# When did we know there was land under Antarctic ice?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-know-there-was-land-under-antarctic-ice/503885>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 22, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-know-there-was-land-under-antarctic-ice/503885 "2009-07-22T19:00:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-know-there-was-land-under-antarctic-ice/503885/21 "2009-07-25T03:09:49Z")

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> [@Notassmartasithought](#):
>
> Thanks, \*\*Colophon. \*\*I guess that means there aren’t icebergs in the southern ocean, huh? Didn’t realize that, either.

No. **Colophon** ’s post should be construed to read that the majority of icebergs in the North Atlantic derive from Greenland and Ellesmere Island. These are the bergs of greatest danger to shipping, owing to the relatively heavy traffic in the North Atlantic. The Antarctic coasts regularly calve bergs that dwarf the North Atlantic ones and are tabular rather than pyramidal in general shape – but with exceptions they do not usually drift into shipping lanes. (The one exception I’m sure of is the west coast of South America; I’m pretty sure there are others.) Insofar as I know, though, the intersection of typical southern berg drift routes with shipping routes is far rarer than in the North Atlantic.

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**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-know-there-was-land-under-antarctic-ice/503885/22 "2009-07-25T05:38:45Z")

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> [@IAmNotSpartacus](#):
>
> What

I’m rather perplexed by both the original question and this one. I’m not sure what’s unclear about anything I’ve said in this thread.

Submarines can go under ice. They can’t go through dirt. If the dirt comes up to meet the ice, they have to stop. This seems like an obvious enough point that it doesn’t need explaining. If it was unclear, then that’s the answer to that.

If it’s a question of how the Russians scuttled a ship while sitting under a layer of ice, then I’ve already answered that. I’m sure that personal research can come up with greater specifics.

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**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-we-know-there-was-land-under-antarctic-ice/503885/23 "2009-07-25T17:21:34Z")

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> [@Sage\_Rat](#):
>
> I’m rather perplexed by both the original question and this one. I’m not sure what’s unclear about anything I’ve said in this thread.
> 
> Submarines can go under ice. They can’t go through dirt. If the dirt comes up to meet the ice, they have to stop. This seems like an obvious enough point that it doesn’t need explaining. If it was unclear, then that’s the answer to that.
> 
> If it’s a question of how the Russians scuttled a ship while sitting under a layer of ice, then I’ve already answered that. I’m sure that personal research can come up with greater specifics.

WHAT!?!

I’m sorry, I just couldn’t help myself…  
🙂

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