Is ANTARCTICA considered still largely unexplored?

[Mutara Nebula 1967]

I'm hoping that the answer is yes. There is something quaintly appealing about the idea that in this day and age of Google Earth, instant communications etc that far off there might still be one place left on on Earth that is more mystery than anything else. And that who knows what strange and wonderous discoveries might still be made there some day. Kind of like a real life LOST island only its an entire continent.

At the very least it provides good grist for writers who can use it for mysteries and lost worlds beneath the ice.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I would say that the last great place to explore isn't the Antarctic but the deep ocean which we know so little about. There is probably thousands of species left to discover in the depth of the ocean including some rather large ones.

The most significant unexplored region after the ocean is probably New Guinea.

Also, the deep earth. Scientists are finding lifeforms they never expected living in caves and even further down in the earth.

Edited to add - between 1998 and 2008 more than 1000 new species were discovered in New Guinea. and there are certainly more to come.

 

[Mutara Nebula 1967]

I would say that the last great place to explore isn't the Antarctic but the deep ocean which we know so little about. There is probably thousands of species left to discover in the depth of the ocean including some rather large ones.

The most significant unexplored region after the ocean is probably New Guinea.

Also, the deep earth. Scientists are finding lifeforms they never expected living in caves and even further down in the earth.

Edited to add - between 1998 and 2008 more than 1000 new species were discovered in New Guinea. and there are certainly more to come.

The discovery of the life forms in the caves sounds very fascinating. I wonder what will turn up someday that completly shocks the world.

 

[Miss Chicken]

You might be interested in this

Princeton researchers have discovered a colony of bacteria that lives more than 3 km (2 miles) underground. This bacteria lives completely cut off from the biosphere on the surface of the Earth, and derives its energy from the radioactive decay of rocks underground. By finding life in these extreme conditions, scientists are expanding their understanding of what kinds of habits can support life.

rest of story here

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

I'm hoping that the answer is yes. There is something quaintly appealing about the idea that in this day and age of Google Earth, instant communications etc that far off there might still be one place left on on Earth that is more mystery than anything else. And that who knows what strange and wonderous discoveries might still be made there some day. Kind of like a real life LOST island only its an entire continent.

At the very least it provides good grist for writers who can use it for mysteries and lost worlds beneath the ice.

I would imagine so, but I would also wager more than a little money that if you've seen one part of Antarctica you've pretty much seen it all. Sorry no lost world of dinosaurs to report.

 

[Gov Kodos]

Antarctica is fascinating. http://www.albedoimages.com/index.html http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/index.php

 

[Triskelion]

You might be interested in this

Princeton researchers have discovered a colony of bacteria that lives more than 3 km (2 miles) underground. This bacteria lives completely cut off from the biosphere on the surface of the Earth, and derives its energy from the radioactive decay of rocks underground. By finding life in these extreme conditions, scientists are expanding their understanding of what kinds of habits can support life.

rest of story here

Luxury! Sheer luxury.

 

[publiusr]

I remember a researcher in one of the Popular-magazines told me a falsehood.

I wondered why the ozone hole was over an island continant far away from human emissions, and not over the north pole closer to us. I also seemed to remember some thinning in the north after a volcano.

He said there were no volcanoes in Antarctica.

And yet, here is Erebus http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Erebus
http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/09/21/global-ozone-layer-depletion-levelling-off-rising-slightly/