=== INTERMEZZO=== The highest, driest, windiest and coldest... Have a nice Anta-Day!!!

"Antarctica is the highest, driest, windiest and coldest continent on Earth..."

Con questa frase, che pare un memento introduttivo da girone dell'inferno  che apre qualsiasi pubblicazione, testo divulgativo, sito sull'Antartide, ti ripassi in un momento il superlativo assoluto degli aggettivi inglesi "corti", come li chiamo io.

L'Antartide da Google Earth

E oggi è il compleanno dell'Antartide, l'Antarctica Day. In questa data si celebra infatti la stipula del Trattato Antartico, che il primo dicembre del 1959, in piena guerra fredda, portò 12 paesi a sedersi a un tavolo a Washington e a domandarsi: cosa ne facciamo di questo straordinario pianeta sconosciuto?... ops... continente!...Forse conviene che ci mettiamo d'accordo e lo salvaguardiamo, almeno lui. E giunsero a questo trattato, di cui riporto gli articoli ripresi da wikipedia, con i termini chiave evidenziati:

• Article 1 – The area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose;
• Article 2 – Freedom of scientific investigations and cooperation shall continue;
• Article 3 – Free exchange of information and personnel in cooperation with the United Nations and other international agencies;
• Article 4 – The treaty does not recognize, dispute, nor establish territorial sovereignty claims; no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force;
• Article 5 – The treaty prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes;
• Article 6 – Includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves but not the surrounding waters south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south;
• Article 7 – Treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all activities and of the introduction of military personnel must be given;
• Article 8 – Allows for good jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states;
• Article 9 – Frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations;
• Article 10 – All treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty;
• Article 11 – All disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the International Court of Justice;









• Articles 12, 13, 14 – Deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations.

Oggi i paesi aderenti sono 50. L'Italia c'è stata da sempre, coi nostri ricercatori e le nostre basi (Base Zucchelli, sul mare, e la Concordia tra i monti, ma questa però non affonda). 
E sull'Antartide tornerò, eccome se tornerò...