Explorers
The Evolution of Columbus Day Celebrations, From Italian Immigrant Pride to Indigenous Recognition
The holiday has been controversial practically since its inception
Breaking Down the United States' Historical Obsession With Christopher Columbus
Columbus became Columbus in the American Revolution—when the colonials sought out an origin story that didn’t involve the British
Following British Explorer Isabella Bird's Footsteps Through the Rockies, 150 Years Later
The intrepid Victorian-era author proved that a lady’s life could be in the mountains, and I am forever grateful for that
Deep-Sea Tourism or Deep-Sea Science?
Two chroniclers of explorers, including one who profiled OceanGate’s Stockton Rush, reflect on what visiting the depths of the ocean can—and can’t—teach us
Inside the Nerve-Racking Dive to an Active Submarine Volcano
The chief pilot of a deep-sea submersible recounts exploring Loihi, which will become Hawaii’s next island
Inside the First Deep-Sea Dive in History
In 1930, a colorful band of researchers in the Atlantic taught us how to plumb the ocean’s depths
Teddy Roosevelt’s Perilous Expedition on the Amazon
The dangerous—yet victorious—trip wouldn’t have been possible without Cândido Rondon, an icon of Brazilian history
Adventurer Elise Wortley Recreates the Journeys of Famous Female Explorers
For historical accuracy, the 33-year-old Brit wears only the cotton dresses, yak wool coats and hobnail boots that her predecessors would have had
See Rare Images of Early 20th-Century Antarctic Expeditions
For the first time, hundreds of photos, lantern slides and glass plate negatives are available to the public
The First Fossil Finders in North America Were Enslaved and Indigenous People
Decades before paleontology’s formal establishment, Black and Native Americans discovered—and correctly identified—millennia-old fossils
The Indigenous Americans Who Visited Europe
A new book reverses the narrative of the Age of Discovery, which has long evoked the ambitions of Europeans looking to the Americas rather than vice versa
Archaeologists Recover 275 Artifacts From Mysterious Arctic Shipwreck
Explorer John Franklin and his 128 crew members disappeared while searching for the Northwest Passage in the 1840s
The Top Eight Ocean Stories of 2022
The biggest saltwater moments of the year included major discoveries that inspired awe
The Ten Best History Books of 2022
Our favorite titles of the year resurrect forgotten histories and illuminate how the nation ended up where it is today
‘Polar Preet’ Sets Out to Become the First Woman to Cross Antarctica Solo and Unsupported
After setting a record as the first woman of color to reach the South Pole unsupported last year, Preet Chandi is now tackling a 1,100-mile challenge
Divers Accidentally Find a Piece of the Challenger Space Shuttle
A documentary film crew stumbled across a section of the destroyed spacecraft that measures at least 15 by 15 feet
Explorers Find Cameras Abandoned by Mountain Climbers in 1937
Scientists traced the movement of Canada’s Walsh Glacier to find the long-lost cache
Wreck of Shackleton's 'Endurance' May 'Decay Out of Existence'
The recently discovered vessel is vulnerable on the seafloor, but raising it from the depths comes with unique challenges
Have We Been Calling Machu Picchu by the Wrong Name?
Historical records suggest the Inca called the 15th-century citadel Huayna Picchu, before an American explorer who "discovered" the site in 1911 renamed it
Shackleton's 'Endurance' Shipwreck Is Teeming With Bizarre Ocean Life
Undersea footage reveals the ship's diverse collection of sea stars, sponges, anemones, and even a rare deep-sea squat lobster
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