During my visit to Antarctica with scientists, I learned several interesting facts.
- Lake Vostok is a freshwater lake in Antarctica that lies submerged beneath 2.5 miles (4 km) of frozen water. It is about the same size as Lake Ontario and larger than all but one lake in Europe.
- I've traveled to all seven continents, but Paradise Bay was the only place I've ever been that was completely silent. It was as if I had lost my hearing. No sound could be heard by the human ear, a truly breathtaking sight.
- Deep Lake contains 10 times more salt than the average ocean, so it never freezes even at -4°F (minus 20°C).
- There are 11 people born in Antarctica. As of 2020, the oldest is 45 years old. Since there are no citizens in Antarctica, they have the nationality of their parents.
- The Antarctic continent is divided into 11 time zones. The Antarctic Peninsula, a popular tourist destination, is only one hour behind New York City during daylight saving time. On the other hand, Antarctica itself is 16 hours behind New York City during daylight saving time. These two time zones are relatively close near the South Pole, and crossing this line results in a 15-hour time jump.
- I saw an iceberg larger than a soccer stadium; this massive piece of ice, which once separated from Antarctica, was roughly the same size as the state of Connecticut in the United States (or Montenegro in Europe).
- The coldest temperature ever recorded in the world was -128.6 °F (minus 89.2 °C) in Antarctica. Researchers in Antarctica frequently experience temperatures of -100°F, a temperature at which human skin instantly feels pain upon contact with the air. Even laughing is painful, saliva freezes before it touches the ground, and you can hear the sound of your breath freezing in the air in front of your face.