Antarctica: a frozen wilderness of staggering beauty

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Andvord Bay - An iceberg floats on Andvord Bay on Graham Island. Increasingly, scientists are blaming the rise in ocean temperatures for the retreat of the region's glaciers.

 

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Killer whale - Also known as orcas, killer whales are Antarctica's most fearsome predators. The region is home to over two-thirds of the global population.

 

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Antarctica - Earth's southernmost continent, Antarctica is nearly twice the size of Australia.

 

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Antarctica - Believe it or not, Antarctica is classified as a desert—its annual precipitation is only 200 mm along the coast and even less inland.

 

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The Dry Valleys - Indeed, Antarctica's Dry Valleys are the most dismal places on earth. Here, the Onyx River, a meltwater stream, meanders across a valley floor through a landscape far removed from the brilliant white ice blanket more associated with the continent.