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The continent of Antarctica remained untouched for millennia, a land mass speculated by ancient mapmakers as a counterbalance to northern continents. For centuries, it was imagined rather than known, stirring curiosity and creative speculation among explorers and thinkers.
Famed Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton, renowned for being a principal figure in Antarctic exploration, once drew the land on the back of a map. He dreamed of some day crossing the continent, but ended up paying a heavy price for it.
Thousands of years ago, the early ancestors of humanity moved and settled in the vast reaches of the planet. Between deserts and impossibly remote islands, humans have conquered almost every part of the world. Yet, Antarctica remained the last frontier.
By the 1700s, the world's northern oceans had been thoroughly mapped, leaving the southern seas as the next frontier. The challenge of uncovering this region became the focus of cartographers seeking to replace myths with facts.
The Age of Enlightenment ushered in precise grid mapping using new technology, demanding evidence to replace wild conjecture. Explorers sought to find the lost continent, driven by the allure of discovery and the prospect of new knowledge.
Various expeditions were launched to explore the Antarctic region, but they all failed. The southern seas were far too large for explorers to cross and the gaps in their knowledge made it worse.
In 1772, Captain James Cook set sail for Antarctica with two ships and 192 men. They were armed with the latest technology: the marine chronometer. This advanced clock was the most precise ever made at the time, allowing Cook to determine his exact longitude at all times.
Cook’s expedition to the southern seas lasted three years. His journey marked the first time that humanity had ever crossed into the Antarctic Circle, but the only thing the captain found was frozen water. Cook believed that the continent would not be the abundant paradise that previous explorers had dreamed of, but rather a land “ever buried under everlasting snow and ice.”
Early explorers envisioned Antarctica as a land of palm trees or dystopian kingdoms. They drew their fantasies on maps, with some depicting a giant continent, others imagining a new world of abundance and prosperity. But the continent remained too far away to find out.
Forty-five years after Cook, explorers finally caught a glimpse of Antarctica for the first time. The land was not temperate, but rather barren and merciless. This inspired further expeditions, and humanity’s perception shifted from discovery to conquest.
As explorers continued their efforts, scientists joined the expeditions. They mapped fragments of Antarctica, documenting its unique features, but still acknowledging the immense gaps in their understanding of this uncharted wilderness.
By the time the 19th century arrived, humans had already started building mechanical machinery that pushed the boundaries of innovation. Coal-powered ships became the new tool with which humanity would explore the unknown.
By 1911, nations had started to compete to reach the South Pole. The Norwegian team, led by Roald Amundsen, succeeded first, while the British group reached there second, only for all of them to perish on the treacherous journey back.
Ernest Shackleton attempted to traverse the entirety of Antarctica, but failed in achieving his goal. His journey became a tale of courage and resilience as his entire crew returned home from the perilous expedition.
By 1920, Antarctic maps depicted the world’s growing knowledge, with red shading marking explored regions of the continent. There was still much left unknown, but many explorers were still hellbent on charting the entire world.
Almost two decades after the Wright brothers developed the first successful powered airplane, humans were able to conquer the skies through aviation and lay their eyes on uncharted territories. In 1928, the first airplane flew over the South Pole. Many more followed over the next decade.
As each flight took to the skies, they provided ever more details of Antarctica’s frozen wilderness, enabling observations that further filled in the blanks on maps of the icy continent.
After World War II, Antarctica became a symbol of geopolitical rivalry. Nations marked the map with artificial borders, asserting control over sections of the continent amid broader conflicts over global influence.
A myriad of scientific research stations were established across Antarctica’s icy surface, flying national flags to assert territorial control. The United States, in particular, created maps that shaded entire areas of land that were dedicated to land seen exclusively by American eyes.
In 1957, countries eventually agreed that Antarctica should serve as a hub for scientific inquiry, not territorial disputes. The treaty fostered international collaboration and transformed the continent into a shared laboratory for discovery.
Despite the more advanced technology used to navigate the southern reaches of the world (like icebreakers and helicopters), much of the continent still remained unknown. At least, that was the case until humanity broke yet another seemingly impossible barrier.
The space age brought satellites capable of photographing the planet with perfect precision. These images were largely used to spy on international enemies, but they also provided a glimpse of what the planet looked like for the first time.
The images captured from the satellites revolutionized cartography, creating detailed snapshots of Antarctica that replaced centuries of speculative maps.
With satellites collecting massive amounts of data, new technologies synthesized this information into comprehensive maps. These maps unveiled Antarctica's every feature, from ice sheet movements to its hidden geological structures.
In the late 2010s, Ohio State University released the Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica (REMA) map, which has a resolution more than 100 times sharper than any map of the continent that came before.
Image credit: Ohio State University
Using new technology, scientists were able to map the continent in other ways that previous explorers could only imagine. They could read the radiation across Antarctica, the chemistry of the atmosphere, and even the temperature of its surrounding oceans.
Scientists also measured Antarctica’s ice, some layers reaching more than two miles (four kilometers) thick. They mapped the continent beneath the ice, revealing a landscape never before seen and challenging prior understandings of Earth’s structure.
Antarctica, once the least accessible place on Earth, became the best mapped continent on our planet. This transformation showcased the world’s ability to overcome extraordinary challenges in pursuit of knowledge and exploration.
The story of mapping Antarctica is a testament to humanity’s insatiable curiosity. It reminds us that exploration is not just about reaching new places—it’s about understanding ourselves, our planet, and the universe in ever-deeper ways.
Sources: (Oceanwide Expeditions) (The World Economic Forum) (Smithsonian Magazine) (The Antarctic Circle) (Britannica)
See also: Charting the history of maps, from Imago Mundi to Google
A detailed map of Antarctica, once thought impossible, has become a reality. The continent, the last great wilderness on Earth, has captivated humanity for centuries. Shrouded in mystery and locked beneath impenetrable layers of ice, this desolate land has inspired explorers, scientists, and dreamers to push the boundaries of possibility.
What explorers would have once considered to be magic, humanity was able to craft through innovation and a relentless quest to unveil the unknown. Click through this gallery to see how it was done.
Mapping Antarctica: The journey to charting the frozen continent
A remote and desolate location that is now within reach
LIFESTYLE Exploration
A detailed map of Antarctica, once thought impossible, has become a reality. The continent, the last great wilderness on Earth, has captivated humanity for centuries. Shrouded in mystery and locked beneath impenetrable layers of ice, this desolate land has inspired explorers, scientists, and dreamers to push the boundaries of possibility.
What explorers would have once considered to be magic, humanity was able to craft through innovation and a relentless quest to unveil the unknown. Click through this gallery to see how it was done.