The windiest, coldest, and driest continent on Earth—Antarctica—was officially discovered in 1820. In the following decades, several countries organized expeditions to reach and explore the Antarctic ice sheets. The southernmost continent had no indigenous population and various nations claimed ownership. But in 1959, 12 countries signed the Antarctic Treaty, banning military activities and setting Antarctica aside for scientific research. Today, we celebrate the anniversary of this treaty, which now has 56 parties.
Antarctica Day
Today in History
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Santorini through the clouds
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Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
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Saksun, Faroe Islands, Denmark
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Up, up, and away for Hot Air Balloon Day
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Paleontology meets art
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Lace up your hiking boots for Mountain Day
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Alpine marmots at Hohe Tauern National Park, Austria
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Celebrating Take Your Dog to Work Day
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International Lighthouse Weekend
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St. Barbaras Cathedral, Kutná Hora, Czechia
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Temple of Philae, Aswan, Egypt
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Sunlight sets Iceland s Eyjafjallajökull aglow
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Dalyan, Turkey
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Get the bear facts
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The Blue City of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
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Chilling out in the Arctic
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Portland celebrates its bounty
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Go with the rainbow flow
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A march toward a dream
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Everglades National Park marks 90 years
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Venice s grand regatta
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Keep calm and drive on (slowly)
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World Space Week begins
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It s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
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Protect your neck
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Tree of many colors
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Breaking the fast for Eid
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Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
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Noctilucent clouds
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Wildebeest on the move
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