Antarctic Treaty: 50 Years Later

On Dec. 1, 1959, after more than a year of secret negotiations, 12 nations signed a document that dedicated 10 percent of the Earth's surface — the continent of Antarctica — to peaceful activities.

The Antarctic Treaty, signed in Washington, D.C., 51 years ago, was drawn up in four languages — English, French, Spanish and, perhaps most surprising, Russian.

The treaty resulted in Antarctica remaining a relatively pristine area where scientists could study glaciers, the extreme environment and its unique biota.
[Source: ourAmazingplanet]