9781422279250

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Going to Extremes

Words to Understand capsize  regarding a ship, to turn completely upside-down

dirigible  a type of airship that uses a lighter-than-air gas to float hypothermia  a life-threatening condition of being too cold satellite phone  a communications device that uses direct links between satellites

P lanning to travel hundreds of miles into the icy unknown? You’d probably take sturdy, warm clothes, lots of nutri- tious food, and a good GPS system. You might pack a satellite phone just in case. Almost none of this was available to early polar explorers, but that did not stop them. They took the best supplies they had, some reliable companions, and, hopefully, a good dose of creativity. If they were smart and lucky, they might do okay. Still, even the most successful expeditions faced huge challenges.

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