In Polar Opposites, one of the many party plans Owen floats (and Audra nixes) is an Antarctica-themed trivia game, to celebrate the continent where his sister Jane lived for 18 months.
We don't want his hard work to go to waste, so here it is for you to play! (True confessions time: I had an AI write the questions. But I researched the answer key - below - myself, so any mistakes there are due to my own entirely human intelligence.)
Antarctic Geography:
1. What is the highest peak in Antarctica?
2. Which ocean surrounds Antarctica?
3. True or false: Antarctica is the largest desert in the world.
Antarctic Wildlife:
4. Which animal is often considered the symbol of Antarctica?
5. What is the largest species of penguin found in Antarctica?
6. Name a seal species that inhabits Antarctica.
Exploration and Discoveries:
7. Who was the first person to reach the South Pole?
8. Which expedition did Ernest Shackleton lead in an attempt to cross Antarctica?
9. True or false: Roald Amundsen was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles.
Scientific Research:
10. What is the name of the international scientific agreement that governs Antarctica?
11. Which scientific research station is located at the South Pole?
12. True or false: The hole in the ozone layer was first discovered in Antarctica.
Climate and Environment:
13. What is the average temperature in Antarctica during the winter?
14. What is the term used to describe the phenomenon of large chunks of ice breaking off from glaciers or ice shelves?
15. True or false: Antarctica is the coldest continent on Earth.
Antarctic Expeditions:
16. Which famous British explorer led the Terra Nova Expedition to Antarctica?
17. Which country's flag was planted on the Antarctic continent by the first successful expedition?
18. Name a famous ship associated with Antarctic exploration.
Antarctic Records and Facts:
19. What is the record for the lowest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica?
20. How thick can the ice sheet in Antarctica be in some areas?
21. True or false: Antarctica has no permanent human residents.
We don't want his hard work to go to waste, so here it is for you to play! (True confessions time: I had an AI write the questions. But I researched the answer key - below - myself, so any mistakes there are due to my own entirely human intelligence.)
Antarctic Geography:
1. What is the highest peak in Antarctica?
2. Which ocean surrounds Antarctica?
3. True or false: Antarctica is the largest desert in the world.
Antarctic Wildlife:
4. Which animal is often considered the symbol of Antarctica?
5. What is the largest species of penguin found in Antarctica?
6. Name a seal species that inhabits Antarctica.
Exploration and Discoveries:
7. Who was the first person to reach the South Pole?
8. Which expedition did Ernest Shackleton lead in an attempt to cross Antarctica?
9. True or false: Roald Amundsen was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles.
Scientific Research:
10. What is the name of the international scientific agreement that governs Antarctica?
11. Which scientific research station is located at the South Pole?
12. True or false: The hole in the ozone layer was first discovered in Antarctica.
Climate and Environment:
13. What is the average temperature in Antarctica during the winter?
14. What is the term used to describe the phenomenon of large chunks of ice breaking off from glaciers or ice shelves?
15. True or false: Antarctica is the coldest continent on Earth.
Antarctic Expeditions:
16. Which famous British explorer led the Terra Nova Expedition to Antarctica?
17. Which country's flag was planted on the Antarctic continent by the first successful expedition?
18. Name a famous ship associated with Antarctic exploration.
Antarctic Records and Facts:
19. What is the record for the lowest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica?
20. How thick can the ice sheet in Antarctica be in some areas?
21. True or false: Antarctica has no permanent human residents.
And here are the answers!
1. Mount Vinson in the Sentinel Range, at 4,897 meters (just over 3 miles)
2. The Southern Ocean
3. True
4. The penguin, of course!
5. Emperor Penguin, at up to 4 feet tall and weighing 49-99 pounds. (Jane’s beloved Southern Rockhoppers are up to 2 feet tall and weigh under 10 pounds.)
6. Ross, Weddell, Crabeater, Leopard, Fur, and Elephant Seals
7. Roald Amundsen's polar party, on December 14th, 1911; Robert Falcon Scott and his party got there five weeks later
8. The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914–1917
9. True
10. The Antarctic Treaty of 1959
11. The Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station
12. True (and it’s still there, though shrinking considerably; keep saving the planet, please!)
13. At the South Pole, about −76° F but closer to −5°F at the coast (give yourself a point as long as you were somewhere between 0 and negative 80)
14. Calving
15. So true
16. Captain Robert Falcon Scott, from 1910–1913
17. Great Britain’s, during the Nimrod Expedition of 1907–1909
18. Mostly you’re thinking of Endurance, but don’t forget Belgica, Southern Cross, Discovery, Gauss, Antarctic, Scotia, Français, Pourquoi-pas?, Kainan Maru, Fram, Terra Nova, Deutschland, Aurora (the Australia / New Zealand one), Aurora (the UK one), and Quest
19. -128.6°F on July 21, 1983, at Vostok Station (you should get a point if you guessed anywhere between negative 100 and negative 150)
20. The Antarctic Ice Sheet measures nearly 4.9 kilometers (3 miles) at its thickest point and has an average thickness of 2 kilometers (1.25 miles)
21. True!
1. Mount Vinson in the Sentinel Range, at 4,897 meters (just over 3 miles)
2. The Southern Ocean
3. True
4. The penguin, of course!
5. Emperor Penguin, at up to 4 feet tall and weighing 49-99 pounds. (Jane’s beloved Southern Rockhoppers are up to 2 feet tall and weigh under 10 pounds.)
6. Ross, Weddell, Crabeater, Leopard, Fur, and Elephant Seals
7. Roald Amundsen's polar party, on December 14th, 1911; Robert Falcon Scott and his party got there five weeks later
8. The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914–1917
9. True
10. The Antarctic Treaty of 1959
11. The Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station
12. True (and it’s still there, though shrinking considerably; keep saving the planet, please!)
13. At the South Pole, about −76° F but closer to −5°F at the coast (give yourself a point as long as you were somewhere between 0 and negative 80)
14. Calving
15. So true
16. Captain Robert Falcon Scott, from 1910–1913
17. Great Britain’s, during the Nimrod Expedition of 1907–1909
18. Mostly you’re thinking of Endurance, but don’t forget Belgica, Southern Cross, Discovery, Gauss, Antarctic, Scotia, Français, Pourquoi-pas?, Kainan Maru, Fram, Terra Nova, Deutschland, Aurora (the Australia / New Zealand one), Aurora (the UK one), and Quest
19. -128.6°F on July 21, 1983, at Vostok Station (you should get a point if you guessed anywhere between negative 100 and negative 150)
20. The Antarctic Ice Sheet measures nearly 4.9 kilometers (3 miles) at its thickest point and has an average thickness of 2 kilometers (1.25 miles)
21. True!