Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 12/04/2009 - 10:36
Forums
IceCube: In-ice Antarctic Telescope

Did anyone die before knowing how cold it is down there in Antarctica ?

  • by Nancy East
Sat, 12/05/2009 - 11:31

Casey OHara

Hi Nancy,
Many people have died from the cold down here, but they probably understood how cold it gets. But still many explorers have taken the risk to explore Antarctica.  It's all about being well-prepared, and lucky.
The first two expeditions to the South Pole headed towards the pole in late 1911.  Roald Amundsen (from Norway) and a team of 4 others were the very first to reach the pole on Dec. 14, 1911, and they were well-prepared and got home safely. Robert F. Scott (from England) and his team of 4 others reached the pole a month later, but they weren't as well prepared in terms of food and supplies, and faced worse weather.  As they tried to return, his whole team died within a few miles of reaching one of their food stashes that they had left along the way.
The stories of these explorers, and also other explorers such as Ernest Shackleton, are really interesting! there is a lot more information on the internet, and also several good books that tell the stories.