5 Misconceptions About Antarctica

Back in the 4th century BCE, Aristotle suggested that Earth had to be balanced: The landmass in the northern hemisphere, from the Arctic to the tropics, must be counterweighted by a similar landmass, as yet undiscovered, in the southern hemisphere. Mapmakers in the following centuries drew this hypothetical land extending from the South Pole all the way to the equator. The concept stuck for more than a millennia. It wasn’t until the 16th century, as explorers started sailing around the world, that people realized there was no such supercontinent—and not until the 19th century was Antarctica’s existence confirmed.

There are a lot of mysterious things about Earth’s icy continent, Antarctica. Like, why aren’t there any polar bears?

In this episode of Misconceptions, host Justin Dodd takes a look at a few more misconceptions about Antarctica, from its alleged populations of bears to its current ownership.

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