doc_id int32 0 2.25M | text stringlengths 101 8.13k | source stringlengths 38 44 |
|---|---|---|
4,000 | After the success of their first game "Kinetica" (2001), Santa Monica Studio began development of the original "God of War" in 2002, and unveiled it two years later at SCEA Santa Monica Gamers' Day 2004. Game director and creator David Jaffe said that although the idea for "God of War" was his own, the concept owed a debt to Capcom because he had played "Onimusha" and said "let's do that with Greek mythology". He was inspired in part by the 1981 feature film, "Clash of the Titans", saying, "the real high concept for me was ... merging it with "Heavy Metal" magazine". He said he liked both "the kids stuff ... with Greek mythology" and the idea of adding more adult themes such as sex and violence. He was also inspired by the 1981 film "Raiders of the Lost Ark". Although the game is based on Greek mythology, the development team gave themselves "lots of freedom" to modify the myths, and Jaffe said they took the "coolest aspects of the subject" and created art and story using those elements. Director of visual development and lead concept artist, Charlie Wen, drew inspiration from these films as well as more contemporary films such as "Gladiator" (2000) for tonal inspiration to lead the visual design of Kratos, other characters, and the world of "God of War".<ref name="IGN6/10/04"></ref> The gameplay of the "Strider" arcade franchise was also a vital influence on "God of War", and the developers described the gameplay "as merging the action of "Devil May Cry" with the puzzle-solving of "Ico"" and noted that players would be able to "sunder enemies with a single move, such as by ripping them in half". The game uses Santa Monica's Kinetica engine, which they developed for "Kinetica". | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,001 | A sequel to "God of War" was first teased at the end of its credits, which stated, "Kratos Will Return". "God of War II" was officially announced at the 2006 Game Developers Conference (GDC). David Jaffe stepped down and became the creative director of its sequel and "God of War"s lead animator Cory Barlog assumed the role of game director. Barlog said that in the game, players would see "a larger view of Kratos' role within the mythological world." Like "God of War", the game uses Santa Monica's Kinetica engine. Magic attacks became an integral part of the combat system and it was more refined. New creatures and heroes from the mythology, and more boss battles were added. Both Jaffe and Barlog said that they did not view "God of War II" as a sequel, but rather a continuation of the previous game. Jaffe said that they did not want to include the Roman numeral number two (II) in the title for this reason, but they did not want the title to convey the impression it was an expansion pack. Both Jaffe and Barlog said that the reason "God of War II" appeared on the PlayStation 2 instead of the PlayStation 3—which was released four months prior to "God of War II"—was because "there's a 100 million people out there that will be able to play "God of War II" as soon as it launches." Barlog assured that the game would be playable on the newer platform, which originally had PlayStation 2 backwards compatibility.<ref name="PALGN7/26/06"></ref><ref name="Spike5/5/06"></ref> | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,002 | "God of War III" was first mentioned by Cory Barlog at a "God of War II" launch event, and it was officially announced at the 2008 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). After serving as game director during the first eight months of development, Barlog left Santa Monica for other opportunities and Stig Asmussen took on the role, having previously been the lead environment artist and art director on "God of War" and "God of War II", respectively. Asmussen said that one of the greatest challenges in developing "God of War III" for the PlayStation 3 was the "complexity of everything"; individual tasks, such as designing Helios' decapitation, could take a year because the "level of detail [that was] expected [was] so high and intricate, it [crossed] multiple departments." He said that the PlayStation 3's hardware capabilities allowed more flexibility in character creation and interaction with the environment.<ref name="IGN12/8/09"></ref><ref name="GamePro11/4/09"></ref> The engine for "God of War III" was ported from the first two installments to the PlayStation 3. As the game was being developed, the code department swapped out PlayStation 2 components with PlayStation 3 components. They replaced the renderer, the particle system, and the collision system. Although they were re-using the engine from "God of War II", the core engine for "God of War III" was brand new. Between E3 2009 and the time the game shipped, morphological anti-aliasing (MLAA) was added, which graphics engineer Ben Diamand said "improved edges dramatically and saved substantial amounts of frame-rate." Diamand also said that "depth-of-field, motion blur, crepuscular 'God' rays and refraction were either added or improved in quality and speed" during that same time period.<ref name="Euro5/4/13"></ref> | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,003 | On April 12, 2012, Sony released a teaser image for "Ascension" on its official PlayStation Facebook page, which was followed by the game's announcement on April 19 on PlayStation.Blog. Todd Papy, who had previously worked as a designer on "God of War" and "God of War II" and as design director on "God of War III", assumed the role of game director; "God of War III" director Stig Asmussen was busy with another project at Santa Monica and did not work on "Ascension". The announcement officially confirmed the game's title and Papy said it was not titled "God of War IV" to avoid confusion because it is a prequel, rather than a sequel, to the trilogy.<ref name="4/30"></ref> The game features a retooled "God of War III" engine, enabling online multiplayer battles for up to eight players. The decision to add multiplayer came about from curiosity, according to lead combat designer Jason McDonald. The multiplayer was first tested using Kratos, and McDonald said the testers had "a lot of fun". Seeing their reaction made the team feel that the multiplayer had value and they then began to put the ""God of War" spin on it".<ref name="PSBlog3/8/13"></ref> In the developmental transition from "God of War III" to "Ascension", one of the graphics engineers, Cedric Perthuis, noted that the limits of the "God of War III" engine restricted artist creativity, so they "tried to remove or push those limits as far as possible without losing any performance." "Ascension" did not have a graphical leap over its predecessor like "God of War III" did. Dynamic lighting was added, which allowed for development of the Life Cycle gameplay mechanic. Particle effects were also greatly improved upon from "God of War III". | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,004 | Santa Monica began work on the fifth main installment in 2014, which was confirmed by the returning Cory Barlog at the first annual PlayStation Experience on December 6 that year. The official announcement came at the 2016 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) with a gameplay demo, which also confirmed that Barlog had returned to the series as game director. The game was deliberately titled "God of War" with no numeral or subtitle because although it is a continuation of the series, "we [reimagined] everything." Other mythologies were also considered for the new setting, but Norse was picked to keep the focus on Kratos; there was also consideration to use a different protagonist, but it was decided to keep Kratos as he "is intrinsically tied" to the series. In adapting the Norse myths, Barlog said there were so many different translations and interpretations, and just like they did with Greek mythology in the previous games, they found ways to parallel path things from the myths to fit their story. Most of the development team that worked on the original "God of War" worked on the new installment. They claimed that they matched the new gameplay with the same level of accessibility as the previous installments. Some gameplay characteristics found in the previous installments were cut, such as jumping, swimming, and instant-death platforming challenges; these were cut due to the camera being closer to Kratos. Although "Ascension" had introduced multiplayer to the series, the team dropped the mode to focus on the single-player experience. The Leviathan Axe was chosen as Kratos' new main weapon because the developers wanted a more grounded direction for the game. Although the game never reaches this number, the enemy count was increased to be able to support up to 100 enemies on-screen; "God of War III" and "Ascension" could do up to 50. Although the game was built for the standard PlayStation 4, Barlog confirmed that it would "benefit from the power" of the PlayStation 4 Pro; an updated version of the PlayStation 4 that can render games in 4K resolution and was released a few months after "God of War" was announced. The game's story was estimated to take 25–35 hours to complete, which is significantly more than the previous four main installments, which each took an average of 10 hours to complete. As part of Sony's larger efforts to port their first-party exclusive games to Windows, Santa Monica Studio announced in October 2021 that "God of War" would be released for Windows on January 14, 2022, with support for graphics options. This in turn marked the first main entry in the series to release on a non-PlayStation platform. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,005 | Following the announcement of the 2018 installment in June 2016, Cory Barlog confirmed that the 2018 game would not be Kratos' last. The ending of the 2018 installment also teased a sequel; it ended with Ragnarök looming, as well as a secret ending that showed a vision of the Æsir god Thor confronting Kratos and Atreus at the end of Fimbulwinter. During the 2020 PlayStation 5 (PS5) Showcase event on September 16, a new "God of War" was officially announced for a 2021 release on the newer console. When the game was first announced, it was only announced as a PS5 title; however, in June 2021, it was confirmed that the game would release on both the PS4 and PS5, marking the first cross-gen release in the series. Development was partly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in the game being delayed to 2022. In September 2021, the game's title was confirmed as "God of War Ragnarök". During the 2021 PlayStation Showcase event, Eric Williams, who worked on every previous installment, was confirmed as the game's director, continuing the previous era's tradition of having a different director for each game; Barlog served as a producer on "Ragnarök". It was also during this event that it was confirmed that "Ragnarök" would be the finale to the Norse era of the series. The main reason Santa Monica decided to end the Norse era with "Ragnarök" was due to the game's size and scale. The 2018 installment and "Ragnarök" each respectively took five years to develop, and they did not want to take another five years, totaling 15 years, to tell one story. The game supports options for players to run the game in either higher resolution or better performance, including 4K at 30 frames per second (fps), 1080p resolution at 60fps, a high frame resolution mode in 4K at 40fps, and a high frame performance mode that syncs to 120 hertz. The latter two high frame options are only available for the PS5 version of the game and require monitors with HDMI 2.1. Due to the game also being on PS4, it does not fully utilize the capabilities of the PS5. The PS4 version is a visual improvement over the 2018 installment while the PS5 version "is essentially an enhancement of what's already possible [on the PS4]". The game does, however, include several features exclusive to the PS5 hardware, such as 3D audio, haptic feedback, higher frame rate, and overall better graphics. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,006 | Prior to the release of the 2018 installment, Cory Barlog confirmed that after the Norse era, future games could see the series tackling either Egyptian or Maya mythology. He also said that although the 2018 installment (and subsequently "Ragnarök") focused on Norse, it alluded to the fact that there are other mythologies co-existing in the world. Barlog also said that he liked the idea of having different directors for each game and although he may not direct another "God of War", he would still be at Santa Monica to work on future games. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,007 | Game developer Ready at Dawn pitched the idea of a "God of War" game for the PlayStation Portable to Santa Monica Studio soon after the original "God of War" launched. Cory Barlog officially confirmed the development of "Chains of Olympus" at a "God of War II" launch event, stating "It is its own story that connects to the overall story." "Chains of Olympus" uses a proprietary, in-house engine referred to as the Ready at Dawn engine, which expanded on the engine created for their previous game, "Daxter" (2006). Originally designed for the PlayStation Portable's restricted 222-megahertz (MHz) processor, Ready at Dawn convinced Sony to increase the clock speed of the PSP to 333-MHz, which they did in a firmware upgrade. The faster processor allowed for more realistic blood effects, lighting effects, and shadows as well as improved enemy intelligence, but noticeably decreased battery life. After the game's completion, game director Ru Weerasuriya stated multiplayer options and other puzzles, characters, and dialogue had to be removed due to time constraints. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,008 | "Ghost of Sparta" was announced on May 4, 2010, on PlayStation.Blog. According to Sony, Ready at Dawn utilized "state-of-the-art visual technologies" that allowed "higher quality environments and characters." "Ghost of Sparta" offers "over 25% more gameplay" than "Chains of Olympus", while adding more enemies on screen and more boss encounters. Development of "Ghost of Sparta" took 23 months to complete. Due to Weerasuriya's schedule at Ready at Dawn, he could not return to direct; Dana Jan, the lead level designer for "Chains of Olympus", became director for "Ghost of Sparta". At Comic-Con 2010, Jan noted that when development began in 2008, the goal was to make the game bigger than "Chains of Olympus", which had apparently pushed the PSP to its functional limits. Jan stated that "Ghost of Sparta" took the PSP to its "absolute capacity", with another feature being more on-screen foes. The game concept was originally used as a teaser for players who obtained the platinum trophy from "God of War III". The trophy revealed a site called spartansstandtall.com, which became the official site for "Ghost of Sparta" on May 4. Jan stated the reason they chose to have the game take place between "God of War" and "God of War II" was because "It seemed to make a lot of sense to fill in that void." | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,009 | "Betrayal" was announced by Sony Online Entertainment at a press conference in Los Angeles in May 2007. The game utilizes a total of 110 different animations and features a 2D rendition of the series' three-dimensional (3D) graphics. Game director Phil Cohen said that although the game was enjoyable to develop, the greatest challenge was creating a single tileset and palette swapping scheme that was diverse enough to portray multiple environments with only several hundred kilobytes, and that met Santa Monica Studio's high standards. Cohen wrote the initial design document between September and October 2005, and revisited it in August 2006, the month development started. The versions for high-end handsets were completed in April 2007, with final versions for low-end handsets completed by June 2007. The porting team adapted the game to over 200 handsets in a matter of weeks. Both David Jaffe and Cory Barlog ensured that the "Betrayal" development team captured the feel of the combat and visual style, and were "helpful with feedback and positive support". | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,010 | A film adaptation of the first game was announced in 2005. Creator David Jaffe confirmed that a completed script had been written by David Self and would be sent to an unspecified director. He said that Universal Studios was behind the making of the "God of War" movie, but was unaware of its status, and eventually said, "it's doubtful that the film will even be made." In September 2010, Jaffe said that the "script went out a year and a half ago to Daniel Craig who plays [James] Bond, but he turned it down." He also said that another actor had since been cast as Kratos; he said, "this new person is pretty good, if that ends up true." In July 2012, "The Hollywood Reporter" said that writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan had been hired to adapt the "God of War" film. The writers told IGN that they intended to "humanize" Kratos and explore his past. Melton said that they were emotionally invested and it could become a series of films, and that Ares "[would] become a more proactive villain." A script had been "turned in" and the film had a budget of US$150 million. Following the release of 2018's "God of War", with no updates on the original game's film, rumors about a potential adaptation of the 2018 game began circulating. ""s (2018) director Steven S. DeKnight stated he would like to direct an adaptation of that game and talked with Sony about making it R-rated. In May 2021, however, a Sony spokesperson confirmed that there was no "God of War" film adaptation in development. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,011 | On March 7, 2022, "Deadline" reported that a live action television (TV) series was said to be in negotiations at Amazon Prime Video by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, creators of "The Expanse", and Rafe Judkins, the showrunner for "The Wheel of Time". During an investor briefing on May 26, 2022, Sony Interactive Entertainment president Jim Ryan confirmed that a "God of War" TV series was in development for Amazon Prime Video. The TV series was officially ordered on December 14, 2022. The adaptation is being produced by Sony Pictures Television and Amazon Studios in association with PlayStation Productions, and it will premiere on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. It is being written by Fergus and Ostby, with Judkins serving as showrunner, who will all also be executive producers. Other executive producers include Santa Monica Studio's Creative Director Cory Barlog, PlayStation Productions' Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan, Santa Monica Studio's Yumi Yang, and Vertigo Entertainment's Roy Lee. Santa Monica Studio's Jeff Ketcham will serve as a co-executive producer. It was also confirmed that the Prime Video series would adapt the Norse era, beginning with the events of the 2018 installment. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,012 | "God of War: Unearthing the Legend" (75 minutes, 2010) is a documentary about the "God of War" franchise and is hosted by Peter Weller. The production discusses the relationship between the "God of War" games and Greek mythology, and features members of the "God of War III" development team and professional historians. It was included as part of the "God of War III Ultimate Edition" (North America) and "Ultimate Trilogy Edition" (Europe, Australia, and New Zealand) packages. On March 25, 2010, it was released on the PlayStation Store in North America to purchase. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,013 | "God of War – Game Directors Live" (80 minutes, 2010) is a documentary featuring five game directors of the "God of War" series: David Jaffe (original "God of War"), Cory Barlog (just "God of War II" at the time), Ru Weerasuriya ("Chains of Olympus"), Stig Asmussen ("God of War III"), and Dana Jan ("Ghost of Sparta"). The documentary takes the form of an interview panel hosted by G4's Alison Haislip, with the five game directors, 150 members of PlayStation.Blog, and members of "GodofWar.com" and "SpartansStandTall.com". It was filmed at the El Portal theater in Los Angeles on September 1, 2010, and was released as a pre-order bonus for "Ghost of Sparta" in North America on November 2, 2010, and was included with the "Origins Collection" and later released on the PlayStation Store. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,014 | "Raising Kratos" is a YouTube documentary of Santa Monica Studio's five-year process in making 2018's "God of War", showing the "herculean effort" that went into reviving the franchise. The documentary was announced on April 20, 2019, the one year anniversary of the game's launch, and was released the following month on May 10. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,015 | A six-issue comic book series titled "God of War", written by Marv Wolfman with art by Andrea Sorrentino, was published by WildStorm and DC Comics on a bi-monthly schedule from March 2010 to January 2011. Taking place during the Greek era, the narrative switches between Kratos' past and present; it occurs while he is a soldier of Sparta and involves his search for the Ambrosia of Asclepius, which has legendary healing properties and eventually saved his plague-ridden daughter, Calliope. Kratos also embarks upon a quest to destroy the same elixir to deny it to the worshippers of the slain god Ares, who wish to resurrect him. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,016 | In the lead up to "Ascension"s release, Santa Monica released a graphic novel titled "" on the "God of War" website that featured a social experience from October 2012 until March 2013. The graphic novel was a prequel story that tied into the single-player of "Ascension", and was the backstory of the player's multiplayer character. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,017 | A two-volume comic series was published by Dark Horse Comics and follows Kratos' journey between the events of "God of War III" and the 2018 installment. It was written by Chris Roberson with art by Tony Parker. The first volume, also titled "God of War", was published monthly from November 2018 to February 2019; Issue #0 was included digitally with the three different special editions of the game. The four-issue volume serves as a direct prequel story to the 2018 game. The second volume, also four issues and subtitled "Fallen God", was published monthly from March to June 2021; it was originally to begin publication in June 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Fallen God" is a prequel to Volume 1 and covers the timespan from "God of War III" to Volume 1. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,018 | The "God of War" novels recount the events of the games and offer deeper insights into their stories. "God of War", the official novelization of the first game, was written by Matthew Stover and Robert E. Vardeman. It was published on May 25, 2010, by Del Rey Books. "God of War II", the second novelization of the series, was written by Vardeman alone and was published by Del Rey Books on February 12, 2013. The third novelization in the series, titled "God of War – The Official Novelization", is of 2018's "God of War". It was released on August 28, 2018, by Titan Books and was written by Cory Barlog's father, James Barlog. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,019 | Seven "God of War" soundtracks have been commercially released and have featured several composers, including Gerard K. Marino, Ron Fish, Winifred Phillips, Mike Reagan, Cris Velasco, Winnie Waldron, Marcello De Francisci, Jeff Rona, Tyler Bates, and Bear McCreary. On March 1, 2005, "God of War: Original Soundtrack from the Video Game" was released on CD by SIE as an exclusive product for the Sony Connect Music Store. It was praised for its well-developed orchestral themes, and the creative use of ancient and ethnic instrumentation. The composers were also praised for avoiding the production of never-ending action themes. "God of War II: Original Soundtrack from the Video Game" was released on CD by SIE on April 10, 2007. Praised as strong, the album features ominous orchestral pieces, and each composer's contributions are slightly more distinctive than the previous soundtrack. "God of War III: Original Soundtrack from the Video Game" was released on CD by SIE and Sumthing Else on March 30, 2010. It was also included as downloadable content in the "God of War III Ultimate Edition" and "Ultimate Trilogy Edition" collections. The soundtrack was praised as an orchestral success and the best score in the series at the time. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,020 | The original scores for "God of War", "God of War II", and "God of War III" were nominated for Best Original Score at the 2005, 2007, and 2010 Spike Video Game Awards, respectively. The "God of War Trilogy Soundtrack" was included with the "God of War III Ultimate Edition" and "Ultimate Trilogy Edition" collections as downloadable content. The "Trilogy Soundtrack" consists of the original scores for "God of War", "God of War II", and "God of War III". It was praised by critics as the best way to experience the series' musical development, and allows the listener to note the development of the composers during the series. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,021 | On October 18, 2010, "" was released on the iTunes Store by SIE. It was also included as downloadable content as part of the "Ghost of Sparta" pre-order package and includes three previously unreleased tracks from "Chains of Olympus". Several tracks were cited as being intended for purely contextual purposes, and the remaining tracks rated well in comparison to the soundtracks of the main installments in the series. "" differed from the previously released soundtracks as it was composed by Tyler Bates alone, and is the only "God of War" score that he has worked on. It was released on March 5, 2013, on iTunes by SIE and La-La Land Records. It was included as downloadable content in the "God of War: Ascension–Collector's Edition" and "Special Edition". Reviewers praised it for being powerful, rich, and pulsing, though felt it was repetitive at times. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,022 | For both "God of War" (2018) and "God of War Ragnarök", famed TV series composer Bear McCreary was employed to compose the music. "God of War (PlayStation Soundtrack)" was released on April 20, 2018, by Sony Classical Records. McCreary composed completely new music for the game, not reusing any music from the Greek era. However, he was inspired by their sounds, such as "deep choirs, pounding drums, and shrieking brass", and reinvented them for the Nordic setting using Nordic ethnic instruments. The soundtrack was well received, receiving various nominations at award shows as well as winning the award for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition at the 22nd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards. "God of War Ragnarök (Original Soundtrack)" was released on November 9, 2022, by Sony Classical Records. Faroese singer Eivør was brought back to contribute to the soundtrack. Irish folk artist Hozier was also featured on the song, "Blood Upon the Snow". | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,023 | "God of War: Blood & Metal" is a heavy metal homage by various bands on the Roadrunner Records label, and features original music inspired by the "God of War" video game series. The EP was released for purchase on March 2, 2010, and is available from ShockHound and the iTunes Store. It was also included as downloadable content in the "God of War III Ultimate Edition" and "Ultimate Trilogy Edition" collections, which included a bonus track. The second track, "Shattering the Skies Above" by Trivium, and the bonus track, "Even Gods Cry" by The Turtlenecks, were made into music videos. 1UP.com (2.5/5) said, "it's not offensive to [the] ears" and "mainstream listeners may enjoy [the album]". Square Enix Music Online (8/10) stated the album is a "good selection of metal music" and listeners will be "surprised with the variety of music". | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,024 | With physical and digital copies combined, the "God of War" franchise has sold over 51 million games worldwide (as of November 2020). "God of War" (2005), "God of War II", "Chains of Olympus", "God of War Collection", "God of War III", "God of War" (2018), and "Ragnarök" each received critical acclaim from several reviewers as compiled by review aggregator Metacritic, with the 2005, 2018, and "Ragnarök" titles being tied for the highest score in the franchise at 94/100. "Betrayal" and "Ghost of Sparta" only received generally favorable reception. "Ascension" also only had a generally favorable reception and, not including the PlayStation Vita port of "God of War Collection", it has the lowest score in the series from Metacritic (80/100). | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,025 | At the time of its release, Raymond Padilla of GameSpy wrote that the original "God of War" was the "best action game ever to grace the PS2". Other critics similarly said that it was one of the best action games of all time; it received over a dozen "Game of the Year" awards. In 2009, it was named the "seventh-best" PlayStation 2 game of all time on IGN's "Top 25 PS2 Games of All Time" list. "God of War II" was also on IGN's list, and was named the "second-best" PlayStation 2 game of all time. "God of War II" was similarly called one of the best action games of all time and is considered the swan song of the PlayStation 2 era. In November 2012, Complex.com named "God of War II" the best PlayStation 2 game of all time—where "God of War" was named the 11th best—and consider it better than its successor, "God of War III". "Betrayal" was acclaimed for its fidelity to the series in terms of gameplay, art style, and graphics. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,026 | "Chains of Olympus" was praised for "fantastic" graphics and "tight and responsive" controls for the PSP at the time. In 2008, IGN awarded "Chains of Olympus" the "Best PSP Action Game", and in September 2010, it was listed as the best PSP game by "GamePro". "God of War III" received praise for its graphics, in particular of Kratos; at the time, IGN stated that Kratos was "perhaps the single most impressive-looking character ever in videogames." IGN also said that, at the time, "God of War III" "redefines what the word 'scale' means with regards to videogames, as it throws you into scenes with Titans that are larger than entire levels in some other games." "God of War III" received awards for "Most Anticipated Game of 2010" and "Best PS3 Game" at the 2009 and 2010 Spike Video Game Awards, respectively. The game also won the "Artistic Achievement" award at the 2011 BAFTA awards. "Ghost of Sparta" was praised for its graphics and story, with Chris Pereira of 1UP saying that it was "a more personal story than the [previous] "GOW" games." It received several awards at E3 2010, including "Best Handheld Game", "Best PSP Game", and "PSP Game of Show", and won "Best Handheld Game" at the 2010 Spike Video Game Awards. 2018's "God of War" received particular praise for its art direction, graphics, combat system, music, story, use of Norse mythology, characters, and cinematic feeling. Many also felt that it had successfully revitalized the series without losing the core identity of its predecessors. It won several awards, among which were "Game of the Year" and "Best Game Direction" at The Game Awards 2018 and "Best Storytelling" and "PlayStation Game of the Year" at the 2018 Golden Joystick Awards. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,027 | The series has also received criticism because of problems with puzzles, weapons, and technical issues. "Chains of Olympus" was criticized by G4, who stated that the game "occasionally suffers from screen tearing and framerate drops", and that some of the puzzles "are so maddeningly difficult to solve". The game was also criticized for its lack of variety in enemies, its continued use of puzzles that require players to move boxes, and its relatively short story. "God of War III" also received some criticism. GameFront's Phil Hornshaw said it had an overly cruel protagonist, and the game assumed that the players reveled in the misery and violence as much as Kratos did. IGN complained about the game's weapons, and said "that two of the three additional weapons that you'll earn are extremely similar to your blades. They have unique powers and slightly different moves, but by and large, they're more of the same." "Ghost of Sparta" received criticism from "Eurogamer", which said that the "game's primary problem ... is in its in-built focus" and that "there is a sense that "Ghost of Sparta" is a step back for the series if you've played ["God of War III"]." Some reviewers stated that "Ascension"s story was not as compelling as previous installments, with IGN stating that in comparison to Zeus and Ares, "the Furies don't quite cut it". The multiplayer received a mixed response. Although reviewers claimed gameplay translated well into the multiplayer, they were critical of the balance and depth of combat. "Edge" magazine approved of the multiplayer, stating it was an "evolutionary step" with "some fine ideas ... that [would] form part of this genre's future template." 2018's "God of War" received some criticism, for example, a couple of reviewers disliked that the fast travel option unlocked very late into the game. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,028 | The collections have also received praise. IGN (9.4/10) awarded "God of War Collection" (PS3) the "Editor's Choice" Award and praised the enhanced resolutions, lower price point and smoother frame rates, and stated it was the "definitive way to play the game[s]". Due to the success of "God of War Collection", Sony announced that further titles would receive similar treatment for release under its new "Classics HD" brand. The "Origins Collection" was similarly well received. IGN (9/10) stated "Sony succeeded at making good games better", although "GamePro" criticized it for its lack of new bonus content. "God of War Saga" also received praise. Ryan Fleming of Digital Trends wrote that the collection "is perhaps the best value buy for any console available," although the collection is not likely for fans of the series, but rather inexperienced players or newcomers. "God of War III Remastered" was met with generally favorable reception. Praise was given to the smoother textures and improved frame rate, though because the original already had remarkable graphics, the changes were not major, and reviewers said these changes were not a strong enough argument to rebuy the game for US$40. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=16282491 |
4,029 | Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest continent, being about 40% larger than Europe, and has an area of . Most of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, with an average thickness of . | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,030 | Antarctica is, on average, the coldest, driest, and windiest of the continents, and it has the highest average elevation. It is mainly a polar desert, with annual precipitation of over along the coast and far less inland. About 70% of the world's freshwater reserves are frozen in Antarctica, which, if melted, would raise global sea levels by almost . Antarctica holds the record for the lowest measured temperature on Earth, . The coastal regions can reach temperatures over in summer. Native species of animals include mites, nematodes, penguins, seals and tardigrades. Where vegetation occurs, it is mostly in the form of lichen or moss. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,031 | The ice shelves of Antarctica were probably first seen in 1820, during a Russian expedition led by Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev. The decades that followed saw further exploration in French, American, and British expeditions. The first confirmed landing was by a Norwegian team in 1895. In the early 20th century, there were a few expeditions into the interior of the continent. British explorers were the first to reach the magnetic South Pole in 1909, and the geographic South Pole was first reached in 1911 by Norwegian explorers. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,032 | Antarctica is governed by about 30 countries, all of which are parties of the 1959 Antarctic Treaty System. According to the terms of the treaty, military activity, mining, nuclear explosions, and nuclear waste disposal are all prohibited in Antarctica. Tourism, fishing and research are the main human activities in and around Antarctica. During the summer months, about 5,000 people reside at research stations, a figure that drops to around 1,000 in the winter. Despite its remoteness, human activity has a significant impact on the continent via pollution, ozone depletion, and climate change. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,033 | The name given to the continent originates from the word "antarctic", which comes from Middle French ' or ' ('opposite to the Arctic') and, in turn, the Latin ' ('opposite to the north'). ' is derived from the Greek ('anti-') and ('of the Bear', 'northern'). The Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote in "Meteorology" about an "Antarctic region" in . The Greek geographer Marinus of Tyre reportedly used the name in his world map from the second century CE, now lost. The Roman authors Gaius Julius Hyginus and Apuleius used for the South Pole the romanised Greek name , from which derived the Old French (modern ) attested in 1270, and from there the Middle English , found first in a treatise written by the English author Geoffrey Chaucer. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,034 | Until the discovery, belief by Europeans in the existence of a ""—a vast continent in the far south of the globe to balance the northern lands of Europe, Asia, and North Africa—had existed as an intellectual concept since classical antiquity. The belief of such a land lasted until the discovery of Australia. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,035 | During the early 19th century, explorer Matthew Flinders doubted the existence of a detached continent south of Australia (then called New Holland) and thus advocated for the "Terra Australis" name to be used for Australia instead. In 1824, the colonial authorities in Sydney officially renamed the continent of New Holland to Australia, leaving the term "Terra Australis" unavailable as a reference to Antarctica. Over the following decades, geographers used phrases such as "the Antarctic Continent". They searched for a more poetic replacement, suggesting names such as "Ultima" and "Antipodea". "Antarctica" was adopted in the 1890s, with the first use of the name being attributed to the Scottish cartographer John George Bartholomew. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,036 | Positioned asymmetrically around the South Pole and largely south of the Antarctic Circle (one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the world), Antarctica is surrounded by the Southern Ocean. Rivers exist in Antarctica, the longest being the Onyx. Antarctica covers more than , making it the fifth-largest continent, slightly less than 1.5 times the area of the United States. Its coastline is almost long: , of the four coastal types, 44% of the coast is floating ice in the form of an ice shelf, 38% consists of ice walls that rest on rock, 13% is ice streams or the edge of glaciers, and the remaining 5% is exposed rock. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,037 | The lakes that lie at the base of the continental ice sheet occur mainly in the McMurdo Dry Valleys or various oases. Lake Vostok, discovered beneath Russia's Vostok Station, is the largest sub-glacial lake globally and one of the largest lakes in the world. It was once believed that the lake had been sealed off for millions of years, but scientists now estimate its water is replaced by the slow melting and freezing of ice caps every 13,000 years. During the summer, the ice at the edges of the lakes can melt, and liquid moats temporarily form. Antarctica has both saline and freshwater lakes. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,038 | Antarctica is divided into West Antarctica and East Antarctica by the Transantarctic Mountains, which stretch from Victoria Land to the Ross Sea. The vast majority of Antarctica is covered by the Antarctic ice sheet, which averages in thickness. The ice sheet extends to all but a few oases, which, with the exception of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, are located in coastal areas. Several Antarctic ice streams flow to one of the many Antarctic ice shelves, a process described by ice-sheet dynamics. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,039 | East Antarctica comprises Coats Land, Queen Maud Land, Enderby Land, Mac. Robertson Land, Wilkes Land, and Victoria Land. All but a small portion of the region lies within the Eastern Hemisphere. East Antarctica is largely covered by the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. There are numerous islands surrounding Antarctica, most of which are volcanic and very young by geological standards. The most prominent exceptions to this are the islands of the Kerguelen Plateau, the earliest of which formed around 40 Ma. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,040 | Vinson Massif, in the Ellsworth Mountains, is the highest peak in Antarctica at . Mount Erebus on Ross Island is the world's southernmost active volcano and erupts around 10 times each day. Ash from eruptions has been found from the volcanic crater. There is evidence of a large number of volcanoes under the ice, which could pose a risk to the ice sheet if activity levels were to rise. The ice dome known as Dome Argus in East Antarctica is the highest Antarctic ice feature, at . It is one of the world's coldest and driest places—temperatures there may reach as low as , and the annual precipitation is . | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,041 | From the end of the Neoproterozoic era to the Cretaceous, Antarctica was part of the supercontinent Gondwana. Modern Antarctica was formed as Gondwana gradually broke apart beginning around 183 Ma. For a large proportion of the Phanerozoic, Antarctica had a tropical or temperate climate, and it was covered in forests. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,042 | During the Cambrian period, Gondwana had a mild climate. West Antarctica was partially in the Northern Hemisphere, and during the time, large amounts of sandstones, limestones, and shales were deposited. East Antarctica was at the equator, where seafloor invertebrates and trilobites flourished in the tropical seas. By the start of the Devonian period (416 Ma), Gondwana was in more southern latitudes, and the climate was cooler, though fossils of land plants are known from then. Sand and silts were laid down in what is now the Ellsworth, Horlick and Pensacola Mountains. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,043 | Antarctica became glaciated during the Late Paleozoic icehouse beginning at the end of the Devonian period (360 Ma), though glaciation would substantially increase during the late Carboniferous. It drifted closer to the South Pole, and the climate cooled, though flora remained. After deglaciation during the latter half of the Early Permian, the land became dominated by glossopterids (an extinct group of seed plants with no close living relatives), most prominently "Glossopteris," a tree interpreted as growing in waterlogged soils, which formed extensive coal deposits. Other plants found in Antarctica during the Permian include Cordaitales, sphenopsids, ferns, and lycophytes. At the end of the Permian, the climate became drier and hotter over much of Gondwana, and the glossopterid forest ecosystems collapsed, as part of the End-Permian mass extinction. There is no evidence of any tetrapods having lived in Antarctica during the Paleozoic. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,044 | The continued warming dried out much of Gondwana. During the Triassic, Antarctica was dominated by seed ferns (pteridosperms) belonging to the genus "Dicroidium," which grew as trees. Other associated Triassic flora included ginkgophytes, cycadophytes, conifers, and sphenopsids. Tetrapods first appeared in Antarctica during the early Triassic, with the earliest known fossils found in the Fremouw Formation of the Transantarctic Mountains. Synapsids (also known as "mammal-like reptiles") included species such as "Lystrosaurus", and were common during the Early Triassic. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,045 | The Antarctic Peninsula began to form during the Jurassic period (206–146 Ma). "Ginkgo" trees, conifers, Bennettitales, horsetails, ferns and cycads were plentiful during the time. In West Antarctica, coniferous forests dominated throughout the Cretaceous period (146–66 Ma), though southern beech trees ("Nothofagus") became prominent towards the end of the Cretaceous. Ammonites were common in the seas around Antarctica, and dinosaurs were also present, though only a few Antarctic dinosaur genera ("Cryolophosaurus" and "Glacialisaurus", from the Early Jurassic Hanson Formation of the Transantarctic Mountains, and "Antarctopelta", "Trinisaura," "Morrosaurus" and "Imperobator" from Late Cretaceous of the Antarctic Peninsula) have been described. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,046 | Africa separated from Antarctica in the Jurassic around 160 Ma, followed by the Indian subcontinent in the early Cretaceous (about 125 Ma). During the early Paleogene, Antarctica remained connected to South America via the Isthmus of Scotia as well as to southeastern Australia. Fauna from the La Meseta Formation in the Antarctic Peninsula, dating to the Eocene, is very similar to equivalent South American faunas; with marsupials, xenarthrans, litoptern, and astrapotherian ungulates, as well as gondwanatheres and meridiolestidans. Marsupials are thought to have dispersed into Australia via Antarctica by the early Eocene. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,047 | Around 53 Ma, Australia-New Guinea separated from Antarctica, opening the Tasmanian Passage. The Drake Passage opened between Antarctica and South America around 30 Ma, resulting in the creation of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that completely isolated the continent. Models of Antarctic geography suggest that this current, as well as a feedback loop caused by lowering CO levels, caused the creation of small yet permanent polar ice caps. As CO levels declined further the ice began to spread rapidly, replacing the forests that until then had covered Antarctica. Since about 15 Ma, the continent has been mostly covered with ice. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,048 | The geology of Antarctica, largely obscured by the continental ice sheet, is being revealed by techniques such as remote sensing, ground-penetrating radar, and satellite imagery. Geologically, West Antarctica closely resembles the South American Andes. The Antarctic Peninsula was formed by geologic uplift and the transformation of sea bed sediments into metamorphic rocks. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,049 | West Antarctica was formed by the merging of several continental plates, which created a number of mountain ranges in the region, the most prominent being the Ellsworth Mountains. The presence of the West Antarctic Rift System has resulted in volcanism along the border between West and East Antarctica, as well as the creation of the Transantarctic Mountains. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,050 | East Antarctica is geologically varied. Its formation began during the Archean Eon (4,000 Ma2,500 Ma), and stopped during the Cambrian Period. It is built on a craton of rock, which is the basis of the Precambrian Shield. On top of the base are coal and sandstones, limestones, and shales that were laid down during the Devonian and Jurassic periods to form the Transantarctic Mountains. In coastal areas such as the Shackleton Range and Victoria Land, some faulting has occurred. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,051 | Coal was first recorded in Antarctica near the Beardmore Glacier by Frank Wild on the "Nimrod" Expedition in 1907, and low-grade coal is known to exist across many parts of the Transantarctic Mountains. The Prince Charles Mountains contain deposits of iron ore. There are oil and natural gas fields in the Ross Sea. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,052 | Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, and driest of Earth's continents. The lowest natural air temperature ever recorded on Earth was at the Russian Vostok Station in Antarctica on 21 July 1983. A lower air temperature of was recorded in 2010 by satellite—however, it may have been influenced by ground temperatures and was not recorded at a height of above the surface as required for official air temperature records. Average temperatures can reach a minimum of between in the interior of the continent during winter and a maximum of over near the coast in summer. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,053 | Antarctica is a polar desert with little precipitation; the continent receives an average equivalent to about of water per year, mostly in the form of snow. The interior is dryer and receives less than per year, whereas the coastal regions typically receive more than . In a few blue-ice areas, the wind and sublimation remove more snow than is accumulated by precipitation. In the dry valleys, the same effect occurs over a rock base, leading to a barren and desiccated landscape. Antarctica is colder than the Arctic region, as much of Antarctica is over above sea level, where air temperatures are colder. The relative warmth of the Arctic Ocean is transferred through the Arctic sea ice and moderates temperatures in the Arctic region. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,054 | East Antarctica is colder than its western counterpart because of its higher elevation. Weather fronts rarely penetrate far into the continent, leaving the centre cold and dry, with moderate wind speeds. Heavy snowfalls are common on the coastal portion of Antarctica, where snowfalls of up to in 48 hours have been recorded. At the continent's edge, strong katabatic winds off of the polar plateau often blow at storm force. During the summer, more solar radiation reaches the surface at the South Pole than at the equator because of the 24 hours of sunlight received there each day. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,055 | Over the second half of the 20th century, the Antarctic Peninsula was the fastest-warming place on Earth, closely followed by West Antarctica, but temperatures rose less rapidly during the early 21st century. Conversely, the South Pole, located in East Antarctica, barely warmed during much of the 20th century, but temperatures rose three times the global average between 1990 and 2020. In February 2020, the continent recorded its highest temperature of , which was higher than the previous record attained in March 2015. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,056 | There is some evidence that surface warming in Antarctica is due to human greenhouse gas emissions, but it is difficult to determine due to internal variability. A main component of climate variability in Antarctica is the Southern Annular Mode (a low-frequency mode of atmospheric variability of the Southern Hemisphere), which showed strengthened winds around Antarctica in the summer of the later decades of the 20th century, associated with cooler temperatures over the continent. The trend was at a scale unprecedented over the last 600 years; the most dominant driver of the mode of variability is likely the depletion of ozone above the continent. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,057 | Precipitation in Antarctica occurs in the form of snow, which accumulates and forms the giant ice sheet that covers the continent. Under the force of gravity, the ice flows towards the coast. The ice then moves into the ocean, often forming vast floating ice shelves. These shelves can melt or form icebergs that eventually disintegrate when they reach warmer ocean waters. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,058 | Sea ice extent expands annually during the Antarctic winter, but most of it melts in the summer. The ice is formed from the ocean, and does not contribute to changes in sea level. The average extent of sea ice around Antarctica has changed little since satellites began to observe the Earth's surface in 1978; which is in contrast with the Arctic, where there has been rapid sea ice loss. A possible explanation is that thermohaline circulation transports warmed water to deeper layers in the Southern Ocean so that the surface remains relatively cool. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,059 | The melting of the ice shelves does not contribute much to sea level rise, as the floating ice displaces its own mass of water, but the ice shelves act to stabilize the land ice. They are vulnerable to warming water, which has caused large ice shelves to collapse into the ocean. The loss of ice shelf "buttressing" has been identified as the major cause of ice loss on the West Antarctic ice sheet, but has also been observed around the East Antarctic ice sheet. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,060 | In 2002 the Antarctic Peninsula's Larsen-B ice shelf collapsed. In early 2008, about of ice from the Wilkins Ice Shelf on the southwest part of the peninsula collapsed, putting the remaining of the ice shelf at risk. The ice was being held back by a "thread" of ice about wide, prior to its collapse in 2009. , the two most rapidly thinning ice shelves are those in front of the Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers. Both ice shelves act to stabilise the glaciers that feed into them. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,061 | Antarctica contains about 90% of the world's ice. If all of this ice were melted, global sea levels would rise about . In addition, Antarctica stores around 70% of global freshwater as ice. The continent is losing mass due to the increased flow of its glaciers toward the ocean. The loss of mass from Antarctica's ice sheets is partially offset by additional snow falling back onto it. A 2018 systematic review study estimated that ice loss across the entire continent was 43 gigatonnes (Gt) per year on average during the period from 1992 to 2002, but accelerated to an average of 220 Gt per year during the five years from 2012 to 2017. Antarctica's total contribution to sea level rise has been estimated to be . | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,062 | Most of the ice loss has taken place on the Antarctic Peninsula and West Antarctica. Estimates of the mass balance of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet as a whole range from slightly positive to slightly negative. Increased ice outflow has been observed in some regions of East Antarctica, particularly at Wilkes Land. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,063 | Future projections of ice loss depend on the speed of climate change mitigation and are uncertain. Tipping points have been identified in some regions; when a certain threshold warming is reached, these regions may start melting at a significantly faster rate. If average temperatures were to begin to fall, the ice would not immediately be restored. A tipping point for the West Antarctic ice sheet is estimated to be between of global warming. A full collapse would likely not take place unless warming reaches between , and may occur within centuries under pessimistic assumptions. This full collapse would lead to of sea level rise. At , parts of the East Antarctic ice sheet are also projected to be fully lost, and total ice loss would lead to around or more of sea level rise. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,064 | Scientists have studied the ozone layer in the atmosphere above Antarctica since the 1970s. In 1985, British scientists, working on data they had gathered at Halley Research Station on the Brunt Ice Shelf, discovered a large area of low ozone concentration over Antarctica. The 'ozone hole' covers almost the whole continent and was at its largest in September 2006; the longest-lasting event occurred in 2020. The depletion is caused by the emission of chlorofluorocarbons and halons into the atmosphere, which causes ozone to break down into other gases. The extreme cold conditions of Antarctica allow polar stratospheric clouds to form. The clouds act as catalysts for chemical reactions, which eventually lead to the destruction of ozone. The 1987 Montreal Protocol has restricted the emissions of ozone-depleting substances. The ozone hole above Antarctica is predicted to slowly disappear; by the 2060s, levels of ozone are expected to have returned to values last recorded in the 1980s. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,065 | The ozone depletion can cause a cooling of around in the stratosphere. The cooling strengthens the polar vortex and so prevents the outflow of the cold air near the South Pole, which in turn cools the continental mass of the East Antarctic ice sheet. The peripheral areas of Antarctica, especially the Antarctic Peninsula, are then subjected to higher temperatures, which accelerate the melting of the ice. Models suggest that ozone depletion and the enhanced polar vortex effect may also account for the period of increasing sea ice extent, lasting from when observation started in the late 1970s until 2014. Since then, the coverage of Antarctic sea ice has decreased rapidly. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,066 | Most species in Antarctica seem to be the descendants of species that lived there millions of years ago. As such, they must have survived multiple glacial cycles. The species survived the periods of extremely cold climate in isolated warmer areas, such as those with geothermal heat or areas that remained ice-free throughout the colder climate. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,067 | Invertebrate life of Antarctica includes species of microscopic mites such as "Alaskozetes antarcticus", lice, nematodes, tardigrades, rotifers, krill and springtails. The few terrestrial vertebrates are limited to the sub-Antarctic islands. The flightless midge "Belgica antarctica", the largest purely terrestrial animal in Antarctica, reaches in size. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,068 | Antarctic krill, which congregates in large schools, is the keystone species of the ecosystem of the Southern Ocean, being an important food organism for whales, seals, leopard seals, fur seals, squid, icefish, and many bird species, such as penguins and albatrosses. Some species of marine animals exist and rely, directly or indirectly, on phytoplankton. Antarctic sea life includes penguins, blue whales, orcas, colossal squids and fur seals. The Antarctic fur seal was very heavily hunted in the 18th and 19th centuries for its pelt by seal hunters from the United States and the United Kingdom. Leopard seals are apex predators in the Antarctic ecosystem and migrate across the Southern Ocean in search of food. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,069 | There are approximately 40 bird species that breed on or close to Antarctica, including species of petrels, penguins, cormorants, and gulls. Various other bird species visit the ocean around Antarctica, including some that normally reside in the Arctic. The emperor penguin is the only penguin that breeds during the winter in Antarctica; it and the Adélie penguin breed farther south than any other penguin. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,070 | A Census of Marine Life by some 500 researchers during the International Polar Year was released in 2010. The research found that more than 235 marine organisms live in both polar regions, having bridged the gap of . Large animals such as some cetaceans and birds make the round trip annually. Smaller forms of life, such as sea cucumbers and free-swimming snails also found in both polar oceans. Factors that may aid in their distribution include temperature differences between the deep ocean at the poles and the equator of no more than and the major current systems or marine conveyor belts which are able to transport eggs and larva. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,071 | About 1,150 species of fungi have been recorded in the Antarctic region, of which about 750 are non-lichen-forming. Some of the species, having evolved under extreme conditions, have colonized structural cavities within porous rocks and have contributed to shaping the rock formations of the McMurdo Dry Valleys and surrounding mountain ridges. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,072 | The simplified morphology of such fungi, along with their similar biological structures, metabolism systems capable of remaining active at very low temperatures, and reduced life cycles, make them well suited to such environments. Their thick-walled and strongly melanised cells make them resistant to UV radiation. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,073 | The same features can be observed in algae and cyanobacteria, suggesting that they are adaptations to the conditions prevailing in Antarctica. This has led to speculation that life on Mars might have been similar to Antarctic fungi, such as "Cryomyces antarcticus" and "Cryomyces minteri". Some of the species of fungi, which are apparently endemic to Antarctica, live in bird dung, and have evolved so they can grow inside extremely cold dung, but can also pass through the intestines of warm-blooded animals. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,074 | Throughout its history, Antarctica has seen a wide variety of plant life. In the Cretaceous, it was dominated by a fern-conifer ecosystem, which changed into a temperate rainforest by the end of that period. During the colder Neogene (17–2.5 Ma), a tundra ecosystem replaced the rainforests. The climate of present-day Antarctica does not allow extensive vegetation to form. A combination of freezing temperatures, poor soil quality, and a lack of moisture and sunlight inhibit plant growth, causing low species diversity and limited distribution. The flora largely consists of bryophytes (25 species of liverworts and 100 species of mosses). There are three species of flowering plants, all of which are found in the Antarctic Peninsula: "Deschampsia antarctica" (Antarctic hair grass), "Colobanthus quitensis" (Antarctic pearlwort) and the non-native "Poa annua" (annual bluegrass). | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,075 | Of the 700 species of algae in Antarctica, around half are marine phytoplankton. Multicoloured snow algae are especially abundant in the coastal regions during the summer. Bacteria have been found as deep as under the ice. It is thought to be likely that there exists a native bacterial community within the subterranean water body of Lake Vostok. The existence of life there is thought to strengthen the argument for the possibility of life on Jupiter's moon Europa, which may have water beneath its water-ice crust. There exists a community of extremophile bacteria in the highly alkaline waters of Lake Untersee. The prevalence of highly resilient creatures in such inhospitable areas could further bolster the argument for extraterrestrial life in cold, methane-rich environments. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,076 | The first international agreement to protect Antarctica's biodiversity was adopted in 1964. The overfishing of krill (an animal that plays a large role in the Antarctic ecosystem) led officials to enact regulations on fishing. The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, an international treaty that came into force in 1980, regulates fisheries, aiming to preserve ecological relationships. Despite these regulations, illegal fishing—particularly of the highly prized Patagonian toothfish which is marketed as Chilean sea bass in the U.S.—remains a problem. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,077 | In analogy to the 1980 treaty on sustainable fishing, countries led by New Zealand and the United States negotiated a treaty on mining. This Convention on the Regulation of Antarctic Mineral Resource Activities was adopted in 1988. After a strong campaign from environmental organisations, first Australia and then France decided not to ratify the treaty. Instead, countries adopted the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (the Madrid Protocol), which entered into force in 1998. The Madrid Protocol bans all mining, designating the continent as a "natural reserve devoted to peace and science". | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,078 | The pressure group Greenpeace established a base on Ross Island from 1987 to 1992 as part of its attempt to establish the continent as a World Park. The Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary was established in 1994 by the International Whaling Commission. It covers and completely surrounds the Antarctic continent. All commercial whaling is banned in the zone, though Japan has continued to hunt whales in the area, ostensibly for research purposes. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,079 | Despite these protections, the biodiversity in Antarctica is still at risk from human activities. Specially protected areas cover less than 2% of the area and provide better protection for animals with popular appeal than for less visible animals. There are more terrestrial protected areas than marine protected areas. Ecosystems are impacted by local and global threats, notably pollution, the invasion of non-native species, and the various effects of climate change. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,080 | Captain James Cook's ships, and , crossed the Antarctic Circle on 17 January 1773, in December 1773, and again in January 1774. Cook came within about of the Antarctic coast before retreating in the face of field ice in January 1773. In 1775, he called the existence of a polar continent "probable," and in another copy of his journal he wrote: "[I] firmly believe it and it's more than probable that we have seen a part of it". | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,081 | Sealers were among the earliest to go closer to the Antarctic landmass, perhaps in the earlier part of the 19th century. The oldest known human remains in the Antarctic region was a skull, dated from 1819 to 1825, that belonged to a young woman on Yamana Beach at the South Shetland Islands. The woman, who was likely to have been part of a sealing expedition, was found in 1985. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,082 | The first person to see Antarctica or its ice shelf was long thought to have been the British sailor Edward Bransfield, a captain in the Royal Navy, who discovered the tip of the Antarctic peninsula on 30 January 1820. However, a captain in the Imperial Russian Navy, Fabian Gottlieb von Bellingshausen, recorded seeing an ice shelf on 27 January. The American sealer Nathaniel Palmer, whose sealing ship was in the region at this time, may have been the first to sight the Antarctic Peninsula. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,083 | The First Russian Antarctic Expedition, led by Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev on the 985-ton sloop-of-war "Vostok" and the 530-ton support vessel "Mirny", reached a point within of Queen Maud Land and recorded sighting an ice shelf at . on 27 January 1820, The sighting happened three days before Bransfield sighted the land of the Trinity Peninsula of Antarctica, as opposed to the ice of an ice shelf, and 10 months before Palmer did so in November 1820. The first documented landing on Antarctica was by the American sealer John Davis, apparently at Hughes Bay on 7 February 1821, although some historians dispute this claim, as there is no evidence Davis landed on the Antarctic continent rather than an offshore island. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,084 | On 22 January 1840, two days after the discovery of the coast west of the Balleny Islands, some members of the crew of the 18371840 expedition of the French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville disembarked on the Dumoulin Islands, off the coast of Adélie Land, where they took some mineral, algae, and animal samples erected the French flag and claimed French sovereignty over the territory. The American captain Charles Wilkes led an expedition in 1838–1839 and was the first to claim he had discovered the continent. The British naval officer James Clark Ross failed to realise that what he referred to as "the various patches of land recently discovered by the American, French and English navigators on the verge of the Antarctic Circle" were connected to form a single continent. The American explorer Mercator Cooper landed on East Antarctica on 26 January 1853. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,085 | The first confirmed landing on the continental mass of Antarctica occurred in 1895 when the Norwegian-Swedish whaling ship "Antarctic" reached Cape Adare. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,086 | During the "Nimrod" Expedition led by the British explorer Ernest Shackleton in 1907, parties led by Edgeworth David became the first to climb Mount Erebus and to reach the south magnetic pole. Douglas Mawson, who assumed the leadership of the Magnetic Pole party on their perilous return, retired in 1931. Between December 1908 and February 1909: Shackleton and three members of his expedition became the first humans to traverse the Ross Ice Shelf, the first to cross the Transantarctic Mountains (via the Beardmore Glacier), and the first to set foot on the south Polar Plateau. On 14 December 1911, an expedition led by Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen from the ship "Fram" became the first to reach the geographic South Pole, using a route from the Bay of Whales and up the Axel Heiberg Glacier. One month later, the doomed "Terra Nova" Expedition reached the pole. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,087 | The American explorer Richard E. Byrd led four expeditions to Antarctica during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, using the first mechanised tractors. His expeditions conducted extensive geographical and scientific research, and he is credited with surveying a larger region of the continent than any other explorer. In 1937, Ingrid Christensen became the first woman to step onto the Antarctic mainland. Caroline Mikkelsen had landed on an island of Antarctica, earlier in 1935. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,088 | The South Pole was next reached on 31 October 1956, when a U.S. Navy group led by Rear Admiral George J. Dufek successfully landed an aircraft there. Six women were flown to the South Pole as a publicity stunt in 1969. In the summer of 19961997, Norwegian explorer Børge Ousland became the first person to cross Antarctica alone from coast to coast, helped by a kite on parts of the journey. Ousland holds the record for the fastest unsupported journey to the South Pole, taking 34 days. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,089 | The first semi-permanent inhabitants of regions near Antarctica (areas situated south of the Antarctic Convergence) were British and American sealers who used to spend a year or more on South Georgia, from 1786 onward. During the whaling era, which lasted until 1966, the population of the island varied from over 1,000 in the summer (over 2,000 in some years) to some 200 in the winter. Most of the whalers were Norwegian, with an increasing proportion from Britain. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,090 | The continent of Antarctica has never had a permanent resident population, although staffed research stations are continuously maintained. The number of people conducting and supporting scientific research and other work on the continent and its nearby islands varies from about 1,000 in winter to about 5,000 in the summer. Some of the research stations are staffed year-round, the winter-over personnel typically arriving from their home countries for a one-year assignment. The Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Church at the Bellingshausen Station on King George Island opened in 2004; it is manned year-round by one or two priests, who are similarly rotated every year. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,091 | The first child born in the southern polar region was a Norwegian girl, Solveig Gunbjørg Jacobsen, born in Grytviken on 8 October 1913. Emilio Marcos Palma was the first person born south of the 60th parallel south and the first to be born on the Antarctic mainland. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,092 | The Antarctic Treaty prohibits any military activity in Antarctica, including the establishment of military bases and fortifications, military manoeuvres, and weapons testing. Military personnel or equipment are permitted only for scientific research or other peaceful purposes. The only documented military land manoeuvre on the continent has been the small Operation NINETY by the Argentine military in 1965. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,093 | In 1539, the King of Spain, Charles V, created the Governorate of Terra Australis, which encompassed lands south of the Strait of Magellan and thus theoretically Antarctica, granting this Govenorate to Pedro Sancho de la Hoz, who in 1540 transferred the title to the conquistador Pedro de Valdivia. Spain claimed all the territories to the south of the Strait of Magellan until the South Pole, with eastern and western borders to these claims specified in the Treaty of Tordesillas and Zaragoza respectively. In 1555 the claim was incorporated to Chile. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,094 | Antarctica's status is regulated by the 1959 Antarctic Treaty and other related agreements, collectively called the Antarctic Treaty System. Antarctica is defined as all land and ice shelves south of 60° S for the purposes of the Treaty System. The treaty was signed by twelve countries, including the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Chile, Australia, and the United States. Since 1959, a further 42 countries have acceeded to the treaty. Countries can participate in decision-making if they can demonstrate that they do significant research on Antarctica; , 29 countries have this 'consultative status'. Decisions are based on consensus, instead of a vote. The treaty set aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve and established freedom of scientific investigation and environmental protection. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,095 | Sovereignty over regions of Antarctica is claimed by seven countries. While a few of these countries have mutually recognised each other's claims, the validity of the claims is not recognised universally. New claims on Antarctica have been suspended since 1959, although in 2015, Norway formally defined Queen Maud Land as including the unclaimed area between it and the South Pole. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,096 | The Argentine, British, and Chilean claims overlap and have caused friction. In 2012, after the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office designated a previously unnamed area Queen Elizabeth Land in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee, the Argentinean government formally protested against the claim. The UK passed some of the areas it claimed to Australia and New Zealand after they achieved independence. The claims by Britain, Australia, New Zealand, France, and Norway do not overlap and are recognised by each other. Other member nations of the Antarctic Treaty do not recognize any claim, yet have shown some form of territorial interest in the past. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,097 | Deposits of coal, hydrocarbons, iron ore, platinum, copper, chromium, nickel, gold, and other minerals have been found in Antarctica, but not in large enough quantities to extract. The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, which came into effect in 1998 and is due to be reviewed in 2048, restricts the exploitation of Antarctic resources, including minerals. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,098 | Tourists have been visiting Antarctica since 1957. Tourism is subject to the provisions of the Antarctic Treaty and Environmental Protocol; the self-regulatory body for the industry is the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators. Tourists arrive by small or medium ship at specific scenic locations with accessible concentrations of iconic wildlife. Over 74,000 tourists visited the region during the 2019/2020 season, of which 18,500 travelled on cruise ships but did not leave them to explore on land. The numbers of tourists fell rapidly after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some nature conservation groups have expressed concern over the potential adverse effects caused by the influx of visitors and have called for limits on the size of visiting cruise ships and a tourism quota. The primary response by Antarctic Treaty parties has been to develop guidelines that set landing limits and closed or restricted zones on the more frequently visited sites. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
4,099 | Overland sightseeing flights operated out of Australia and New Zealand until the Mount Erebus disaster in 1979, when an Air New Zealand plane crashed into Mount Erebus, killing all of the 257 people onboard. Qantas resumed commercial overflights to Antarctica from Australia in the mid-1990s. | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki?curid=18959138 |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.