Antarctica

Antarctica: Where The Silence Speaks

by Dr. Pramod Kumar Purohit 


Antarctica always mesmerized me because of the many superlatives and mysteries attached to it. Its wonderful names like continent of extreme, the icy continent, land of penguins, midnight sun, the residence of blizzard and the continent located at the bottom of the world always stimulate my eagerness to know more and more about it. Being a challenge to science this place has always inspired me.


I was always keen to have glimpse of that continent and to holiday at once in life. Being a science student, my desire of having glimpse of such an open scientific laboratory further strengthened me. With a remarkable stroke of good fortune, I got an opportunity to involve myself as a scientist of the Indian Antarctic Scientific Expedition. To visit this white continent is a memorable fact for any individual.


Antarctica is a continent where the temperature always remains below zero degree and goes down to as low as -89ºC, where there is 24 hour day or night endlessly for six months, where blizzards scream like a siren at a speed of over 320km/h with thick dense snow which could choke a person to death, where the sea get frozen for miles and miles on which a man can drive heavy vehicles.


This book seeks to bring out the importance of Antarctica as well as an introduction to youngsters who may think of pursuing research in this continent. To make the facts and findings at Antarctica known to layman is not only my liability but is also my national responsibility.


This book has been written from a scientific view and all curiosities are unbound layer wise. If the beauty of this captivating continent can be conveyed to the mankind then the purpose of the book would be proved. I am hopeful that this book would aid as a source of motivation about Antarctica and would prove its worth.