediately running around a marker that marks the pole point, while the temperature outside can reach up to -73°C. The Wanda Swimming Club, at the New Zealand summer base of the same name, is made up of those who were able to swim through the permanently ice-bound Lake Wanda and then managed to get to the base on their own (in the cold!). Probably, every scientific town has its own chess club.
Lemaire Strait is a narrow channel between the Antarctic Peninsula on one side and Booth Island on the other. This is one of the most popular destinations for tourist cruise ships - breathtaking views with huge ice cliffs falling straight into the sea, sparkling ice walls of glaciers, waters teeming with wildlife and majestic panoramas of floating icebergs against the backdrop of the unique Antarctic sky are guaranteed. This is such a photogenic strait that the place has received the nickname Kodak Gap - according to the humorous calculations of polar explorers, at least 600 kilometers of photographic film are spent here every year on photographs.
At the northern end of the strait lies a picturesque pair of tall, rounded and often snow-capped peaks known as Unas Tits (Una's Tits) - a favorite landing spot for tourist groups and various picnics. Many companies also award certificates for crossing the Antarctic Circle.
The unique Dry Valleys - Victoria, Master and Taylor - are unusual in that rain has not fallen there for at least two million years. They do not have any ice cover or snow because the air is too dry (areas not covered with ice are called oases in Antarctica), and according to many scientists, this is the driest place on the planet. The valleys are huge (about 3000 sq. km), deserted and were discovered by the famous Robert Scott in December 1903. He wrote about these places: We did not see any living creatures, not even moss or lichen... This is of course the Valley of the Dead from biblical prophecies, even the largest glacier, which once crushed them with its weight, died far from here. Despite their harsh appearance and conditions, the valleys support some of the most extraordinary life forms on the planet. American biologists in 1978 discovered here algae, fungi and bacteria living inside the stones (!!). These stunningly ancient life forms grow in the air cavities of porous rocks and feed on the light, carbon dioxide and moisture that penetrates the surface of the rocks. The alien nature of the local landscape is emphasized by the bizarre forms of ventifacts rock sculpture, which abound in the area, replete with bizarre landscapes formed by the omnipresent wind. Scientists believe the Dry Valleys are the closest Earth equivalent to the surface of Mars, and NASA did a lot of research there before launching Viking to the Red Planet.
Deception Island, part of the South Shetland Islands, is called the Santorini of Antarctica. Its collapsed volcanic caldera Neptune's Fur, despite periodic volcanic eruptions, makes it one of the safest natural harbors in the world. Ships enter the relatively calm waters of the port of Forster (12 km wide) through a collapsed section of the caldera wall, which is surrounded by snow-capped hills up to 580 meters high. The island has an interesting history - it was the base camp for several early exploration expeditions and is still the subject of dispute between Argentina and Britain. The volcano is still very active, and its eruptions have caused significant damage and damage to scientific stations and whaling bases (during 1920-1921, the water in the harbor became so hot and saturated with the products of volcanic activity that it corroded the paint on the hulls of ships specially built for sailing in these harsh conditions). waters). The most recent eruption was in 1991-1992.
Tourist boats often come here specifically to organize a swim in the thermal and highly mineralized waters of Pendulum Bay (so named because of the British gravity pendulum, built here specifically for experiments on Earth magnetism conducted in the last century). Here you should be very careful when swimming, because if you stir only the top layer of warm water (literally a meter!), you can severely burn your skin with hot or almost boiling water gushing from the bottom, or get slight frostbite from the icy water of a thermocline disturbed by too intense swimming movements. There are large colonies of penguins on the outer coast of the caldera, but few marine animals enter the harbor because the numerous volcanic springs and fumaroles heat the water too much and unevenly.
Zavidovsky Island in the South Sandwich Islands is one of the largest penguin colonies in the world, with approximately two million king penguins resident there. Bouvet Island (54°42 S, 03°37 E) is the most isolated island on Earth. The closest land to the island is more than 1,600 km to the northeast. Glaciers cover about 93% of the 54 square kilometers. km of the island and prevent landings on the southern and eastern coasts, while steep cliffs 490 meters high block access in the north, west and southwest. Between 1955 and 1958, a single low-lying lava patch appeared on the west coast of Bouvet, providing a tiny nesting area for birds on the island. The island is rarely visited, but it is surrounded by many secrets and mysteries, and two events in its history are especially mysterious: first, in 1964, a lifeboat from a passing ship sank (by the way, the reason for its sinking is also unknown), and supplies of food and equipment from its board were discovered by rescuers in the center (!!) of the island untouched, but where the crew, who had such good means of survival, disappeared was never established. The second case is even more mysterious - in September 1979, a powerful explosion was recorded west of Bouvet, determined by scientists as a thermonuclear bomb explosion, but its source was not discovered, and not a single country that has ever had nuclear devices has been seen sending such devices into these waters.
Paradise Harbor, on the Antarctic Peninsula, is one of the most visited areas of Antarctica and is home to Zodiac cruises among the icebergs that spring from the glacier at the head of the harbour. Zodiac cruises have recently become a very popular type of holiday, as such regattas allow you to observe the life of Antarctic waters almost at arm's length. No landing on land is usually planned on these trips, but the glaciers and mountains look most beautiful from the water, and the serene nature and sea are the highlight for many visitors, which is why such cruises are gaining more and more popularity year after year.
2. The coldest place on Earth is a high ridge in Antarctica, where the temperature was recorded at -93.2 °C.
3. In some areas of the McMurdo Dry Valleys (the ice-free part of Antarctica) there has been no rain or snow for the last 2 million years.
5. In Antarctica there is a waterfall with water as red as blood, which is explained by the presence of iron, which oxidizes upon contact with air.
9. There are no polar bears in Antarctica (they are only in the Arctic), but there are many penguins.
12. Melting ice in Antarctica caused a slight change in gravity.
13. In Antarctica there is a Chilean town with a school, hospital, hotel, post office, Internet, TV and a network for mobile phones.
14. The Antarctic ice sheet has existed for at least 40 million years.
15. There are lakes in Antarctica that never freeze due to the heat emanating from the bowels of the Earth.
16. The highest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica was 14.5 °C.
17. Since 1994, the use of sled dogs has been prohibited on the continent.
18. Mount Erebus in Antarctica is the southernmost active volcano on Earth.
19. Once upon a time (more than 40 million years ago) it was as hot in Antarctica as in California.
20. There are seven Christian churches on the continent.
21. Ants, whose colonies are distributed over almost the entire land surface of the planet, are absent from Antarctica (as well as from Iceland, Greenland and several remote islands).
22. The territory of Antarctica is larger than Australia by approximately 5.8 million square kilometers.
23. Most of Antarctica is covered with ice, approximately 1% of the land is free from ice cover.
24. In 1977, Argentina sent a pregnant woman to Antarctica so that the Argentine baby would become the first person born on this harsh continent.
Antarctica is one of the most amazing places on the ground. Here night lasts six months a year, winter lasts nine. This is the only territory that does not belong to anyone: no government, no administrative and public institutions - nothing at all that we are used to on the mainland. Nothing but scientific research stations. This alone is worth visiting the sights of Antarctica.
But since traveling to the ends of the world will take a lot of time, and this pleasure is not cheap, it may be accessible to a very small number of people. However, this is not a reason to limit your curiosity and deny yourself the opportunity to explore the main attractions of Antarctica. Photos with names and descriptions will help you imagine this icy land as clearly as possible.
Location
Antarctica is translated from Greek as “a place opposite the Arctic.” It is located at the South Pole and covers an area almost 2 times larger than Australia and one and a half times larger than Europe. In addition to the continent of Antarctica itself, it includes many adjacent islands: o. Peter I, Fr. Anvers, o. Adelaide, oh. Alexander, South Shetland Islands. Territories on the mainland are named after historical figures and discoverers: Macrobertson Land, Kemp Land, Princess Elizabeth Land, William Land and others.
Almost the entire area of Antarctica is covered with ice, and only narrow sections of the coast and islands, peaks and ridges are free from ice cover. These ices contain 80% of the entire Earth's reserves.
Territory of science
In 1820, a Russian scientific expedition led by Lazarev and Bellingshausen discovered Antarctica, and since then, for almost two hundred years, scientists around the world have been continuously studying the continent. On December 1, 1959, a settlement agreement was adopted, according to which Antarctica is recognized as an exclusively scientific zone and cannot belong to any specific state. Scientists from the USA, Russia, China, Japan, Germany, and Chile are working on its territory. Most Interest represent the search for new energy resources that this earth is rich in, according to researchers. In its depths there are rich deposits of oil, gas, coal and charcoal, as well as precious metals.
Weather
Antarctica can hardly be called a comfortable place to live - the air temperature here, even in summer, does not rise above 0, and in the winter months it can drop to -89 degrees. That is why there is no permanent population here.
The number of researchers living on the mainland ranges from 1,000 people in winter to 4,000 in summer. But there are regularly tourists eager to see the sights of Antarctica. The visiting season opens in November and ends in March - these are the months when summer begins on the mainland.
Kingdom of eternal ice
What attracts people from all over the world to this deserted, cold, windswept region? First of all, this is a special atmosphere: silence unusual for residents of a densely populated land, the spectacle of the incredible beauty of the Northern Lights, majestic and harsh icebergs and the unique animal world. The only place on Earth where a person can directly approach cosmic energy is Antarctica.
The attractions that offer more active tourists here include the opportunity to go mountaineering, diving, kayaking (travelling by sea and exploring glaciers on kayaks), skiing, and even camping. There are special photo tours from which you can bring a huge number of unforgettable photographs. Of course, if you want to see the sights of Antarctica, you will have to pay a considerable amount for it. A trip of 13-18 days will cost a minimum of $10,000.
Mostly tourists come here either on cruise ships that depart from the shores of South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina and Australia, or by plane from South Africa and Chile.
In the world of penguins and sea lions
The South Shetland Islands are, as a rule, the first thing Antarctica reveals to its guests. The sights of these places are literally breathtaking. They consist of 11 large and many small archipelagos. This is the warmest and wettest part of the continent. The animal world here is very diverse. Clumsy on the ground and incredibly graceful penguins, fur seals, overweight ones are found at every step. But the main interest is Deception Island (translated into Russian as “Island of Deception”). This is an extinct volcano, the eruption of which resulted in the formation of a large closed ring.
You can even take a hot dip among thermal springs. Those interested can also visit one of the research stations dedicated to the study of penguins.
Desert among the ice
You will be surprised to find out what is hidden among the frozen water. The McMurdo Dry Valleys have not seen rainfall for many millions of years. The earth here is freed from the ice shell, it is covered with sand frozen to a stone state. The speed of the winds that rage here can reach 320 km per hour. Conditions in the three valleys - Victoria, Wright and Taylor - are as close as possible to the conditions on Mars, which astronauts use to prepare for flights. Unknown bacteria were discovered in one of the lakes, after which scientists for the first time were able to answer affirmatively the question: “Is there life on Mars?”
Dry valleys are included in the first positions of the list, which contains the attractions of Antarctica. You will find photos and descriptions of these places in any self-respecting diving guide, because the lakes located on their territory are a godsend for those who like to explore undersea world. However, getting under the ice layer is not so easy, because its thickness is about 3 meters. Experienced divers have to use explosives before diving into incredible world flora and fauna.
Mysterious sights of Antarctica: Bloody Falls
On the territory of the Dry Valleys there is one of the most intriguing attractions - Bloody Falls. If your imagination has already painted a chilling picture in the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe, or you thought about an ancient legend with ancient spirits bathing in the blood of their victims, then, as always happens in reality, the reality is much more prosaic, but no less interesting. Although the sight is actually quite frightening.
If you decide to go sightseeing in Antarctica, you definitely need to see the Bloody Falls. They were discovered in 1911 by Griffith Taylor, an Australian explorer. He believed that the red color came from algae located at the bottom. However, further study showed that it’s all about the microorganisms that live in the lake. At a depth of 400 meters, deprived of the usual nutrients and sun, they have adapted to obtain everything they need from sulfites, which are rich in salt water. Sulfite is iron that oxidizes when exposed to oxygen, giving water a rusty color. This is a stunning example of how living organisms are able to adapt to survive in extreme conditions.
South Pole Guardian
What wonders do the sights of Antarctica reveal to us! Photos with the names of the main ones can be found on many resources dedicated to this ice-bound region. Be sure to check out one of the most mysterious - Erebus volcano. The composition of the lava it erupts differs significantly from the eruptions of other volcanoes located on the mainland. This is not its only difference. Actually, everything about him is unusual. First of all, Erebus never sleeps. Many volcanoes lie dormant for hundreds of years before spewing boiling lava from their depths, while Erebus is always active. Secondly, it has two craters - one inside the other. The temperature of the cooling magma, located in the deepest of them, reaches 900 degrees Celsius.
Travel lovers and those interested in natural wonders will appreciate the sights of Antarctica. Short description information given in this article can only arouse their curiosity and push them on a crazy expedition to this harsh and attractive region. It is not for nothing that the name of the continent is consonant with the mythical Atlantis - everything here is arranged completely differently from the rest of our Earth. It is full of mysteries and secrets, which nature generously scattered over its icy covers and safely hid under them.