Polar Exploration | smithsonianmag.comhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/polar-exploration/RSS feed for Polar ExplorationenFri, 08 May 2026 19:05:25 +0000A Century Ago, an Explorer and His Pilot Claimed to Be the First People to Fly Over the North Pole. Here’s Why Experts Doubt That Achievementhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/a-century-ago-an-explorer-and-his-pilot-claimed-to-be-the-first-people-to-fly-over-the-north-pole-heres-why-experts-doubt-that-achievement-180988712/While the success of Richard Byrd and Floyd Bennett’s polar flight has been disputed, the former went on to accomplish expeditions in AntarcticaFri, 08 May 2026 19:05:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/a-century-ago-an-explorer-and-his-pilot-claimed-to-be-the-first-people-to-fly-over-the-north-pole-heres-why-experts-doubt-that-achievement-180988712/Four Civilian Astronauts Capture Imagery of Earth's Icy Poles on Fram2, the First Crewed Mission to Polar Orbithttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-civilian-astronauts-capture-imagery-of-earths-icy-poles-on-fram2-the-first-crewed-mission-to-polar-orbit-180986349/The mission, funded and commanded by a cryptocurrency entrepreneur, was launched by SpaceX on Monday and has grabbed headlines for its flight pathWed, 02 Apr 2025 14:49:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/four-civilian-astronauts-capture-imagery-of-earths-icy-poles-on-fram2-the-first-crewed-mission-to-polar-orbit-180986349/SpaceX Astronauts Will Try Growing the First Mushrooms in Space on Upcoming Fram2 Mission Over Earth's Poleshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spacex-astronauts-will-try-growing-the-first-mushrooms-in-space-on-upcoming-fram2-mission-over-earths-poles-180986330/Described as the “perfect space crop,” the nutritious and ready-to-eat fungus could be a key stepping stone toward fueling crew members during long-term spaceflightFri, 28 Mar 2025 18:26:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/spacex-astronauts-will-try-growing-the-first-mushrooms-in-space-on-upcoming-fram2-mission-over-earths-poles-180986330/See the Wreck of Ernest Shackleton's 'Endurance' in Astonishing Detail With This New 3D Scanhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-wreck-of-ernest-shackletons-endurance-in-astonishing-detail-with-this-new-3d-scan-180985274/Created from more than 25,000 high-resolution images, the digital model shows artifacts from the ill-fated expedition, including a boot, dishes and a flare gunFri, 18 Oct 2024 14:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-wreck-of-ernest-shackletons-endurance-in-astonishing-detail-with-this-new-3d-scan-180985274/Wreck of Shackleton's 'Endurance' Gets New Protectionshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-endurance-shipwreck-gets-new-protections-amid-warming-antarctic-waters-180984683/The vessel will be preserved beneath Antarctic waters inside a sprawling restricted zoneWed, 10 Jul 2024 20:59:21 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-endurance-shipwreck-gets-new-protections-amid-warming-antarctic-waters-180984683/How Vacationers on Antarctic Cruises Are Filling in Scientific Gapshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-vacationers-on-antarctic-cruises-are-filling-in-scientific-gaps-180981672/From ships and submarines, citizen scientists can access remote areas ripe for new discoveries. But does the research make up for the climate impact?Tue, 07 Mar 2023 20:02:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-vacationers-on-antarctic-cruises-are-filling-in-scientific-gaps-180981672/See Rare Images of Early 20th-Century Antarctic Expeditionshttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-newly-digitized-photos-from-20th-century-antarctic-expeditions-180981700/For the first time, hundreds of photos, lantern slides and glass plate negatives are available to the publicFri, 24 Feb 2023 21:28:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-newly-digitized-photos-from-20th-century-antarctic-expeditions-180981700/Watch Thousands of Beluga Whales Migrate From the Arctichttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-thousands-of-beluga-whales-migrate-to-a-bay-in-canada-180980425/Two webcams give a front-row seat to the whales' daily activitiesFri, 15 Jul 2022 19:25:26 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/watch-thousands-of-beluga-whales-migrate-to-a-bay-in-canada-180980425/The 'Last Ice Area' May Provide a Final Refuge for Arctic Life in a Warming Worldhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/arctic-oceans-last-ice-area-may-provide-a-final-refuge-for-arctic-life-in-a-warming-world-180979074/The Arctic Ocean region may provide a sanctuary to animals who need the summertime frozen habitat for survivalTue, 16 Nov 2021 22:39:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/arctic-oceans-last-ice-area-may-provide-a-final-refuge-for-arctic-life-in-a-warming-world-180979074/Polar Bears Take Down Walruses by Hurling Rocks and Icehttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/polar-bears-take-down-walruses-hurling-rocks-and-ice-study-says-180978392/New research corroborates Inuit knowledge of the animals cleverly using new toolsMon, 09 Aug 2021 15:16:24 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/polar-bears-take-down-walruses-hurling-rocks-and-ice-study-says-180978392/