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Aristotle wrote in his book Meteorology about an Antarctic region in c. 350 B.C. Marinus of Tyre reportedly used the name in his unpreserved world map from the 2nd century A.D. The Roman authors Hyginus and Apuleius (1–2 centuries A.D.) used for the [[South Pole]] the romanised Greek name ''polus antarcticus'', from which derived the Old French ''pole antartike'' (modern ''pôle antarctique'') attested in 1270, and from there the Middle English ''pol antartik'' in a 1391 technical treatise by Geoffrey Chaucer. | Aristotle wrote in his book Meteorology about an Antarctic region in c. 350 B.C. Marinus of Tyre reportedly used the name in his unpreserved world map from the 2nd century A.D. The Roman authors Hyginus and Apuleius (1–2 centuries A.D.) used for the [[South Pole]] the romanised Greek name ''polus antarcticus'', from which derived the Old French ''pole antartike'' (modern ''pôle antarctique'') attested in 1270, and from there the Middle English ''pol antartik'' in a 1391 technical treatise by Geoffrey Chaucer. | ||
Before acquiring its present geographical connotations, the term was used for other locations that could be defined as "opposite to the north". For example, the short-lived French colony established in Brazil in the 16th century was called "France Antarctique". | Before acquiring its present geographical connotations, the term was used for other locations that could be defined as "opposite to the north". For example, the short-lived French colony established in [[Brazilian Antarctica|Brazil]] in the 16th century was called "France Antarctique". | ||
The first formal use of the name "Antarctica" as a continental name in the 1890s is attributed to the Scottish cartographer John George Bartholomew. | The first formal use of the name "Antarctica" as a continental name in the 1890s is attributed to the Scottish cartographer John George Bartholomew. | ||
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===Modern day exploration=== | ===Modern day exploration=== | ||
[[File:Scott's party at the South Pole.jpg|thumb|left|British explorer Robert Scott at the South Pole]] | [[File:Scott's party at the South Pole.jpg|thumb|left|British explorer Robert Scott at the South Pole]] | ||
During the Nimrod Expedition led by [[Ernest Shackleton]] in 1907, parties led by Edgeworth David became the first to climb Mount Erebus and to reach the [[South Magnetic Pole]]. [[Douglas Mawson]], who assumed the leadership of the Magnetic Pole party on their perilous return, went on to lead several expeditions until retiring in 1931. In addition, Shackleton himself and three other members of his expedition made several firsts in December 1908 – February 1909: they were the first humans to traverse the [[Ross Ice Shelf]], the first to traverse the [[Transantarctic Mountains]] (via the [[Beardmore Glacier]]), and the first to set foot on the South Polar Plateau. An expedition led by Norwegian polar explorer [[Roald Amundsen]] from the ship ''Fram'' became the first to reach the geographic [[South Pole]] on 14 December 1911, using a route from the [[Bay of Whales]] and up the Axel Heiberg Glacier. One month later, the doomed Scott Expedition reached the pole. | During the Nimrod Expedition led by [[Ernest Shackleton]] in 1907, parties led by Edgeworth David became the first to climb Mount Erebus and to reach the [[South Magnetic Pole]]. [[Douglas Mawson]], who assumed the leadership of the Magnetic Pole party on their perilous return, went on to lead several expeditions until retiring in 1931. In addition, Shackleton himself and three other members of his expedition made several firsts in December 1908 – February 1909: they were the first humans to traverse the [[Ross Ice Shelf]], the first to traverse the [[Transantarctic Mountains]] (via the [[Beardmore Glacier]]), and the first to set foot on the South Polar Plateau. An expedition led by Norwegian polar explorer [[Roald Amundsen]] from the ship ''[[Fram]]'' became the first to reach the geographic [[South Pole]] on 14 December 1911, using a route from the [[Bay of Whales]] and up the Axel Heiberg Glacier. One month later, the doomed Scott Expedition reached the pole. | ||
[[Richard E. Byrd]] led several voyages to the Antarctic by plane in the 1930s and 1940s. He is credited with implementing mechanized land transport on the continent and conducting extensive geological and biological research. The first women to set foot on Antarctica did so in the 1930s with Caroline Mikkelsen landing on an island of Antarctica in 1935, and Ingrid Christensen stepping onto the mainland in 1937. | [[Richard E. Byrd]] led several voyages to the Antarctic by plane in the 1930s and 1940s. He is credited with implementing mechanized land transport on the continent and conducting extensive geological and biological research. The first women to set foot on Antarctica did so in the 1930s with Caroline Mikkelsen landing on an island of Antarctica in 1935, and Ingrid Christensen stepping onto the mainland in 1937. | ||