Arctic: 10 Amazing Facts That Few People Know

Where to look for the Arctic?

Let’s figure it out — The Arctic: 10 amazing facts that few people know . The Arctic is about the North. It’s simple. If you poke a globe (or a map, if you don’t have a globe at hand) somewhere at the very top, you’ll see the Arctic. This is not a separate continent, like Antarctica. But a huge region that includes the Arctic Ocean, pieces of Russia, Canada, Norway, Greenland (which, by the way, belongs to Denmark) and even Alaska. And yes, there is no single “land continent” here — solid ice, icebergs and cold waters.

What’s interesting there?

In short, firstly, the Northern Lights . If you have never seen them, they are on your wish list. Secondly, polar bears live there, and they truly are the masters of the region. Unlike Antarctica, where only penguins live (and perhaps some particularly frost-resistant scientists ). There is plenty of life here: walruses, seals, reindeer, and also people – peoples who have adapted to this cold for centuries (Eskimos, Nenets, Chukchi and others).

How is the Arctic different from Antarctica?

Antarctica is a huge icy continent where almost no one lives, except for researchers in warm laboratories. In the Arctic, there are people, and they live there permanently. The second difference is the climate. It is much colder in Antarctica because there is no ocean to moderate the temperature. And one more thing: if you meet a bear in the Arctic, then in Antarctica – a penguin. It is important to remember!

How do you get there?

If you suddenly get the crazy idea to personally check whether it is really that cold in the Arctic, there are several options. You can go on a cruise along the northern seas – there are such tours from Norway, Canada and Russia. You can try to get to the North Pole on an icebreaker ( spoiler: it is not a cheap pleasure).

Or you can choose a more “civilized” way – fly to some Arctic city like Murmansk, Tromsø or Longyearbyen (this is on Spitsbergen, by the way).

But be prepared: the Arctic is not about comfort. The weather there can change your mood faster than you can get your phone out to take a photo. And the cold there is no joke. Even in summer the temperature rarely rises above +10°C, and in winter… well, it’s better not to think about it unless you’re a fan of the cold.

What about the environment?

This is where things get really sad. The ice is melting, the climate is warming, and the Arctic is changing. What used to be impassable icy expanses are now turning into open water, which means the region could change dramatically over time. For polar bears, this is bad news, to say the least. And for people, too: local people who have been accustomed to living in these conditions for centuries are forced to adapt to a new climate.

At the same time, countries actively argue about who owns which pieces of the Arctic – after all, rich reserves of oil and gas are hidden under the ice. And where there are resources, there are political showdowns. In general, the Arctic is not only about the cold and bears. But also about big questions about the future.

10 Amazing Facts That Few People Know

There are many amazing facts here that few people think about.

There are sand dunes in the Arctic. Yes, real ones!

It would seem that where is the ice desert, and where is the sand? But here’s a surprise – on Kolguev Island (in the Russian part of the Arctic) there are dunes of real sand. It’s just that the winds there are so strong that they “carry” the sand from the coast into the interior of the island.

You can find “ice flowers” there.

It’s almost like magic. Bizarre crystalline structures, like frozen flowers, can form on the surface of thin sea ice. They form when moist air comes into contact with cold ice, and the salt water crystallizes. It looks incredible, but they melt quickly.

The Arctic is not just the North Pole.

In fact, the Arctic is a huge area, and it covers not only the ocean. But also the territories of eight countries: Russia, Canada, the USA (Alaska), Denmark (Greenland), Norway, Finland, Sweden and even Iceland.

There is a “ghost town” in the Arctic – Pyramid.

This abandoned village on Spitsbergen was once a Soviet coal town. But in 1998 the mine closed, the people left. But the houses, schools and even the Lenin monuments remained. Now it is one of the strangest and most mysterious sights in the Arctic.

The “unicorn” can be found in Arctic waters.

More precisely, the narwhal – a unique whale with a long, spiral tusk that looks like something out of a fairy tale. Scientists are still debating why it needs this horn. One theory is that it is a kind of environmental sensor that helps measure the temperature and salinity of the water.

In the Arctic there is “eternal day” and “eternal night”.

In summer, the sun may not set at all, and in winter, on the contrary, it may not rise for weeks. Imagine: you wake up, and it’s still night outside… for a whole month!

The North Pole is constantly drifting.

Unlike the South Pole, which is on solid ground, the North Pole is just a point in the middle of ice that is constantly moving. So if you plant a flag there, it will end up in a different place in a few months.

There is a lost meteorite crater hidden in the Arctic.

In 2018, scientists discovered a giant crater called Hiawatha under the ice of Greenland. It is so huge (31 km in diameter) that it was not even noticed before. Apparently, a giant asteroid crashed into it at some point.

Polar bears are not white.

In fact, their fur is transparent, and it seems white because of the refraction of light. And they have black skin! This helps them absorb heat better and stay warm in the cold.

There are fire-breathing volcanoes in the Arctic.

For example, on the island of Jan Mayen (this is Norway) there is a volcano called Beirenberg. Imagine: icy wastelands, icebergs all around – and then suddenly lava bursts out of the ground. What a contrast!

The Arctic is not just a cold and deserted place. Antarctica is an incredibly beautiful icy continent, full of oddities, mysteries and amazing natural phenomena.

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