I n the Antarctic, severe cold is a constant concern for humans. Keeping their bodies, engines, and buildings from freezing is a major design challenge.
Most Antarctic wildlife face the cold successfully.
Many fish actually have a kind of antifreeze in their tissues and blood that lowers the freezing point of water. Other creatures have layers of fat and fur to insulate them. Humans do not have any internal antifreeze, sufficient layers of protective fat, or a coat of fur to protect them from freezing. The freezing of living tissue is known as frostbite and can result in massive infection or the loss of a limb. Humans insulate themselves with layers of clothes made of natural and human-engineered fabrics, which trap and hold heat next to the body.