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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Antarctica

37 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Antarctica

Updated July 5, 2024

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Polar Week 11
Ecosystems 7
Martian Landscapes 7
Exploration 5
Geology 5
Abandoned Research Stations 5
Nature 5
Natural Wonders 5

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Stories About Antarctica

Antarctic midges are flightless and about the size of a sugar ant.

Antarctica's Largest Native Land Animal Is Actually Rather Tiny

Meet the mighty midge.
by Cara Giaimo
These spectacular granite peaks in the Transantarctic Mountains crop out in a pointy circle known as the Gothic Mountains, midway down the east side of Scott Glacier. The region was first explored in 1933 and 1934

One Man’s 40-Year Quest to Capture Antarctica’s Mountains

Polar explorer Edmund Stump has made 13 field trips to research and photograph the southern continent.
by Edmund Stump
Each air bubble says so much about life and death on Earth.

Gas Trapped in Antarctic Ice Recorded the Mass Death of 56 Million People

Plagues, war, and genocide were literally frozen in time.
by Meg St-Esprit
The first men to explore Antarctica tried to be tough by writting silly stories.

Antarctic Explorers Wrote Cute, Funny Stories to Hide Dangerous Stunts

Eventually, even imagined mushroom fantasy lands could no longer mask the perils.
by Allegra Rosenberg
And you thought yellow snow was bad.

The Strange Case of Antarctica’s Red and Green Snow

It’s not a Christmas trick, but the colorful effect could change everything.
by Frank Jacobs
Data from NASA’s Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite, or ICESat, show elevation across Antarctica. The low elevations on the left side show how the Weddell and Ross Seas were one connected.

Octopuses (and Their DNA) Suggest Antarctica Will Melt Again

Two geographically separate populations of cute cephalopods once mated a very long time ago.
by Frank Jacobs

On Antarctica's Vega Island, a Grinning Skull Is the Face of Climate Change

Satellite imagery recently captured a dramatic view of shrinking glaciers and snow cover on the remote island.
by Gemma Tarlach

The Intrepid, Furry Explorers Who Mapped Antarctica

Peek inside the "employment records" of Great Britain’s sled dogs.
by Andrew Avery

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