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Antarctica

Antarctica is our remotest continent and home to the South Pole. It is covered in ice and has two seasons, winter and summer. Some scientists living in Antarctica study its environment, sea-life — whales, penguins and seals and also global warming. SCIS no: 1887858

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Commemorating the first Trans-Antarctic crossing 1957-8

Commemorating the first Trans-Antarctic crossing 1957-8

This first-day envelope shows Edmund Hillary and Vivian Fuchs shaking hands in a snowy landscape.

Antarctica

Antarctica is mostly a frozen continent located at the South Pole. In this article we'll look at what makes Antarctica and the animals and plants that survive there so special. We'll also look at t...

Antarctica (junior)

Antarctica (junior)

Antarctica is the fifth largest continent on earth. It is located in the South Pole and is mostly made of ice. In this article we'll look at websites, databases and some books to help you find info...

Scott Base

Photograph of Scott Base, Antarctica.

Scott Base Redevelopment

Redevelopment of Scott Base to see the ageing infrastructure replaced with a safe, fit-for-purpose, and sustainable research facility to support New Zealand's presence in the Antarctic region.

Front of Scott Base

Front of Scott Base

Front of Scott Base

Sid and Buck at Scott Base

Sid and Buck from Ice Age Collision Course, travelled to Antarctica to save the ice!

Iceberg and ship

Iceberg and ship

Three paintings of Antarctic icebergs.

Pygoscelis antarctica

Pygoscelis antarctica

Images of the Chinstrap Penguin.

Thalassoica antarctica

Thalassoica antarctica

Images of the Antarctic Petrel.

Animal life in Antarctica

Animal life in Antarctica

Newspaper article about penguins, killer whales and seals in Antarctica.

Antarctica and global climate change

The Earth’s climate is always changing, but the changes are usually very slow – typically taking hundreds to thousands of years. Natural processes such as variations in the Earth’s orbit, solar ene...

Huge Antarctic glacier melting

New aerial ice studies have given scientists an unprecedented insight into how one of the world's largest glaciers is melting.

Large jellyfish

Large jellyfish

Photograph of a large jellyfish at Cape Armitage, Antarctica.

The hero of Antarctica

The hero of Antarctica

Newspaper article about Shackleton’s arrival in London, after his Antarctic expedition.

The Marine Minister

The Marine Minister

The Minister of Marine (Mr McAlpine) wearing padded clothing for a visit to Antarctica.

British Antarctic territory stamp

British Antarctic territory stamp

British Antarctic Territory Stamp 20p 1972 featuring Sir Ernest Shackleton and the 'Quest'

Ice just right for emperor penguins

Not too cold, just perfectly freezing, is how emperor penguins like conditions in Antarctica, researchers say.

Norwegian whaler, Ross Sea, Antarctica

Norwegian whaler, Ross Sea, Antarctica

A flenser, whose job it was to cut up whales, poses for the photographer. In the background is one of the ‘whale-chasers’ – ships that hunted down the whales. Over eight summers in the 1920s and 19...

Hallet Bay, Antarctica

Hallet Bay, Antarctica

A painting of Hallet Bay, Antarctica.

All Black and White (Ponting)

All Black and White (Ponting)

A painting by Nigel Brown.

Dr Wilson and Antarctic

Dr Wilson and Antarctic

Dr Wilson and pony Nobby during the British Antarctic Expedition of 1910-1913. Photograph taken by Herbert George Ponting in October 1911. Inscriptions: Album page - beneath image - 355. Dr Wilso...

Food rations in Antarctica

Food rations in Antarctica

One man's daily sledging food ration in Antarctica.

Bunk beds, Antarctica

Bunk beds, Antarctica

Bunk beds belonging to Bowers, Cherry-Garrard, Oates, Meares and Atkinson. Photograph taken by Herbert Ponting, 9 October, 1911, during the British Antarctic ("Terra Nova") Expedition of 1910-1913....

One hundred and forty days under the world.

One hundred and forty days under the world.

This striking Academy Award-nominated NFU documentary chronicles the 6-month polar summer of 1963/64.

Emperors of Antarctica

Emperors of Antarctica

This film tells the story of Antarctica’s Emperor Penguin.

Mending sleeping bags

Mending sleeping bags

Thomas Crean and Petty Officer Evans mending sleeping bags in Antarctica.

Mt Erebus

Mt Erebus glows across the Ross Ice Shelf. The area was first seen by the 1840–41 British expedition led by James Clark Ross after they forced their way through pack ice, crossed the Ross Sea, and ...

The Great Achievement

The Great Achievement

This film from 1958 documents New Zealanders in Antarctica including Edmund Hillary's famous dash to the South Pole.

Plaque in Four Languages near Shackleton's Hut

Plaque in Four Languages near Shackleton's Hut

Plaque in Four Languages near Shackleton's Hut. English, French, Spanish, and Russian.

Ice Lake, Antarctica

Ice Lake, Antarctica

Martin Siegert, a glaciologist discusses the exploration of Antarctica's hidden lakes and rivers below the ice cap.

Dinosaurs in Antarctica

Dinosaurs in Antarctica

Discovery of dinosaurs in Antarctica tells of warmer times in the frozen continent.

The voice of an iceberg

The voice of an iceberg

Artist Joseph Michael and a team of eight film-makers head to Antarctica on the yacht Australis, to discover and record the sights and sounds of icebergs.

Survival camp Antarctica

Antarctica researcher Thomas Bauska describes survival camp in one of the harshest places on earth.

A South Pole station

Inside the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.

Discovering Antarctica

Provides a variety of multimedia resources related to Antarctica.

Antarctica New Zealand

Provides information about scientific and environmental protection activities in Antarctica.

Massive iceberg breaks off from Antarctica

Animation of the growth of the crack in the Larsen C ice shelf, from 2006 to 2017, as recorded by NASA.

Weather in the South Pole, Antarctica

Provides information about the weather in Antarctica.

NZ's slice of Antarctica.

Parts of Antarctica are not behaving the way climate change models predict.

10 facts about Emperor penguins

National Geographic’s top ten facts about Emperor penguins.

Everything you need to know about Antarctica.

About Antarctica

Contains information on a range of topics related to Antarctica.

Educational resources

Links to resources connected to the history of Antarctic exploration.

Impacts of climate change

Explains the impacts of climate change and includes class activities.

Where is the coldest place on Earth?

The continent of Antarctica can boast that it is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent on Earth.

Aurora Australis

This Aurora Australis time-lapse photograph was taken in Antarctica.

The race to the South Pole

In the early 20th century, the race was on to reach the South Pole, with a number of explorers testing themselves in the freezing Antarctic.

Antarctica: the farthest place close to home

Teaching resources related to Antarctica.

Who is eating who? Connected L4 Year 7 : 2012

Introduces students to some of the creatures in the Antarctic food web.

Antarctica song

A song about Antarctica.

From icebergs to pongas

Antarctica's ocean link with New Zealand.

I’m a penguin

Informational song for kids about penguins.

Antarctic poetry

A selection of poetry about Antarctica.

Cool Antarctica

Pictures from Antarctica and the Arctic.

Race? What race?

How Sir Edmund Hillary got to the South Pole before the British expedition January 3, 1958.

Dance filmed in Antarctica

Dance filmed in Antarctica premieres in London for World Earth Day.

Who owns Antarctica?

Antarctica is governed internationally through the Antarctic Treaty system.

Roald Amundsen

This head and shoulders portrait is of the Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen. Amundsen commanded the first successful expedition to reach the South Pole. He set out in October 1911 and reached the ...

Find out everything there is to know about Antarctica and stay updated on the latest Antarctica news.

Captain Robert Scott

Captain Robert Scott

This photograph shows Captain Robert Falcon Scott writing at a table in his den at Cape Evans Antarctica during the British Antarctic ('Terra Nova') Expedition of 1910-1913. Scott is surrounded by ...

Camp near Erebus

Camp near Erebus

Members of the British Antarctic ("Terra Nova") Expedition unpacking provisions and getting their camp in order, in January 1911. In the foreground, you can clearly see one of the sledges the explo...

The ship Fram

This ship Fram, (Forward) was part of Roald Amundsen's Norwegian expedition to Antarctica in 1910 -1912. It was also used to extensively explore the Arctic region.

Site of Robert Falcon Scott's tent

Site of Robert Falcon Scott's tent

Frank Debenham's party erected this memorial cairn on the site of Robert Falcon Scott's tent. Scott and 2 others died in the tent on their way back from reaching the South Pole during the British A...

First Byrd Antarctic Expedition

First Byrd Antarctic Expedition

Crown Studios Ltd of Wellington took this photograph of the First Byrd Expedition team. The 3 American expeditions lead by Rear Admiral Richard E Byrd made extensive use of technology in their expl...

Captain Scott

This portrait of Captain Scott during the British Antarctic ("Terra Nova") Expedition (1910-1913) shows him standing by a sledge in snow, and wearing cold weather clothing. The photograph was taken...

Ponies pulling sledges

Ponies pulling sledges

This photo shows ponies pulling sledges in the Antarctic, led by members of the British Antarctic ("Terra Nova") Expedition. The photograph was taken by their leader, Captain Robert Falcon Scott in...

Some day son cartoon

‘Some day, son’ cartoon

In this cartoon by Michael Moreu, a group of penguins are standing on an ice shelf in Antarctica. One of them is toppling into the sea as a lump of ice breaks off. The father penguin says to his so...

Admiral Dufek, Sir Edmund Hillary and Sir Vivian Fuchs

Admiral Dufek, Sir Edmund Hillary and Sir Vivian Fuchs

This publicity photo shows Admiral Dufek, Sir Edmund Hillary and Sir Vivian Fuchs greeting each other at the South Pole. The photograph was taken 20 January 1958. These men were all part of the 195...

Expedition share certificate

Trans-Antarctic Expedition Share certificate

This public share certificate displays a map of Antarctica in the centre, penguins at the left, men with a ski sledge at the right, and a photographic portrait (and signature) of Sir Edmund Hillary...

South Polar journey

South Polar journey begins

This page from the Weekly News shows photographs that include scenes from the Trans-Antarctic Expedition to Antarctica, with Dr Ron Balham, and Sir Edmund Hillary. Adapted for Antarctic conditions,...

Antarctic film poster

Antarctic film poster

This poster shows members of the British Antarctic Expedition (1910-1913) inside a tent, eating or drinking hot liquid from mugs, and seated around a central camp stove. Captain Robert Falcon Scott...

The Astrolabe in pack-ice

The Astrolabe in pack-ice

Shows the ship Astrolabe, caught bow first in pack ice with the sea behind the ship. Sailors are hauling on ropes to help the ship to penetrate the ice and one man is attacking the ice with a picka...

Types of penguins

Types of penguins

This painting shows 3 types of penguins, King penguins, Royal penguins, and Crested penguins. These are 3 of 6 penguin species living only in the Antarctic region. All 17 species of penguin are onl...

Flora studies

This drawing is of Celmisia vernicosa with descriptive notes and Forstera clavigerum showing details of leaf and stigmata. Both plants are sub-Antarctic. Celmisia vernicosa (now Damnamenia vernicos...

Ernest Henry Shackleton

Ernest Henry Shackleton

This is a studio portrait of Ernest Henry Shackleton, one of last century's greatest Antarctic explorers. Initially, he accompanied Captain Scott on his first Antarctic expedition (1901-04) but tod...

Antarctic marine ecosystem

The Antarctic ecosystem is unique in that the food chains are very short and often based on the availability of krill, which is vital for all animal life forms living in Antarctica.

Investigating data from the RV Tangaroa

In this activity, students explore data on air and sea temperature and wind speed from Tangaroa’s 8-week voyage to Antarctica.

Barne Glacier

Remembering Erebus

Remembering Erebus

On 28 November 1979, Air New Zealand Flight TE901 crashed into the slopes of Mt Erebus in Antarctica while on a sight-seeing flight to the continent. All the 237 passengers and 20 crew on board wer...

Captured in ice

Scientists are examining Antarctic ice cores to discover what Earth’s climate was like in the past.

Go further south

Travel from New Zealand to Antarctica onboard Heritage Expeditions.

Endurance School Journal. Jan: 2020

A recount of the incredible survival story that followed Ernest Shackleton’s failed attempt to cross Antarctica in 1914

Science on ice School Journal. Nov: 2018

Discover what it’s like living in Antarctica.

Could you survive?

What’s it like to live and work in one on the world’s most remote places, removed from those you know and love?

Antarctic sea ice

Antarctic sea ice plays a major role in the global climate system.

Destination Antarctica

Experience the coldest continent on the planet.

The Arctic vs. the Antarctic

How different and how similar are the Arctic and the Antarctic?

Antarctica: The heart of the world by Coral Tulloch

A comprehensive book covering exploration, interviews, science, geography and intermediate and secondary school. This book is available on Books an Authors through EPIC. School login maybe required...

Operation Antarctica

Bonnie Allott recalls her deployment as a communications operator at Scott Base.

The latest Antarctica research from NIWA.

Dinosaur fossils in Antarctica

Watch scientists uncover fossils in Antarctica.

A rainforest in Antarctica

Fossil remains of forests found in Antarctica

Discover more about Antarctica on EPIC. Databases recommended: Britannica School, Environmental Studies, National Geographic Kids. School login maybe required.

Tuati – first NZer to view Antarctica

Tuati was part of the United States Exploring Expedition between 1838 and 1842.

Classroom Antarctica

A comprehensive online teaching resource, aimed at grades 3 to 8.

Add to title: The big chill and the big drill Year 5: Connected 1_2 : 2008

What was the weather like in Antarctica and what kinds of animals lived there? School login required.

Who is eating who? Year 7 : Connected L4 : 2012

Introduces students to some of the creatures in the Antarctic food web. School login required.

Signing of the Antarctic Treaty

Footage of signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959.

The Antarctica Collection

This collection of documentaries includes life and exploration of Antarctica, including New Zealand’s relationship with the frozen continent.

Antarctic wind flow patterns

Wind flow patterns in Antarctica.

Old ice gives insights into future sea level rise

Scientists in Greenland and Antarctica are drilling back in time.

Māori among first to see Antarctica

Research suggests that Māori voyaged to Antarctica and its ocean may have occurred as far back as the seventh century.

The Endurance: Ernest Shackleton’s ship

Ernest Shackleton’s ship Endurance is found off coast of Antarctica.

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