Humans are able to travel more than 500 kilometers into Antarctica

The claim: ‘Man’ can’t advance more than 500 kilometers past Antarctic ‘ice wall’

A Dec. 13 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) shows a picture of a research vessel positioned near a tall, sheer-faced ice shelf and makes a series of claims about Antarctica. Its caption reads:

“It is the Antarctic continent, consisting of 40% of an ice wall surrounding all the seas of the Earth. This ice wall is not imaginary, but it actually exists and has been documented in the records of official exploration countries since 1880. The weather conditions after this ice are very harsh, as the temperature reaches minus -55°C on average, and the wind speed reaches 300 km per hour. In addition to the pitch darkness and lack of oxygen, we all went deeper inward. Official geographical surveys after this wall reached only 400-500 km, after which the ability of man to advance further stopped, as even the fuel of jet planes freezes inside them.”

The post was shared more than 2,500 times in about two weeks.

More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page

Our rating: False

The post makes multiple false statements about Antarctica, which does not consist of an “ice wall” that surrounds all seas. The continent has been extensively explored, including the area beyond 500 kilometers inland. For example, a scientific research station with a landing strip is located at the South Pole, which is more than 1,200 kilometers inland.

Research station located further inland than social media post claims possible

The sheer-faced “ice wall” shown in the post is an ice shelf, Theodore Scambos, an Antarctic researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder, told USA TODAY in an email. Ice shelves form when a land-based ice sheet flows out over the ocean, forming a floating structure, USA TODAY previously reported.

Ice shelves cover about 75% of the Antarctic coastline. But “not all ice shelves present this tall of an ice wall,” Scambos said. These ice shelves do not surround, or even touch, “all the seas of the Earth” as the post claims − they are located around the Antarctic landmass.Humans have also traveled farther than 500 kilometers (311 miles) inland, and Antarctic flights are possible, according to Scambos.

“The entire continent has been well explored by aircraft and on foot,” he said. “It is true that winter aviation can be limited when conditions exceed minus 60 degrees Celsius. This is a precaution, but not a barrier − several flights have occurred in winter. The temperature is not always below minus 60 degrees Celsius.”

As a clear demonstration of “the ability of man to advance” past 500 kilometers (311 miles) in Antarctica, the National Science Foundation Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is located at the geographic South Pole, more than 1,200 kilometers (800 miles) from the nearest coastline.

The station hosts hundreds of people throughout the year and includes “approximately 47 buildings of varying sizes, including housing, offices, science laboratories, a store, a food growth chamber and dining, recreation and medical services,” the National Science Foundation reports.

The station also has a runway where airplanes land.

Fact check: One-third of atmospheric CO2 released by humans since 1850s 

Contrary to the claim in the post, there is a normal amount of oxygen in the atmosphere over Antarctica, Scambos said. He added that high-elevation areas of the continent have lower oxygen levels than sea-level areas, but this is the case everywhere, not just in Antarctica.

The claim about “pitch darkness” in Antarctica is also misleading. While there are times during the year when the sun does not rise, there are also times when the sun does not set, according to the Australian Antarctic Program. The periods of extended daytime and nighttime are longer closer to the South Pole.

Antarctic weather is harsh and cold, with an average annual temperature of around minus 49 degrees Celsius at the South Pole − similar to the estimate in the post, according to the National Science Foundation. The highest recorded wind speed on the continent was 327 kilometers per hour, also similar to the figure in the post, according to the IceCube Neutrino Laboratory.

The photo in the post shows the research vessel S.A.Agulhas II.

Flat Earth theory adherents often make false claims about a purported Antarctic “ice wall.” USA TODAY has previously debunked claims that 20 continents are hidden behind an Antarctic ice wall and that an Antarctic ice wall surrounds a flat Earth.

USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Our fact-check sources

• National Snow and Ice Data Center, accessed Dec. 23, Ice shelves

Thank you for supporting our journalism. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or e-newspaper here.

USA TODAY is a verified signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network, which requires a demonstrated commitment to nonpartisanship, fairness and transparency. Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Meta.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Photo of ‘ice wall’ is ice shelf, common in Antarctica | Fact check