#girlswhotravel #lifegoals
Recently dumped and going nowhere, Jennie Jamieson decides it's finally time to listen to all those inspirational Instagram hashtags and do something with her life.
A visit to Antarctica has always been on her bucket list...
So I reference a lot of different phenomena in the Last Vikings, and I thought it might be interesting to have a chapter here splitting which of those came from my strange imagination, and which are based on actual reality.
You may be surprised!
1. Tourists cannot visit Antarctica in winter
This is true! No-one can reach the continent during the polar night. The scientists, like our friends at Oates, are trapped. Knowing he couldn't get to a hospital, one Russian doctor was once forced to remove his own appendix. The ottercopters in the book are an invented technology.
2. The Scots has whaling stations in the Antarctic
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This is true! Whaling was big business in Antarctic seas between approx 1900-1960. It's estimated that around 2 million cetaceans were killed during this period in the Southern Hemisphere.
Two.
Million.
3. Antarctica has 4G
This is false! There is no phone reception in Antarctica in winter, only the intermittent few-hours-a-day satellite the guys at Oates experience.
4. There are no authorities on Antarctica
This is true! Countries are supposed to police their own citizens, but when citizens of multiple countries are involved in an issue, things get very complicated. Rodney Marks, who died in 2000, is potentially Antarctica's only murder victim, and—partly because of these problems—the case of his death is still unsolved.
5. Tourism in Antarctica has increased 2000% since the mid-80s
Yep, that's true.
6. Argentina has a dodgy KGB-style intelligence agency founded by Nazis
Again, true. Loads of Nazis escaped to Argentina after WWII, and some got to high places.
7. The Argentine government shipped pregnant women out to Antarctica in the 1980s to try and create "Antarcticans"
This is true! Argentina have an overlapping claim with the UK, and thought having people born in the continent would strengthen their political position in Antarctica. Chile did this too. There are currently eleven "Antarcticans" in the world.
8. Fewer humpback whales are migrating from Antarctica
This is true. Scientists noticed these behaviour changes in around 2009, with far fewer whales migrating. This could be because of climate change, or just us fucking the sea over. Seems likely it's our fault though.
9. Microwaves (the radiation from mobile phones) can interfere with whales' migration
This I made up. HOWEVER microwaves have been shown to interfere with the migration of birds, and scientists think whales and birds born utilise electromagnetic patterns to set migratory routes, so it's not scientifically implausible.
10. There have been mass penguin deaths in Antarctica
Sorry guys, true. In the last 5 years, two cohorts of Adélie penguin chicks have been entirely wiped out, something unheard of since records began 50 years ago. This could be due to industrial fishing or climate change. Whatever it is, it's definitely our fault.
11. The Russians have blocked an Antarctic ocean reserve.
True, true, true. If you're going to take one thing away from this, go sign the Greenpeace petition/support their campaign to get the reserve back on track. Link in comments.
THINK OF THOSE WHALES AND PENGUINS 🐧
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12. 5G uses the same electromagnetic wavelength as Active Denial, and other military "pain rays"
True! It also "targets" receivers (such as phones).
There you go! There may be other titbits in there I've missed—if I find any I will add them.
Were you surprised by any of these? Not so much? Let me know in the comments!
