Antarctica
Here is a short history of discovering and exploration of Antarctica
Antarctica is one of six continents on Earth, located at the South Pole. It's the coldest place on Earth. The lowest temperature was registered at the point of -89 C at the russian station "Vostok" (means "East"). Antarctica is mainly an ice-desert. The continent is covered by ice. In some places the thickness of ice is about 4 km. But there live a lot of penguins and a few humans: about 4000 people in summer and 1000 in winter. There are about 45 scientific stations there.
Antarctica was discovered in 1820 by russian explorers Bellingshausen and Lazarev. It was a special expedition to prove the existance of Antarctica.
In 1839 the british explorer James Clark Ross explored Antarctica a little. He discovered Ross Ice Shelf and two volcanos.
In 1900 the norwegian explorer Carsten Borchgrevink went on the exploration. He walked about 16 km deep into the continent with sled dogs.
Then there started an epic competition to reach the South Pole.
In 1902 the british officer Robert Scott made his first try to reach the South Pole. He walked for 1540 km. It was a third part of whole way to the target. But they had to return before reaching the South Pole because of troubles.
In 1908 the british explorer Ernest Shackleton tried to reach the South Pole with ponies. He also had troubles and returned before the target.
In 1910 Robert Scott made the second and his last try to reach the South Pole. He used ponies and mechanic snow-machines. But there was another norvegian explorer Roald Amundsen who wanted to made it first. He used a hundred of dogs and 9 people. On 14 december of 1911 Amundsen reached the South Pole first and successfuly returned to the base. Unfortunately the fate of Scott's team was sad. On 17 january 1912 he reached the Pole just to see a norvegian flag. Their ponies died and their snow-machines broke so people was exhausted. They all died during back way.
In 1956 the United States built a scientific station right at the South Pole and named it 'The Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station'.
In the same year the Soviet Union built its own scientific station "Mirny" (means "Peaceful"). A bit later in 1957 the second russian station "Vostok" was built. It's located near the South Magnetic Pole, about 1250 km far away from the Geographic South Pole.
In 1959 the International Antarctic Treaty was signed. The continent became free, non-military, non-nuclear and ecological zone, devoted for peace and science.
In 1990 the Lake of Vostok was discovered. It's located beneath ice at the deep of 4 km. On 5 february 2012 it was reached and some water from it was took up to the surface.
Some interesting facts about Antarctica:
* Antarctica contains 80 % of fresh water of Earth.
* Antarctica has its own internet domain .aq and telephone code +672.
* In 1978 a first man was born in Antarctica at the argentinian scientific station.
* In 2012 there was established a regular tourists' route between Moscow (airport Sheremetievo) and russian station "Mirny". |