There’s a long-running conspiracy theory that Antarctica is not, in fact, a continent at the southernmost end of our planet.
Instead, believers in this conspiracy say that what we know of today as “Antarctica” is actually an ice wall that holds back a new, largely unexplored world—and that the “powers that be” will do anything to stop you from seeing it or surmounting it.
Evidence for this theory is effectively nonexistent. Still, some people choose to believe it, and as evidence for their beliefs, they point to clips like this recent video taken from a stream done by popular YouTuber Mr. Beast and streamers Adin Ross and xQc.
Did Mr. Beast Accidentally Reveal the Existence Of An Ice Wall?
In the clip, Ross asks Mr. Beast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, if he’s ever been to Antarctica. When Donaldson says that he has, Ross follows up the question by asking if he’s seen the supposed “ice wall.”
In response, Donaldson seems to stumble over his words, saying “There’s a—. There’s— There—. He stops himself from finishing his sentence and goes quiet. Then he says, “I can’t, bro. I can’t stay on stream.”
This causes xQc to exclaim, “He saw it too!”
“We’ll talk about it later,” Ross says.
“Let’s just say you always need someone with you when you’re in Antarctica,” Donaldson states.
While it was clear to some that Donaldson was joking and playing into the meme, others took Donaldson’s statement as an admission that there was, in fact, an ice wall and that he had seen it.
At least, that’s how it seemed from the comments section of a TikTok clip of this stream.
“61 photos from beyond the ice wall,” wrote a user, referencing an art project that purports to show pictures from beyond the ice wall. These pictures are not real.
“The ice wall is real. There is vegetation beyond the ice wall and entrances to certain civilizations. That is why it is a no fly zone and also the only land without a country,” added another.
@clipsexclusive_ MrBeast almost leaks the DARK untold truth of Antarctica and Ice walls too Adin Ross 😳 #adinross #mrbeast #antarctica #icewalls #conspiracytiktok
Is Any of This True?
Of course not.
It’s unclear what Donaldson is referring to in this video, or if he is simply playing into the joke “for the meme,” but there is zero evidence that Antarctica is actually an “ice wall”—and plenty that it isn’t.
First, Antarctica being an ice wall would require our Earth to be either flat or substantially larger than we currently understand. As the size and shape of the Earth have been proven over and over for literal centuries, it’s pretty easy to dismiss this out of hand.
Second, while those pushing this theory will insist that one can’t travel to Antarctica to view the ice wall for themselves, you can.
There are plenty of trips available for everyday travelers that will allow you to visit Antarctica and even go as far as the South Pole. That said, you are required to have a permit and often be accompanied by a guide to do so. Though, this is due to scientific preservation efforts rather than an attempt to hide any supposed ice wall.
Is it interesting to consider what could be beyond an ice wall in the Antarctic? Of course. However, is such an idea based in reality? No—no, it is not.
BroBible reached out to Mr. Beast via email.