Atlas of the Week: Antarctica Without Ice

Antarctica Map and Satellite Image [Free]

This is a collection of maps regarding data collection in Antartica. The atlas includes Antartica without cloud cover, Antartica without ice, maps of research stations, mapping ozone holes, a historical map documenting explorations, and other maps. The “Antartica without ice” map fascinated me not only because it’s a way of tracking climate change, but also because Antaractic ice serves as a time capsule for the Earth. For example, tree fossils found in Antartica match living trees in Australia, giving credence to the tectonic plate theory. This is a great example of how mapping data can be used to educate in ways that written pieces may not be able to. The visual rhetoric of the maps in this atlas capture the reader’s attention. The comparision between historical maps and modern ones is also valuable as it shows how cartography has changed over the past 100 years.