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© History Oasis
The history of Antarctica is a fascinating simulation of human exploration, scientific discovery, and geopolitical intrigue.
It spans from the continent's first sighting in 1820 to its current status as a global scientific preserve.
In 1907, Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton left behind crates of whisky and brandy during his Nimrod expedition, which were discovered frozen but intact over a century later in 2010.
The 19th-century Scotch whisky was not only preserved by the -30°C temperatures, but its recipe was recreated by distiller Whyte & Mackay using a sample drawn through the cork with a syringe, leading to a limited edition of 50,000 bottles priced at about $157 each.
In 1961, Soviet surgeon Leonid Rogozov performed an appendectomy on himself while stationed in Antarctica, operating without general anesthesia and using a mirror to see parts of the procedure.
This incredible feat of self-surgery not only saved Rogozov's life but also turned him into a national hero in the Soviet Union, with his achievement being compared to Yuri Gagarin's historic space flight which had occurred just 18 days earlier.
Blood Falls, discovered in 1911 by Australian geologist Thomas Griffith Taylor, is a unique outflow of iron-rich saltwater from Antarctica's Taylor Glacier that appears blood-red due to oxidized iron.
It harbors a remarkable subglacial ecosystem of microbes that have survived in complete isolation for up to 2 million years, metabolizing sulfate and iron in the absence of oxygen and sunlight.
The first Antarctica Marathon was held on January 28, 1995, potentially making it the first for-profit sporting event ever held on the icy continent.
The 2001 race had to be conducted by having participants run 442 laps around Deck 6 of a ship due to safety concerns preventing transport to shore.
The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth was -128.6 degrees Fahrenheit (-89.2°C) at the Vostok station in Antarctica on July 21, 1983.
Satellite data has measured surface snow temperatures as low as -144 degrees Fahrenheit (-97.8°C) on the East Antarctic Plateau between 2004 and 2016, pushing the limits of what was thought possible for Earth's climate.
During the Cold War, both the United States and Soviet Union seriously contemplated using Antarctica as a nuclear testing ground, driven by its strategic importance and vast, uninhabited expanses.
The CIA even reported Soviet activities in Antarctica related to nuclear testing.
The Antarctic Treaty, signed in 1959 and entering into force in 1961, was a remarkable Cold War-era agreement that designated Antarctica as a scientific preserve, banned military activity on the continent, and suspended territorial claims.
In 1952, tensions over Antarctic territory led to an incident where Argentine military fired warning shots at British personnel, prompting the UK to send a warship that landed marines on the scene, highlighting the geopolitical stakes that the treaty aimed to defuse.
In 1977, Argentina attempted to stake its claim on Antarctica through an unusual tactic: airlifting a pregnant woman to their Esperanza Base, resulting in the birth of Emilio Palma on January 7, 1978.
This unconventional move was part of decades-long territorial disputes over Antarctica, which have included bizarre incidents like countries placing, stealing, and replacing flags, as well as Argentina making it illegal to show maps of the country without including their claimed Antarctic territory.
The Terra Nova Expedition, led by Captain Robert Falcon Scott from 1910 to 1913, ended in tragedy when Scott and his polar party died on their return journey after reaching the South Pole, only to find they had been beaten there by Roald Amundsen's Norwegian team.
The expedition's Northern Party was forced to spend an entire winter living in an ice cave on Inexpressible Island, sustaining themselves on seal and penguin meat while enduring extreme winds and temperatures as low as -50°F.
Antarctic agriculture began over 120 years ago when British physician Reginald Koettlitz successfully grew mustard and cress in boxes using Antarctic soil aboard a ship in 1902, which helped stave off scurvy among the crew.
Since then, efforts have progressed from failed attempts to grow Arctic plants outdoors to modern hydroponic greenhouses that can produce enough fresh vegetables to comprise one-third of the diet for a six-person crew.
This research is now aimed at supporting future human habitation in space.
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