You may know of the numerous and ever increasing base stations popping up all over the Antarctic ice. They are put there under the guise of peaceful scientific observation and research, but there is growing competition for space. But why? In a small part it is for the advancement of scientific discovery, but more dire intentions seem to be brewing.

 [T]he entire continent is set aside as a scientific preserve.

The Antarctic Treaty, which came into force in 1961, enshrines an ideal of intellectual exchange.

Military activity is banned, as is prospecting for minerals. Fifty states – including Russia, China and the US – have now ratified the treaty and its associated agreements.

Yet one legacy of earlier imperial expeditions, when Shackleton and the rest battled blizzards to plant their flags, is national covetousness.

Think of the most fought over and profitable substance… yup: oil. There are believed to be vast oil reserves beneath the ice but bans aside, it is currently untenable to extract due to the enormous cost.

Because, like most international treaties, the Antarctic Treaty has “no teeth” there is also the suspicion of covert military activity.

Antarctic skies are unusually clear and also unusually free from radio interference – they are ideal for deep-space research and satellite tracking. But they are also ideal for establishing covert surveillance networks and remote control of offensive weapons systems.

While no-one is currently allowed, by law, to claim parts of this continent it doesn’t stop people from behaving as though they own it so that when the review of the treaty does come up, they can claim they have always operated from their piece of land and should be entitled to own it.

Read more on this issue and see who claims what pieces at BBC, written by Matthew Teller.