Antarctica’s frozen surface holds one of life’s greatest mysteries. For centuries, adventurers have been drawn to the icy continent, compelled by the desire to uncover the many enigmas it hides beneath its vast, white expanse.

Some believe that thousands of years ago, a now-lost civilization once inhabited the area, leaving behind structures and clues buried deep beneath the ice. Others speak of strange phenomena and whisper about the possible presence of not-so-friendly extraterrestrial beings inhabiting this remote land.

Roughly five hundred years ago, Admiral Piri Reis, a Turkish cartographer, drew a map of Antarctica showing the continent without ice. His annotations described settlements and populations, details that sparked intrigue and led to multiple expeditions inspired by his mysterious chart.

According to some accounts, one of these expeditions discovered the remnants of a castle-like structure. Beneath the ice, a staircase carved into the ground led deep underground. The stone used in its construction was unusually similar to the volcanic rock found in the Puna Pau crater on Easter Island—the same material used to sculpt the island’s iconic stone heads.

Antarctica is also home to Mount Erebus, one of the few active volcanoes on the continent. It defies its glacial surroundings with glowing lava and, when the smoke cools, frozen water vapor forms towering ice chimneys that can rise over ten meters high.

The absence of ice depicted on the Piri Reis map raises a provocative question: Could the human race have inhabited Antarctica millions of years ago, long before the current ice age began? After all, the continent’s ice cover has existed for millions of years, making the map’s details all the more puzzling.

Science fiction or reality? No one—at least as far as we know—has the definitive answer to the many mysteries hidden in this part of the world. In prehistoric times, the Antarctic continent had a significantly warmer climate, characterized by tropical vegetation and teeming with diverse wildlife. Eventually, as the landmasses of South America and Australia drifted away from Antarctica, warm ocean currents were redirected northward, leaving the southern coasts isolated. This shift triggered the formation of the polar ice cap, sealing off forests that once flourished—and possibly, a piece of history that, even in the 21st century, remains undiscovered.

The South Pole was the last region on Earth to be discovered, and the last to be inhabited, at least according to verified records.

Today, Antarctica hosts around 60 research stations operated by various countries, with approximately 4,000 scientists working to unlock the secrets beneath its ice.

All human activity and land use on the continent are governed by the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, an agreement that ensures the peaceful use of the continent, prohibits territorial claims, promotes environmental conservation, and encourages international scientific collaboration.