Be Smart • 1:43 • intermediate • Science
Q1. What is the Pole of Inaccessibility in Antarctica?
6 words to learn — tap cards to flip and save favorites.
/ˌɪnækˌsɛsəˈbɪlɪti/
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Definition
The quality of being difficult or impossible to reach.
Example
The inaccessibility of the remote mountain range makes it a challenge for explorers.
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/ˌɛkspəˈdɪʃən/
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Definition
A journey undertaken by a group of people with a particular purpose, especially for exploration.
Example
The expedition to the Arctic was filled with unexpected challenges.
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/ˈtɛpuːi/
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Definition
A flat-topped mountain or mesa found in the Guiana Highlands of South America.
Example
The tepui towers majestically above the surrounding rainforest.
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/ˌbaɪoʊdɪˈvɜrs/
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Definition
Having a variety of different species in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
Example
The biodiverse ecosystem of the rainforest is home to countless species of plants and animals.
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/ˌʌnɪkˈsplɔrd/
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Definition
Not investigated or examined; not yet discovered or mapped.
Example
There are still many unexplored regions of the ocean waiting to be studied.
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/ˌɪntərˈfɪərəns/
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Definition
The act of hindering or obstructing something, often causing disruption.
Example
The researchers worked hard to minimize any interference with the natural habitat.
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- Humans have explored so much of the world and even beyond, but where have we never been before? You probably know that much of the ocean remains unexplored, you know, for obvious reasons, but can we find a place
on land humans haven't been? What about Antarctica's Pole of Inaccessibility? It's the point on the continent that's furthest from the Southern Ocean. A Soviet expedition actually reached there in 1958 and set up a small research station. They even
erected a bust of Vladimir Lenin. Only a few other expeditions have reached that station since then. There are also tepuis, these flat top towering geologic structures in South America. Now, these isolated geologic islands, it actually inspired Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle's 1912 novel, "The Lost World," and many of them are sacred sites. You only get to them via helicopter or if you're Alex Honnold or something, like literally. But are there places that are even more unexplored? Well,
there are many mountains that have never been climbed, the highest of which is this one in Bhutan. And it'll stay unclimbed because the mountain has been closed to climbers since 1994 out of respect for local traditions. But the
coolest thing about our planet is that new places are always getting added to the exploration to-do lists. There's the Movile Cave in Romania, which was discovered in 1986 during construction work. Now this cave had been sealed off from
the surface until it was discovered, revealing this surprisingly biodiverse world. There's also Surtsey Island. It's a small island off the coast of Iceland that formed for volcanic eruptions in the 1960s. And since then, it's acquired bacteria, fungi, and
plants, even some birds. Both the Movile Cave and Surtsey Island are closed to the public so that scientists can study their unique ecology without worrying about human interference. Where do you think we should explore next? Let me know
in the comments and follow me for more cool science videos.
