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Exploration ‑ Stories

In the 15th century, Europeans began to sail west across the Atlantic Ocean in search of new routes to China and the East, but in the process they discovered what they labeled a "New World," although Indigenous people had lived there for centuries. Other explorers have pushed the limits of flight and seafaring, and traversed the frozen Continent of Antarctica.

A dramatic snowy whiteout Arctic landscape with a hot air balloon lying on its side

The Doomed 1896 Balloon Expedition to the Arctic

“Shall we be thought mad?” expedition leader Salomon August Andrée wrote in his journal, just before he perished.

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A close up of the Isle of Lewis Chessmen reveals their comic expressions.

Chess Mystery: Who Made the Lewis Chessmen?

The mystery of who fashioned the precious ivory Lewis Chessmen lingers 800 years after the world’s most famous chess pieces were crafted.

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Commander James Fitzjames

Horrific Fate of Officer in Doomed Arctic Expedition Revealed

What happened to the crew of the Franklin expedition remains unclear, but cannibalized remains were identified as belonging to third‑in‑command James Fitzjames.

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The Black Explorer Who May Have Reached the North Pole First

In 1909 African American Matthew Henson trekked with explorer Robert Peary, reaching what they claimed was the North Pole. Who got there first?

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Galleon sailing in ocean.

7 Ships and Navigational Tools Used in the Age of Exploration

Sleek ships and navigational tools aided European sailors between the 15th and 17th centuries.

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Ferdinand Magellan expedition depicted in painting.

Why the Magellan Expedition Was So Treacherous

In 1519, Ferdinand Magellan set off on an audacious journey around the globe. Find out what made the expedition so dangerous—and why its leader did not survive.

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SABLE ISLAND IN NOVA SCOTIA

7 Failed North American Colonies

Deadly mistakes doomed these early European settlements.

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4 Myths About When Montezuma Met Cortés

4 Myths About When Montezuma Met Cortés

The encounter between the Spanish explorer and Aztec king changed the course of history. But the story has long been told from one side.

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The Endurance appears to have sunk keel-first, with the bow first impacting the Weddell Sea floor.

Why More and More Shipwrecks Are Being Discovered

Tens of thousands of shipwrecks lie lost and forgotten on the sea floor—but efforts to locate and explore them have seen great advances.

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How Portugal Kicked Off the Age of Exploration

How Portugal’s Seafaring Expertise Launched the Age of Exploration

In the 15th century, a small kingdom with a population of approximately 1 million launched the era of maritime exploration that would transform the world.

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Columbus fleet: Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria

How the Columbian Exchange Brought Globalization—And Disease

Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Caribbean in 1492 kicked off a massive global interchange of people, animals, plants and diseases between Europe and the Americas.

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A vintage French postcard featuring the helicopter of Paul Cornu of Lisieux, France, who piloted the first manned flight of a rotary wing aircraft on 13th November 1907.

History of Flight: Breakthroughs, Disasters and More

From hot‑air balloons floating over Paris to a dirigible crashing over New Jersey, here are some of the biggest moments of aviation history.

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