What you learned in school
Geography textbooks described Antarctica as a lifeless, uniform ice sheet with no biological activity or interesting geological features. Students learned about it as Earth's most barren and desolate continent, covered entirely in featureless ice and snow. The focus was on its extreme cold and isolation, with no mention of ecosystems, wildlife, or geological diversity. Antarctica was presented as a frozen wasteland with nothing of scientific interest beyond its role as the coldest place on Earth.
What we know now
Geography classes described Antarctica as a lifeless, uniform ice sheet with no interesting features or ecosystems. Students learned about it as Earth's most barren continent with nothing but ice and snow. Scientific exploration has revealed Antarctica's rich geology, unique ecosystems, underground lakes, ice-free valleys, active volcanoes, and diverse wildlife. The continent has complex weather patterns, varied landscapes, and plays crucial roles in global climate and ocean circulation. It's far from the uniform wasteland once depicted in textbooks.