Antarctica, on average, is the coldest, driest, and windiest continent, and has the highest average elevation of all the continents and this is why it is not suitable for human settlement. The temperature in Antarctica has reached ?89 °C (?129 °F). Although there are no permanent human residents, but anywhere from 1,000 to 5,000 people reside throughout the year at the research stations scattered across the continent. Only cold-adapted organisms survive, including many types of algae, bacteria, fungi, plants, protista, and certain animals, such as mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades. |