Victoria Land
Victoria Land | |
---|---|
Region | |
Queen Victoria | |
Coordinates: 71°15′S 163°00′E / 71.250°S 163.000°E | |
Continent | Antarctica |
Founded by | James Clark Ross |
Victoria Land is a region in eastern
History
Early explorers of Victoria Land include James Clark Ross and Douglas Mawson.[2]
In 1979, scientists discovered a group of 309 meteorites in Antarctica, some of which were found near the Allan Hills in Victoria Land.[3] The meteorites appeared to have undergone little change since they were formed at what scientists believe was the birth of the Solar System.[3]
In 1981, lichens found at Victoria Land attracted the attention of NASA because lichens may give clues about where to look for the existence of extraterrestrial life on Mars or elsewhere.[4] Dr. George Denton, a glaciologist at the University of New Hampshire, looked for microorganisms on Mount Lister, one of the highest in Antarctica; it has the same kind of sandstone in which lichens grow.[4]
In 2017, conservationists at Cape Adare, Victoria Land, unearthed an ice-covered fruitcake that they believe once belonged to the British explorer Robert Falcon Scott.[5] Scott's Northern Party expedition was in 1911, making the age of the fruitcake 106 years old.[5] A program manager said it was in “excellent condition."[5]
Geography
The region includes ranges of the
References
- ^ a b "Victoria Land". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved 4 January 2007.
- ^ "Victoria Land". The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Columbia University Press. 2001. Archived from the original on 11 February 2006. Retrieved 26 January 2008.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ^ ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 25 May 2021.