WHY IS IT HARD TO SURVIVE IN ANTARTICA?

Imagine waking up to a world of endless white, where the sun never sets in summer and
never rises in winter. A place where the temperature is so cold it can instantly freeze a newly
boiled water, and the wind can whip up vehicles. Welcome to Antarctica, the coldest, windiest,
and driest continent on Earth. It’s a place of extreme conditions and stunning beauty, but it’s not
exactly what you’d call “home sweet home”. So why is it so hard to survive in Antarctica? Let’s
embark on this icy adventure and find out!
For a trip of a lifetime to the Antarctic or the South Pole, one must be prepared for the -20
degrees Fahrenheit on summer and -100 degrees Fahrenheit cold in winter, combine it with the
world’s driest air that causes pain to any exposed skin. Even smiling with your teeth and gums
exposed will cause pain and frostbite can set in quickly (National Geographic, 2023). This is
only a few of the reasons the Antarctic is hard to survive. Situating more than twice the average
height of Asia, Antarctica is the highest continent with an average height of 7, 545 feet. This
makes the air pressure low and the supply of oxygen scare that result to tissue expansion that
causes strain on joints and discomfort (Cool Antarctica, 2023). Aside from that, the altitude can
trigger asthma attacks, mountain sickness, and trench foot (athlete’s foot but worse), putting
extra stress and difficulties for people working there, especially when they are yet to acclimatize.
But with extra measures from the experts: “polar-tech” materials don’t lose their insulating
powers when wet; wear good eye protection to prevent snow blindness for when the snow and
ice reflect sunlight; never go out without proper gear, supplies, and body protection—words from
tourist and experts (AMNH & Aurora Expeditions, 2023).
At the coldest in winter at -100 degrees Fahrenheit, a human body can only survive by
eating 8 bars of chocolate and drinking 6 liters of water a day since at less than 1% humidity, a
human body can lose water with just breathing (NY Times, 2023). The driest air in the world can
cause instant pain to exposed skin and with the speed 100 mile per hour it can blow a small
vehicle, much less climb a flight of stairs in that condition (NY Times, 2023). Staying in a place
with a weather condition that is so unpredictable and changes fast, a clear and sunny day can
become dangerous in minutes. Though it is hard, it is not impossible to survive. To report the
contrary, 66 scientific national research bases are stationed all around the continent. Scientist and
researchers stay short term of 3-6 months varying on some cases up to 15 months. Though high
winds and poor visibility on winter make travels highly risky endeavor that almost half of the
scientific stations have to close down; on summer, tourists amounting to 45, 000 come with
Antarctic guide, Expedition guides, mountaineering and deep field guides who spend months
living in or near Antarctic. A number of 5,000 scientist in summer come down to 1,000 scientific
staff in winter (Aurora Expeditions, 2023). Will it be hard to imagine that these scientific bases
on a desolate Antarctic can also have fun with inter-station dart tournaments and short film
competitions, oversnow rides, and polar plunges; depending on the size of the station there may
be mess halls, medical facilities, educational institutions, and green houses.
 To have 11 babies birthed and educated in this kind of environment paints a not so bleak
and hopeless environment contrary to what the numbers say. True it is an extreme environment
where even most living creatures migrate out from, but is in itself beauty and discovery. It is not
entirely difficult but the battle between keeping your physicality healthy and your mind strong
from the long hours of day and endless nights, as well as long time indoors will definitely take a
toll on your overall well-being. The Antarctic is a place of extreme conditions and stunning
beauty, but it’s not exactly what you’d call “home sweet home”. It’s not home sweet home
because it is a place of discovery that deters all but the sturdiest of species, man included.

References:
“Antarctic Hazards | AMNH - American Museum of Natural History” (2023) Available at:
https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/curriculum-collections/antarctica/hazards-to-humans/
antarctic-hazards (Accessed: November 21, 2023).
“Do people live in Antarctica? - Aurora Expeditions™” (2023) Available at:
https://www.auroraexpeditions.com.au/blog/do-people-live-in-antarctica/ (Accessed:
November 21, 2023).
“The New York Times - Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos” (2023) Available
at: https://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/28/nyregion/28teacherbox.html (Accessed:
November 21, 2023).
“Winter in Antarctica - Survival” (2023) Available at: https://www.coolantarctica.com/Antarctica
%20fact%20file/antarctica%20environment/winter-in-antarctica-survival.php (Accessed:
November 21, 2023).
“Why Antarctica Is So Hard on the Body—Even for Buzz Aldrin” (2023) Available at:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/buzz-aldrin-south-pole-antarctica-
evacuation-science (Accessed: November 21, 2023).