Antarctica And Scientific Progress
By Advisor. Filed in Florida |
In all parts of Antarctica, countries whose primary industry is whaling, claimed massive portions of land.The peninsula of Antarctica is a place where Britain, Argentina, and Chile all find themselves vying for stretches of land.Other countries that have claims to this area include France, New Zealand, Norway and Australia.
In 1940, Nazi Germany claimed their own piece of the pie by dropping swastika-etched stakes from planes across large pieces of Antarctica, when nationalism was in full swing. With the exception whaling, the world left Antarctica alone, so it could fight a second World War, and then a Cold War after that.Soon, however, events in space caused scientists to turn back to studying The Ice.
1957-58 saw sunspot activity heading toward a peak, and that’s when the governments and scientist from around the world got ready for the International Geophysical Year, choosing Antarctica for their study of solar radiation on earth’s magnetic field that could be viewed through a southern hole there.67 nations sent scientists to Antarctica to study this phenomenon.Based on the success of their cooperative efforts, negotiations took place to create the Antarctic Treaty - which became one of the most incredible international agreements the world has seen.inexpensive travel to antarctica
This Treaty, signed in 1959 by the countries with primary interests in the continent, enacted a mandate that Antarctica’s only use would be for peaceful intentions.Nuclear testing/explosions were banned as well as any radioactive waste being dumped there.The only reason military activities were to be granted on the continent was in the logistic support of science.The deliberation over land claims were put to rest for the time being.
The major countries at that time showed a willingness to work together, which was exceptional during these years, and decided to forgo any claims. In addition, they did not acknowledge claims from other countries either.This agreement made it difficult for less powerful nations to assert their claims.antarctica trip
In the decades that followed, nations and business organizations started to desire the natural resources thought to be in Antarctica.There was a flurry of national bases erected, mainly on the peninsula and surrounding islands. Antarctica’s summer population of approximately 5,000, largely due to the fact that it’s only a three day cruise, dozens of science posts are home to most of these visitors.
In the 60’s countries like Poland, the then Soviet Union, the United States, Italy, Great Britain, Argentina and Chile launched their own individual bases on King George Island. That was followed with new base openings in the 80’s by China, Peru, South Korea, and other Southern American countries.Not only were these bases the site of scientific experiments, but they also served as political markers, similar to the swastika stakes dropped by Nazi Germany in 1940.In this, the countries basically became “squatters” on land that did not truly belong to them.
However, by the 1980s the political mentality had begun to turn away from exploitation and in the direction of scientific exploration.In a manner similar to declaring the oceans international territory, the Antarctic has become a shared continent.It was at Britain’s Halley Bay Antarctic Base that the hole in the Earth’s ozone layer was first discovered, making it clear to man that industrial activity could cause damage to the atmosphere.
This discovery brought about the 1987 international agreement to phase out any use of chemicals that were destroying the ozone layer by the year 2000.This discovery validated the work of the science bases on the continent, who act as monitors of carbon emissions resulting in “greenhouse” effect.The whaling industry was also encountering massive public outrage in the 1980’s, leading to the idea of establishing Antarctica as a world park, and thereby protecting it further.
Exploitation of the continent for oil and gas exploration and mining, and any other irreversible exploitation, was banned by the Antarctic Treaty in 1991, and nations agreed to observe this treaty for a minimum of fifty years. Environmental concern was elevated to the same priority as scientific research on the continent.Today’s Antarctica is no longer used as a method to support industry, but instead, is showing the world how industry’s actions have impacted the planet and its atmosphere. It is also showing the world ways in which future calamities can be avoided.
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