Antarctica is thawing, now green with plant life!

[United Muscovite Nations]

It does when what was said is "for all of recorded history".

still wrong

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_of_Antarctica

so what was that about nothing living there again?

Never said nothing lived there, said it was inhospitable.

[Sareva]

still wrong

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wildlife_of_Antarctica

so what was that about nothing living there again?

Never said nothing lived there, said it was inhospitable.

Which to some means "no lif3" for some odd reason, despite the fact that it's usually used to describe places "peepl" can't survive in without specific gear and equipment.

[Saiwania]

so what was that about nothing living there again?

Inhospitable for people. Small portions of Antarctica which didn't previously have any moss or plant life (because it was too cold) now do. So my interpretation is that this is only the beginning of a trend towards that continent fully thawing out. Sure, as of right now most of Antarctica is still too cold, but give it only a few decades from now and I expect ice to keep retreating and the moss and plants to keep encroaching inland until it covers the entire continent provided our planet keeps warming as it is.

[Kerthenia]

I propose we convert Antarctica into a stateless ancap playground.

Seconded. Ancapistan shall rise.

[Rio Cana]

Both Argentina and Chile are most likely happy that there frozen wasteland is becoming green even thought they must be worried about the melting. Who knows but in time they might hand out homesteading Visas to anyone willing to farm/look for resources in Antarctica thus increase there right to ownership. Australia owns a big chunk of Antartica. France has the smallest claim. The UK., Argentinian and Chilean claims all overlap. Both Chile and Argentina were united on not letting the UK. move into there claims.

[Uxupox]

Doesn't matter who claims it. It belongs to the United States of America.

[Liriena]

Awww, darn. This is bad.

Bloody climate change.

[Dooom35796821595]

Both Argentina and Chile are most likely happy that there frozen wasteland is becoming green even thought they must be worried about the melting. Who knows but in time they might hand out homesteading Visas to anyone willing to farm/look for resources in Antarctica thus increase there right to ownership. Australia owns a big chunk of Antartica. France has the smallest claim. The UK., Argentinian and Chilean claims all overlap. Both Chile and Argentina were united on not letting the UK. move into there claims.

And we all know how well Argentina defends territorial gains against the UK.

[Philjia]

We're all going to be killed by the rise in sea levels. Also all the fish will be killed by the drop in salinity.

[Sovaal]

We're all going to be killed by the rise in sea levels. Also all the fish will be killed by the drop in salinity.

We won't all be killed, just most.

[Sovaal]

Anyone want to crowdfunding my East Antarctica Company?

[The Liberated Territories]

Well I know where I am going to buy my summer home now.

[Sovaal]

Well I know where I am going to buy my summer home now.

But the seasons are in reverse, so unless you already live in the Southern Hemisphere, you would be going there during the southern winter.

[Kubra]

Well I know where I am going to buy my summer home now.

But the seasons are in reverse, so unless you already live in the Southern Hemisphere, you would be going there during the southern winter.

he goes there during southern summer in order to be back in time for northern summer
summer forever

[Frostnia]

Anyone want to crowdfunding my East Antarctica Company?

You stay out of my continent.

[Sovaal]

Anyone want to crowdfunding my East Antarctica Company?

You stay out of my continent.

And who are you, some pesky un-civilized native? Bah, you should be hoping that we honor you with our presence on that god forsaken piece of rock and ice.

[San Marlindo]

Antarctica is nowhere close to "thawing".

As of today what little plant life there is covers 0.3% of the entire Antarctic landmass.

Less than half of one per cent.

[San Marlindo]

so what was that about nothing living there again?

Inhospitable for people. Small portions of Antarctica which didn't previously have any moss or plant life (because it was too cold) now do. So my interpretation is that this is only the beginning of a trend towards that continent fully thawing out. Sure, as of right now most of Antarctica is still too cold, but give it only a few decades from now and I expect ice to keep retreating and the moss and plants to keep encroaching inland until it covers the entire continent provided our planet keeps warming as it is.

If the plant life has only encroached to 0.3% of Antarctica's actual landmass since 1950 (according to the OP's article), in another 70 years - by which time you and most people you know will probably be dead - it will creep up to 0.6%.

Another 70 years later it will be 0.9%, still less than 1%.

It won't be going green "within a few decades" at the current rate, so stop exaggerating.

[Internationalist Bastard]

One one hand cool but on the other, that's some severe climate change

[Aclion]

You stay out of my continent.

And who are you, some pesky un-civilized native? Bah, you should be hoping that we honor you with our presence on that god forsaken piece of rock and ice.

Hey back off. Can't you see he has a flag?

[Sovaal]

One one hand cool but on the other, that's some severe climate change

[Sovaal]

And who are you, some pesky un-civilized native? Bah, you should be hoping that we honor you with our presence on that god forsaken piece of rock and ice.

Hey back off. Can't you see he has a flag?

You can dress a savage penguin in a suit, but he's still a savage penguin.

[New haven america]

Actually, a lot (If not most) of Antarctica is below sea level, so if the ice melts, it'll turn from a continent into an archipelago, so not much land would actually be gained.

not even close look here

-snip-

That's only after isostatic rebound (Which would take a really long time).

This is Antarctica without ice:

IIRC, the largest island is smaller than Australia.

[Barboneia]

Is there oil under Antarctica? Maybe what the continent needs is a nice dose of freedom.

[Imperializt Russia]

Inhospitable for people. Small portions of Antarctica which didn't previously have any moss or plant life (because it was too cold) now do. So my interpretation is that this is only the beginning of a trend towards that continent fully thawing out. Sure, as of right now most of Antarctica is still too cold, but give it only a few decades from now and I expect ice to keep retreating and the moss and plants to keep encroaching inland until it covers the entire continent provided our planet keeps warming as it is.

If the plant life has only encroached to 0.3% of Antarctica's actual landmass since 1950 (according to the OP's article), in another 70 years - by which time you and most people you know will probably be dead - it will creep up to 0.6%.

Another 70 years later it will be 0.9%, still less than 1%.

It won't be going green "within a few decades" at the current rate, so stop exaggerating.

This is only the case if the rate of increase is, or will remain, linear.

It is unlikely to.