7 Eye-Popping Facts About Living in Antarctica
(−110°F Outside and No Peeing in the Shower)
Antarctica is often called the White Mars due to its severe conditions. In 2005, the French-Italian polar station, Concordia, was built there. The European Space Agency (ESA) conducts research there. At the same time, almost 60 people live there in isolation, extremely low temperatures, and with a lack of light and oxygen. They’ve all gone through months of preparation to work there for no less than 9-12 months. The station consists of 2 cylindrical buildings: the first one is called “quiet” and it’s the place where all the labs, living rooms, and a hospital are located. The second one is called “noisy” and has the gym, storage area, dining hall, movie theater, and a rec room.
(h/t: brightside)
1. The average temperature in Antarctica is −58°F. The lowest temperature is −110°F.
The temperature never rises higher than −20°F even during summer. Ordinary bacteria can’t survive there and to go outside people have to put on several layers of clothing, special shoes, puffy mitts, and glasses. All the clothes weigh just as much as a space suit.
Concordia is located at 2.050 miles above sea level which is why the air there is really thin and has a low level of oxygen. It is also so clean that it absolutely doesn’t smell of anything. After getting back to the mainland, researchers describe their shock with the overwhelming variety of smells.