漂浮在南极半岛西部海域的拱形冰山, 南大洋 Arched iceberg floating off the western Antarctic Peninsula, Southern Ocean (© Steven Kazlowski/Nature Picture Library)

海洋中冰封的大教堂 An ocean's frozen cathedral

南极半岛西部，南大洋，拱形冰山

在南极半岛沿岸，一道冰雕般的拱形结构从南大洋拔地而起，而南极半岛是地球上变暖速度最快的地区之一。这道拱形结构最初是由积雪压实而成，历经数千年演变为冰川。最终，冰川或漂浮冰架的一部分断裂脱落——这一过程被称为冰崩——形成了漂浮的冰山。

冰山按大小和形状分类。要符合冰山的定义，冰山的高度必须超过海平面约16英尺（约4.9米），但其近90%仍隐藏在水面之下。顶部平坦的“板状”冰山在南极洲很常见，而像图中这种拱形冰山则属于不规则的非板状冰山。

这些看似荒芜的漂浮巨物，实则孕育着生命。藻类附着在它们的底部，为成群的磷虾提供食物，而磷虾又为鱼类、海豹和鲸鱼提供养分。随着冰层融化，释放出的营养物质滋养着周围的水域，使这些冰雕变成了移动的生态系统。

Arched iceberg, western Antarctic Peninsula, Southern Ocean

A sculpted arch of ice rises from the Southern Ocean along the Antarctic Peninsula, one of the fastest-warming regions on Earth. This formation began as compacted snow that turned into glacial ice over thousands of years. Eventually, part of a glacier or floating ice shelf fractured and broke free—a process known as calving—creating a drifting iceberg.

Icebergs are classified by size and shape. To qualify, a mass must tower more than about 16 feet above sea level, yet nearly 90% of it remains hidden below the surface. Flat-topped 'tabular' forms are common in Antarctica, while eroded features like this arch fall into irregular, non-tabular categories.

Though seemingly barren, these floating giants support life. Algae cling to their undersides, feeding swarms of krill, which sustain fish, seals, and whales. As ice melts, it releases nutrients that fertilize surrounding waters, turning these frozen sculptures into mobile ecosystems.

冰山上天然形成的拱门, 南极洲 Natural arch carved in an iceberg, Antarctica (© Gabrielle/Adobe Stock)

冰雪凝息之处 Where ice holds its breath

南极日

有些照片定格了自然的宏伟瞬间，而真正出色的作品更能揭示深层的故事：在一帧之中，力量与脆弱的微妙平衡，提醒我们地球的脆弱与伟大。今日这张展现南极冰山天然拱门的照片正是如此，它开启了关于宏伟、脆弱、环境与未来的对话。

每年12月1日，“南极日”提醒我们，1959年的签署《南极条约》如何改变世界——这份协议将占地球近十分之一的大陆，变成和平与科学的圣地。南极，地球最冷、最孤寂的荒野，怀抱着全球60%的淡水，悄然影响着气候与海洋。南极冰盖是地球最大的连续冰体，冰芯中封存的古老故事，引领我们走向未来。纪念这一天，就是提醒我们：看似永恒的冰雪，并非不可改变。它的命运与我们紧密相连，它的沉默不是空白，而是一种追问——我们将以怎样的行动回应？

Antarctica Day

Some photos capture nature's grand acts. Great photos reveal even more in a single frame: the delicate balance between immense power and fragile beauty that surrounds us on Earth. Today's image of a natural arch carved into an Antarctic iceberg does exactly that—a conversation starter about grandeur, vulnerability, our environment, and its present and future.

Antarctica Day, celebrated on December 1, marks the anniversary of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty—a pact that transformed an entire continent—almost 10% of Earth's land surface—into a sanctuary for peace and science. Antarctica, Earth's coldest and most remote wilderness, holds 60% of the planet's freshwater, silently shaping global climate and sea levels. The Antarctic ice sheet is Earth's largest continuous body of ice. Its frozen heart whispers ancient stories through ice cores, guiding us toward the future. To honor this day is to acknowledge the truth: what seems eternal is never beyond reach. The fate of this white expanse is intertwined with ours—its silence is not absence, but a question: what will we choose to answer with?

南极洲的冰山 Icebergs, Antarctica (© Art Wolfe/DanitaDelimont.com)

保护最后一片大荒野 Protecting the last great wilderness

南极日

今天是南极日，让我们将目光聚焦在世界上最引人注目的国际协定之一的《南极条约》上。该条约于1959年由12个国家签署，将整个南极大陆指定为非军事区，特别注重促进科学研究与合作。这一天彰显了全球合作精神，提醒我们肩负起保护地球上最后一片大荒野的集体责任。

“南极洲”这个名字源于古希腊语“antarktikos”，意为北极的对面。公元前350年左右，希腊哲学家亚里士多德首次提到“南极地区”的概念。尽管提及时间很早，但直到19世纪，人类才真正看到南极洲。南极洲是地球上最寒冷、最干燥、风力最大的大陆，气温最低可达零下112华氏度。这里广袤的冰原和冰川蕴藏着全球约70%的淡水。正如图片所示的那样，南极洲的海面上遍布冰山，冰山在南大洋上漂流，随着时间的推移逐渐融化。诸如帝企鹅和阿德利企鹅等物种，以及海豹、螨虫、线虫和水熊虫等生物，都把这片冰冷的栖息地当成了它们的永久家园。

Antarctica Day

Today, Antarctica Day shines a spotlight on one of the world's most remarkable international agreements—the Antarctic Treaty. Signed in 1959 by 12 nations, this treaty designated the entire continent as a demilitarized zone, with a special focus on promoting scientific research and collaboration.. This day honors the spirit of global cooperation, reminding us of the collective responsibility to protect the planet's last great wilderness.

The name 'Antarctica' is derived from the ancient Greek word 'antarktikos,' meaning opposite the Arctic. The concept of an 'Antarctic region' was first mentioned by Greek philosopher Aristotle around 350 BCE but it wasn't discovered until the 19th century. It is the coldest, driest, and windiest of the Earth's continents, with temperatures plunging as low as -112 degrees Fahrenheit. Vast ice sheets and glaciers found here hold about 70% of the world's fresh water. The waters are dotted with icebergs, as seen in today's image, which drift across the Southern Ocean and melt over time. Species like emperor and Adélie penguins, along with seals, mites, roundworms, and microscopic eight-legged moss piglets, call this icy habitat home.

罗斯海的冰山，南极洲 Iceberg in the Ross Sea, Antarctica (© Michel Roggo/Minden Pictures)

为最酷的地方欢呼！ Celebrating the coolest place!

世界南极日

地球上风最大、最寒冷、最干燥的大陆，世界第五大洲——南极洲，于1820年被发现。在随后的几十年里，多个国家组织探险队前往南极冰原进行考察。由于南极洲没有原住民，因此各国都声称对其拥有主权。随着紧张局势的加剧，12个国家于1959年签署了《南极条约》，将该地区划为科学研究区，并禁止一切军事活动。目前该条约已有56个缔约国，我们今天庆祝的就是这个条约的周年纪念日。

从悬浮的冰晶云到冰下富含氧化铁的血红色湖泊，这片极地沙漠遍布自然奇观。该地巨大的冰盖储存了世界上大约70%的淡水。如果冰盖全部融化，海平面会上升200多英尺，并会威胁到世界各地的低洼地区。臭名昭著的臭氧层空洞就位于南极洲上空，但在全球的共同努力下，有望在未来20年内关闭臭氧层空洞。

Antarctica Day

The windiest, coldest, and driest continent on Earth—Antarctica—was officially discovered in 1820. In the following decades, several countries organized expeditions to reach and explore the Antarctic ice sheets. The southernmost continent had no indigenous population and various nations claimed ownership. But in 1959, 12 countries signed the Antarctic Treaty, banning military activities and setting Antarctica aside for scientific research. Today, we celebrate the anniversary of this treaty, which now has 56 parties.

From suspended clouds of ice crystals to a subglacial, iron oxide-rich lake that seeps into a blood-red waterfall, this polar desert is full of natural wonders. Its massive ice sheet stores about 70% of the world's fresh water, enough to raise sea levels by more than 200 feet if it were to melt entirely.

库佛维尔岛附近的蓝色冰山，南极洲 Blue icebergs near Cuverville Island, Antarctica (© Mike Hill/Getty Images)

Antarctica Day

At just over 600 miles from the tip of South America, Cuverville Island is closer to civilization than most of Antarctica. As such, this small isle off the northward-jutting Antarctic Peninsula is a hotspot for tourists to catch some cool scenery (while freezing their butts off, of course). Visitors can also chill on the rocky beach with the locals: a glut of gentoo penguins whose rookery here is the largest along the peninsula.

Today we're observing Antarctica Day, which commemorates the signing of the Antarctic Treaty on December 1, 1959. In the treaty, 12 of the world's most powerful nations agreed to dedicate Earth's southernmost continent to science—any military activity there was banned. It was the first arms control agreement established during the Cold War. It still stands 62 years later as an important landmark in global relations and has expanded to include 54 countries.

南极日

库弗维尔岛距离南美洲尖端仅600多英里，比南极洲大部分地区更接近文明。因此，这座位于南极半岛北部的小岛是游客们欣赏凉爽风景的热点（当然，他们的屁股也会被冻掉）。游客还可以和当地人一起在岩石海滩上乘凉：这里有大量的gentoo企鹅，它们的鸟巢是半岛上最大的。

今天我们庆祝南极日，纪念1959年12月1日南极条约的签署。在该条约中，世界上12个最强大的国家同意将地球最南端的大陆用于科学研究，禁止任何军事活动。这是冷战期间达成的第一项军备控制协议。62年后，它仍然是全球关系中的一个重要里程碑，并已扩大到包括54个国家。

从冰山跃入水中的阿德利企鹅，南极 Adélie penguins diving off an iceberg in Antarctica (© Mike Hill/Getty Images)

One giant leap for penguins

These Adélie penguins are jumping for joy because it's World Penguin Day. Or maybe they're just looking for a snack as they dive off this iceberg. Adélies live on Antarctica and nearby islands all year long, but in the fall and winter they spend most of their time near the coast. They can dive as deep as 575 feet or travel as much as 185 miles to find krill, fish, and squid.

The smallest penguin in the Antarctic, Adélies are one of only two penguin species (the other is the Emperor penguin) that live exclusively on the Antarctic continent. Huge colonies of Adélies were once spread throughout the Antarctic Peninsula and the coastline of the continent, but as climate change took hold, populations declined in some areas. Fortunately, a robust colony of some 1.5 million Adelie penguins was found on the Antarctic Peninsula's Danger Islands.

企鹅的一次大跃进

这些广告é因为今天是世界企鹅日，所以企鹅们高兴得跳起来。或者他们只是在从冰山上跳下去的时候找点吃的。广告é它们终年生活在南极洲和附近的岛屿上，但在秋天和冬天，它们大部分时间都在海岸附近。它们可以潜到575英尺深或185英里深的地方寻找磷虾、鱼和鱿鱼。

南极最小的企鹅，公元é谎言是只生活在南极大陆的两种企鹅物种之一（另一种是帝企鹅）。大量的广告é谎言一度蔓延到整个南极半岛和该大陆的海岸线，但随着气候变化，一些地区的人口减少。幸运的是，在南极半岛的危险岛上发现了一个由大约150万只阿德利企鹅组成的健壮的群体。