Debunked Myths

Our desert imagery of sand dunes and heat skews understanding of what makes a desert. Scientifically, deserts are defined by extreme aridity—very low precipitation. By this measure, Antarctica covers 14 million square kilometers and receives less than 2 inches of precipitation annually, primarily as unmelted snow.

This makes it the driest, windiest, coldest continent—and the world's largest desert. The Sahara, at 9.2 million square kilometers, claims fame as the largest hot desert, but gets dethroned overall by Antarctica's frozen wilderness.

This reclassification challenges our categories and expands understanding of planetary extremes. The harshest, most lifeless places aren't just hot—they can be unimaginably cold. Looking beyond scenery to scientific reality reveals a world where the largest desert is a frozen continent, not a sandy one.