Why Early Humans Never Migrated to Antarctica

Prehistoric humans never settled Antarctica because the continent was almost entirely covered by a thick ice sheet, making it utterly inhospitable. With extreme cold, no terrestrial food sources, and no land bridges, it was inaccessible and unlivable.

The first recorded human presence came in the early 19th century, when explorers like James Cook, Fabian von Bellingshausen, and Edward Bransfield reached its shores. Permanent habitation only began with 20th-century scientific stations.