Episode 31
Ultima Thule (Episode 16) - Antarctic Adventures
The early 20th century Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration brought the whole of civilization to the last unexplored continent on Earth. Names like Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton, and Roald Amundsen became immortalized when each raced to be the first person to the South Pole. While honor and ego often butted heads during this era it can't overshadow the amount of skill required to reach this alien landscape. This was best demonstrated by the legendary captain Frank Worsley of Shackleton's Endurance expedition where Worsley's skills at navigating the sea and sky saved the entire crew. These first Antarctic adventures ultimately led to major implications for science including proof of continental drift, access to the oldest ice cores on Earth, and an open international approach to science that has transcended geopolitics to this day. But with the continent of Antarctica now under the fold of civilization Ultima Thule could no longer be found on Earth; it was only in the early 20th century when concept was firmly set in the sky. (16/29)
