South Georgia Island is isolated from the civilized world and trapped in the most cruel of climates, but it was destined for discovery. From its first recorded sightings more than 300 years ago until the 20th century, this icy paradise in the Southern Ocean has attracted explorers, merchants and governments. London-born merchant Antoine de la Roche may
have been the first person to sight South Georgia Island or any of its
Sub-Antarctic counterparts. In April 1675, as he was sailing from Lima
to England, his ship was blown south as it rounded Cape Horn. He and
his crew reported seeing ice-covered mountains.
Map and time line of Ernest Shackleton and the Endurance expedition
Matthew Henson, co-discoverer of the North Pole, Matthew Henson books, movies, Matthew Henson Arlington National Cemetery, Matthew Henson photos
Plants are usually at the base of a food chain. In Antarctica this
position is held by the
phytoplankton
living in the upper, sun-lit levels of the southern ocean, and fed by
nutrients welling up from the waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and
Indian oceans. They are eaten by
krill, a
small shrimp-like critter which
is a very popular food for penguins, baleen whales and other large
animals. It is estimated that there is between 125 and 725 million tons
of this one species in the southern ocean, making it the most successful
species on Earth.
The Arctic Flora of Canada and Alaska project aims to produce a new flora for all vascular plants in the Arctic ecozone in Canada and northern Alaska. We are using this Scratchpad website to move the Flora beyond traditional standards, and to produce a treatment that is digital and interactive, taking full advantage of current (and future) web and database technologies. The Arctic Flora will eventually serve as the reference for anybody who requires accurate and up-to-date information on Arctic plant species, needs or wants to identify Arctic plants in the field or herbarium, or wants to know a little bit more about the amazing plant biodiversity in one of North America's most climate-threatened ecosystems. This site will be updated with Flora content on an ongoing basis.
The rusting buildings and skeleton ships of South Georgia act as a monument to the whaling era.
Whales and whaling in antarctica
Arctic People
Encyclopedic entry. Antarctica is a unique continent in that it does not have a native population.
Interactive teaching and learning resources on Antarctica from RGS-IBG in partnership with BAS and supported by UK FCO.
The Arctic is the northernmost region of the Earth
Geography of the Arctic; read this article to learn important facts about Earth's Arctic region- it's geography, climate, species, human inhabitation and the impacts climate change and global warming are having on the area. Learn all about the Arctic from the expert About.com Geography Guidesite.
In the summer of 1897,
Shackleton met and became attracted to one of his sisters' friends, Emily
Dorman. Ernest had just returned from a voyage to Japan aboard the FLINTSHIRE
when he met the tall, dark-haired young woman "with a good figure".
At the end of 1898, the FLINTSHIRE ran aground near Middlesbrough
which gave him the opportunity to take leave for 24-hours in order to
go home for his father's birthday on January 1. On the way, he stopped
and visited The Firs, where Emily lived, and for the first time Ernest
was seriously in love. Shackleton had enough of tramping to the East.
To improve his standing with Emily and her father, he left the Welsh Shire
Line and, early in 1899, took a position with the Union Castle Line.
Ernest Shackleton was a principal figure of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration. Adventure and much more on Biography.com.
Matthew Henson was an African-American explorer who discovered the North Pole with Robert E. Peary in 1909—or so they claimed. Learn more at Biography.com.
Matthew Henson accompanied Robert E. Peary on numerous Arctic expeditions, most notably on their summit to the North Pole on April 6, 1909. Did Henson, Peary's African American companion, actually reach the summit before Peary? Full text and photo gallery:
See arctic animal pictures (including polar bears, owls, and foxes) in this photo gallery from National Geographic.
Get Antarctic animal pictures (including penguins, seals, and whales) in this photo gallery from National Geographic.
The Arctic is the region situated north of the Arctic Circle. Only the animals that have best adapted to the cold live in these hostile regions year-round.
