Why are babies born in Antarctica?

Babies were born in Antarctica primarily because Argentina and Chile strategically sent pregnant women to their Antarctic bases in the late 1970s and 1980s to strengthen their territorial claims on the continent. They aimed to establish a permanent population and create "Antarctic-born citizens," although these efforts ultimately didn't change international law, and such births are now rare due to safety concerns.

Why were babies born in Antarctica?

Since then we've been reminded of another…

What's crazier is why the babies were born there in the first place. These weren't unplanned births. In the 1970s and 80s Argentina and Chile sent pregnant women there to give birth as a means of strengthening their claims on Antarctica. Call the midwife!

What happens if someone is born in Antarctica?

If someone is born in Antarctica, they don't become an "Antarctic citizen" because it's not a country, but rather they typically inherit their parents' nationality, especially if born at a research base; however, countries like Argentina and Chile have strategically sent pregnant women to give birth there to strengthen territorial claims, making those births politically significant despite the Antarctic Treaty System.
 

What did NASA find under Antarctica?

NASA, using satellites like ICESat-2 and aircraft missions like Operation IceBridge, has discovered vast hidden systems of subglacial lakes and rivers, ancient mountain ranges, deep channels carved by ocean water, and even evidence of ancient forests beneath Antarctica's ice, revealing a dynamic hidden world influencing ice sheet stability and ocean currents. They've also found unique life, like shrimp-like creatures, and unusual radio signals hinting at deep Earth processes.
 

Has there ever been a baby born in Antarctica?

Yes, babies have been born in Antarctica, with at least 11 children born at research stations, primarily by Argentina and Chile to support territorial claims, starting with Emilio Marcos Palma in 1978. These births are rare but deliberate, making Antarctica the only continent with a 0% infant mortality rate.
 

Why 11 Babies Have Been Born in Antarctica

Why is Antarctica blurred on Google Maps?

Antarctica appears blurred or low-resolution on Google Maps due to a combination of technical challenges with polar mapping, limited high-resolution data, and the need to protect sensitive research areas, making detailed imagery less of a priority compared to populated regions. The unique spherical projection at the poles also causes visual distortions, while bright snow and ice make image stitching difficult, resulting in a fuzzy or pixellated look for large sections. 

Why can't you go to Antarctica with wisdom teeth?

You can't go to Antarctica with wisdom teeth because dental emergencies are a major risk, and advanced dental care (like extraction) isn't available, making an infection dangerous, especially during winter when evacuations are nearly impossible; therefore, researchers often get impacted or problematic teeth removed preventatively before deployment. Tourists can usually go with their wisdom teeth, but expedition workers face strict medicals because medical support is minimal, and a small issue becomes a life-threatening emergency. 

Have human remains been found in Antarctica?

In 1985, archaeologists discovered the skull of a young Indigenous woman from southern Chile on Yamana Beach in Antarctica's South Shetland Islands. Estimated to have died between 1819 and 1825, she remains the earliest known human whose remains have been found on the continent.

What is the massive wall in Antarctica?

The ice shelf is named after Sir James Clark Ross, who discovered it on 28 January 1841. It was originally called "The Barrier", with various adjectives including "Great Ice Barrier", as it prevented sailing further south. Ross mapped the ice front eastward to 160° W.

Why is Antarctica a forbidden zone?

The discovery and exploration of Antarctica was shaped by the continent's remoteness and its extraordinarily inhospitable environment. These factors combined for centuries to keep humans away from all but the subantarctic islands and parts of the Southern Ocean where whaling and sealing took place.

Do they have McDonald's in Antarctica?

No, there is no McDonald's in Antarctica, making it the only continent without the fast-food chain, primarily due to the extreme climate, lack of permanent population, and logistical challenges for supply chains. While some claim to have eaten there (often in jest or referencing a distant location like New Zealand), official sources confirm Antarctica remains the sole continent without golden arches. 

What covers 98% of Antarctica?

About 98% of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, a sheet of ice averaging at least 1.0 mile (1.6 km) thick. The continent has about 90% of the world's ice (and thereby about 70% of the world's fresh water). If all of this ice were to melt, sea levels would rise about 200 ft (60m).

How do people in Antarctica get groceries?

Antarctica holds the record for the lowest measured temperature on Earth, −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F). Most food in Antarctica comes on shipments from the U.S. and New Zealand. There is no food grown at McMurdo Station. However, there is a hydroponic chamber at the South Pole that grows “freshies” for the community there.

What does Antarctica have 90% of the world's?

Antarctica is a continent capped by an inland ice sheet up to 4.8km thick, containing approximately 90% of the world's total surface fresh water (and 60% of the world's total fresh water). The ice sheet is so heavy that it has pushed the land below sea level in places.

Who lives in Antarctica right now?

No-one lives in Antarctica indefinitely in the way that they do in the rest of the world. It has no commercial industries, no towns or cities, no permanent residents. The only "settlements" with longer term residents (who stay for some months or a year, maybe two) are scientific bases.

What has NASA found in Antarctica?

NASA has found a hidden world beneath Antarctica's ice, including vast subglacial lakes, rivers, mountains, and ancient ecosystems, using satellites and radar to map these features. They've also detected mysterious radio signals potentially from high-energy particles, discovered ancient forest remnants through sediment analysis, and mapped deep channels allowing warm water to flow under glaciers, all crucial for understanding ice sheet stability and Earth's climate history. 

Can a normal person live in Antarctica?

Antarctica is the most remote continent on Earth and boasts its harshest climate. Although it's a wonderful, even downright transformative place to visit as a summer tourist, it would seem a challenging realm for permanent human inhabitation. And indeed it is: Antarctica, in fact, has no permanent human population.

Is there a hidden world under Antarctica?

Yes, there is a "hidden world" under Antarctica, but it's a geological landscape of ancient mountains, valleys, and riverbeds, preserved like a time capsule beneath miles of ice, not a secret civilization or lost continent with advanced life. Scientists use radar and seismic data to map this vast, hidden terrain, revealing features that were once part of a temperate, forested Antarctica, with some areas isolated for over 34 million years, containing unique microbial life in subglacial lakes and rivers.
 

What two activities are banned in Antarctica?

The Antarctic Treaty ensures Antarctica is used solely for peaceful purposes and prohibits military activities, and disposal of radioactive waste.

Why do people remove their appendix in Antarctica?

In the past, researchers suffered dangerous complications from appendicitis or infected wisdom teeth during the winter months, when evacuation was impossible for weeks or even months. Removing these high-risk organs reduces the chance of life-threatening emergencies in a place where help can't arrive quickly.

Is there a McDonald's in Antarctica?

No, there is no McDonald's in Antarctica, making it the only continent without the fast-food chain, primarily due to the extreme climate, lack of permanent population, and logistical challenges for supply chains. While some claim to have eaten there (often in jest or referencing a distant location like New Zealand), official sources confirm Antarctica remains the sole continent without golden arches. 

What do you call people who are born in Antarctica?

Although there are no native Antarcticans and no permanent residents or citizens of Antarctica, many people do live in Antarctica each year.

Was Scott's body ever found?

The bodies of Scott, Bowers and Wilson were discovered in November 1912. Oates and Evans have never been found. Learn more about some of the objects in our care, and see them for yourself at the National Maritime Museum.