Why Don’t Planes Fly Over Antarctica?
Even though over 100,000 commercial flights take off and land around the world each day, hardly any of them fly over Antarctica.
Some routes — like flights between Australia and South America — might seem ideal for a direct path over the icy continent, but planes still avoid it.
The main reason lies in safety regulations. Aircraft must always remain within a certain distance of an emergency landing site. But in Antarctica, there are no commercial airports available at all. On top of that, the continent experiences the strongest winds on Earth — reaching speeds up to 320 km/h — making flying conditions extremely risky.
Another invisible danger is cosmic radiation. Around the poles, Earth’s magnetic field is much weaker, allowing more radiation from space to reach planes flying at high altitudes. While occasional exposure might not be dangerous for passengers, flight crews who regularly fly long-haul polar routes could face cumulative risks, including cancer.
Altogether, these risks make the icy continent one of the few places on Earth that remains off-limits to most commercial flight paths.
#Environment #WorldNews #yologreennews
Source: Sciencing.com
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