science / Real
Does Antarctica contain extremely dry valleys?
Yes. Antarctica includes the McMurdo Dry Valleys, one of Earth's coldest and driest desert environments.
POLAR DESERT
The Claim
Parts of Antarctica are desert-dry.
The Answer
NSF-supported Antarctic research describes the McMurdo Dry Valleys as a polar desert with very low precipitation and exposed ground.
Why This Is Surprising
It sounds like the kind of claim that races around social feeds without context. The source trail matters because the best version of the wonder is the verified one.
How We Checked It
We looked for an authoritative primary source, checked the wording against at least one credible secondary source when available, and recorded the last review date.