Antarctica
Continent Antarctica, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent, and has the highest average elevation of all the continents.[6] Most of Antarctica is a polar desert, with annual precipitation of 200 mm (7.9 in) along the coast and far less inland; there has been no rain there for almost 2 million years, yet 80% of the world freshwater reserves are stored there, enough to raise global sea levels by about 60 metres (200 ft) if all of it were to melt.[7] The temperature in Antarctica has reached −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F) (or even −94.7 °C (−135.8 °F) as measured from space[8]), though the average for the third quarter (the coldest part of the year) is −63 °C (−81 °F). Anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 people reside throughout the year at research stations scattered across the continent. Organisms native to Antarctica include many types of algae, bacteria, fungi, plants, protista, and certain animals, such as mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades.
Atlas Explorer
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MapMaker Interactive
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Virtual Tour: Antarctica
Before you start this tour, here are some things you should know: There is a way to get back to this page and a link to a site map of the virtual tour at the bottom of every page on this virtual tour. The tiny ("thumbnail") images of people and places found throughout this tour are meant to just give you the idea of the image; to retrieve the full-sized image, simply click on the thumbnail. (We did it this way to make the pages load faster.)
Resource: Geoguessr – Where in the World?
Employing EdTech within different subjects can sometimes be a challenge for teachers, especially when exploring for activities that really add value to teaching and learning. A great website, with a couple of great uses is Geoguessr.com, which draws from the technology from Google Street view, but challenges the user to try and locate where the randomly generated image is taken from. Five locations are provided, and your score points based on your guess, compared to the actual location of the image. Indeed, you are able to click around the location, trying to pick up clues, which offers fantastic opportunities to talk about geographical, language, or environmental clues. We’re not too clear with the scoring system, but one this was evident as we reviewed the site…we’re rubbish at guessing the locations within our own country {shameful}. To visit Geoguessr, click on any of the links above.
Arctic Marine Life
For marine life, the Arctic Ocean is a unique place to live. It is the coldest ocean on Earth and is often capped with sea ice. During the coldest winter months there is little or no sunshine penetrating the water. During the summer months, the sun shines up to 24 hours a day. Animals that can survive in the Arctic Ocean are adapted for this extreme environment. Some have a special substance within their bodies that prevents their blood from freezing.
Unlocking the Archives
Antarctica is the coldest continent - Russia's Vostok Station recorded the world's coldest temperature of -89°C in 1983. It is also the driest continent with an average annual snowfall of 125mm. It has no permanent inhabitants and it is the most isolated continent. It is of immense value to scientists for the study of climate change as it has an important effect on the world's climate and ocean systems.
British Geological Survey
Welcome to GeoScenic, where you can view and download images from the vast collections of geological photographs in BGS. Download of 1000 x 1000 pixel images is free for all non-commercial use - all we ask in return is for you to acknowledge BGS when using our images. Click our Terms and Conditions link below for information on acknowledgement text, and to find out about using our images commercially. All images in this site can be viewed without registering. However, by registering, you can save images to your lightbox for future sessions and download images at your leisure. You are not currently logged in.
Survival in the Arctic
Human beings have lived in the Arctic and Subarctic for thousands of years. Their survival has been possible because there exists among them a profound understanding of the nuances within this extreme environment. Survival is also contingent on the relationship which exists between the human being and the animals, which provide major sources of food and clothing. By understanding the animals'winter modes and behaviors, Arctic communities have traditionally survived through the long, cold winters.
