An astonishing 10% of Brits don't know where Antarctica is and one-in-five think the continent has cars, roads, ice rinks and ski lifts there, a new survey has found. As the Natural History Museum launches its Ice Station Antarctica Exhibition today, new research reveals that the continent - the focus of much of the climate change debate - is greatly misunderstood. According to research by the museum, one-in-10 Brits strangely believed that Inuits lived in Antarctica, which is 58 times bigger than the UK. Meanwhile a third thought polar bears - not penguins - also inhabited the coldest, windiest place on Earth. Even more bizarre was that a quarter surveyed believed hairdryers were banned in Antarctica.
Natural History Museum exhibition developer Alex Gaffikin said: "Every year hundreds of scientists and staff travel to Antarctica, braving harsh conditions and freezing temperatures in order to carry out crucial scientific research – but most people couldn’t even imagine what it really is like to live and work there.
Director of the British Antarctic Survey Professor Chris Rapley added: "Today’s society faces unprecedented changes to our global environment. It’s vitally important that we have the best scientists available to understand issues like climate change, and the impact this will have on our planet. Attracting the next generation of scientists can start now at Ice Station Antarctica. We embarked on this partnership with the Natural History Museum to enthuse young people in our science and operations. I would hope that children visiting this exhibition will become scientists, citizens and policy makers who will ensure that not only do we continue to get the best scientific information but who will also help future governments make informed decisions about adapting to global change."
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