This continent is dry, windy, and very cold, and home to scientific research.

A small study suggests that Antarctica sits at the southernmost isolation of a long-term mission at an Antarctic research station, shrunk part of crew members’ brains. Part of the planet. This continent is supercold, incredibly windy, and very dry. With so little precipitation, it’s actually a desert. Antarctica is covered in vast ice sheets that hide giant volcanoes and buried lakes. Millions of years ago, though, a rainforest flourished there.

No country owns Antarctica, and no people call the continent their permanent home. Instead, a treaty signed by 50 nations governs what can happen there. Destructive activities like mining and military action are banned. The environment is protected. And science is the priority. Many countries host research stations there. These include the U.S.-operated McMurdo Station and Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station. Scientists study everything from Earth’s past climate to meteorites to, of course, penguins. Sometimes they even study themselves. 

Global warming in Antarctica :

All the ice and snow in Antarctica has locked up about 80 percent of the world’s freshwater. This seems like a fun fact until you think about global warming. That’s because the warming climate is gradually causing Antarctica’s ice to melt. While it’s still brutally cold at the South Pole, edges of this continent often get above freezing. The waters there are warming, too. The ice along the edges is melting. That makes it easier for ice on land to flow into the sea — and melt. Scientists now predict that by 2100, that melting ice could raise sea levels across the globe by 0.6 to 1.8 meters (2 to 6 feet).

Some stories about Antarctica:

The big melt:

Antarctica and Greenland are losing ice 3 to 6 times as quickly as in the 1980s. By 2100, the rate of loss could increase another 10-fold.

Scientists’ brains shrank after a long stay in Antarctica:

Do people live in Antarctica:

Antarctic scientific stations are remote, self-sustaining outposts made up of durable buildings and transport options to support scientific research, logistical operations, and the daily lives of the people who live there.

Depending on the station's size, there may be mess halls, medical facilities, educational institutions, and even greenhouses! Most also have dorm-style accommodation and communal areas for entertainment and group activities.

It can be so cold that you can’t step outside without donning all your layers, right down to insulated boots, a heavy waterproof jacket, and thick over pants. Moving between buildings can be a challenge in rough weather, and in high-wind or white-out conditions, visibility can be so low that no one is permitted to go outside at all!

But living on a scientific base can also be fun, with inter-station dart tournaments and short film competitions, polar plunges, oversaw rides on quad bikes, and occasionally, if you’re lucky, a cruise along the beautiful coastline in a Zodiac.

Antarctic scientific bases are bound by the Antarctic Treaty and the Madrid Protocol, which designates Antarctica as a natural reserve devoted to peace and science. All activities in Antarctica are subject to environmental assessment, and station staff is responsible for ensuring that the protection of the Antarctic environment is always prioritized.