Places
Antarctica holds the record for being the coldest place on Earth, which together with extensive ice cover and lack of winter sunlight makes the continent pretty inhospitable to life. The sea, rather than the land, is what supports most creatures such as penguins and seals. It's often warmer than the land, so is a good place to retreat to and warm up to a balmy -2 Celsius. Permanently land-living plants and animals in Antarctica are small and ground-hugging to avoid wind chill and the accompanying dehydration.
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Glacial retreat
Glaciers photographed by Ernest Shakleton's men are now in serious decline.
Glaciers photographed by Ernest Shakleton's men are now in serious decline.
Scott's journey
The Antarctic plateau is the coldest and windiest place on Earth.
The Antarctic plateau is the coldest and windiest place on Earth.
Moss menagerie
A minute colony survives the freezing cold of the South Orkney Islands.
A minute colony survives the freezing cold of the South Orkney Islands.
Bleak continent
Antarctica can be drier than the Sahara yet algae still survives.
Antarctica can be drier than the Sahara yet algae still survives.
Frozen life
David Attenborough visits the coldest place in the world.
David Attenborough visits the coldest place in the world.
Explore more places around the world
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