One of nature’s little quirks sees the world’s most southerly continent Antarctica, classified as a desert albeit a polar one. Wikipedia states: “This polar desert is planet earth’s largest, coldest and driest region.”

1. One of nature’s little quirks sees the world’s most southerly continent
Antarctica, classified as a desert albeit a polar one. Wikipedia states: “This
polar desert is planet earth’s largest, coldest and driest region.” If this fact
isn’t in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, then it should be.
But that’s not the only surprisingthingabout Antarctica -it’s more than just
icebergs and snow down there. Here are 5 Things that Volkmar Guido
Hable on his last trip to one of the world’s most isolated and least-visited
destinations.
1. There are plants, flowers and greenery.
Circa back around 85 million years and you could have been picking flowers
way down south around the Antarctic Circle. Today, in the 21st century, for
an up close with lichens take a look at Heard Island. This largest sub
Antarctic island has 12 species of flowering plants (none introduced by
humans) and fossils revealing ancient plant forms.
“The Antarctic Peninsula and Transantarctic mountains yield the most
common fossil wood finds and the oldest microbes ever found are recent
discoveries of DNA and bacteria dated at around 8 million years.”
Katabatic winds (also termed descending winds) and blizzards race off the
Antarctic Plateau at up to 100 miles per hour. This unique phenomenon
discourages growth of anything larger than “knee high to a grasshopper”.
2. Hothouses mean researchers have fresh fruit and vegetables.
Over 40 scientific bases are spread over this huge continent and a literal
growth industry has been the implementation of hothouses to provide the
fresh food componentof their daily diet. On the menu is a veritable farmers
market of vegetables and herbs.
One highlight of the winter over season is the humble tomato. Inter base
rivalrysees their tomato seeds plantedMay 1st, with the largest or weirdest
shaped tomato grown in 3 months winning the competition.
“What a great way to fill in leisure time, as you not only get to enjoy the
fruits of your labor, you also get to lord it over the other competing research
stations.”

2. Antarctic hothouse produce is grown hydroponically. No possible biological
invasion via soil is allowed. Apart from the unique challenge of growing
food in this hostile environment, certain something not found elsewhere in
the world is that Antarctic home grown flavour.
3. Wind powers it all.
Wind harvesting is the way to go in Antarctica. Type ‘wind energy
Antarctica’ into Google and get off track reading about NASA scientists
who are excited about using similar hybrid wind and solar prototypes on
the planet Mars.
Efficient energy is the key word for both habitats, and Antarctica has been
developing wind turbines in an environment that has seen wind speeds
topping 155 miles per hour.
Antarctica’s harshness has previouslydeterred the use of wind turbines, but
modern technology combined with cooperative expertise from various
treaty countries has seen advancement in the field and reality has finally
caught up with the dream.
The latest example is the world’s first zero emission Antarctic research
station. Belgium-built “Princes Elisabeth” was up and running for the 2008
summer season. Solar panels and 8 wind turbines are the core energy
sources and sustainabilityis the catch-wordfor the future when it comes to
the reality of satisfying the world’s rapidly growing clean energy needs.
Kinetic energy here we come.
But let’s not stop there. Take this clean power solution one step further as
we visualize a future where Antarctica will eventually have an electricity
surplus, which could be exported via super-conductive undersea electric
power cables to South America and beyond.
If our new energy technology is OK for Mars, I guess it’s OK for South
America and the rest of us “Earthlings”.
5. 4 species of penguins breed here.
Wiki.answers.comlists 18 species of penguins worldwide, and the Antarctic
continent is the home ground where 4 species breed.
Adelie penguins have white around their eyes giving a constant surprised
look, while the Chinstrap’s markings add a certain something to their black
& white suits.

3. “The Gentoo family follows the nesting norm, Antarctic style and gathers
small pebbles into a circle nest.”
Stone envy is not uncommon in these environs and stealing is a common
problem that sees neighborhood fights on a regular basis during the
breeding season
The unforgettable Emperor Penguin, star of the hit movie ‘Happy Feet’,
holds the title of the world’s largest penguin. He also has the longest walk
of all, up to 75 miles to court and breed during the Antarctic winter season
on this amazing continent. What has been termed ‘The Biggest Crèche in
the World’ sees around 25,000 Emperor Penguins herding their young into
huddles to conserve warmth and save them from freezing to death.
Photo Credits:Volkmar Guido Hable