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cover of episode Arctic Exploration (Radio Edit)

Arctic Exploration (Radio Edit)

2025/6/27
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You're Dead to Me
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G
Greg Jenner
S
Stu Goldsmith
V
Vanessa Heggie
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Greg Jenner: 作为播客的主持人，我引导听众了解西北航道的历史背景和重要性，强调了其作为连接大西洋和太平洋的潜在贸易路线的价值。我提出了关于探险动机的问题，并引导嘉宾讨论了早期探险家面临的挑战和悲剧。 Vanessa Heggie: 我从历史学家的角度解释了西北航道的地理位置和战略意义，强调了早期探险家寻找这条航道的经济和政治动机。我指出了土著居民在北极地区的早期活动，并详细描述了约翰·富兰克林探险队的悲剧，包括食物短缺、铅中毒和可能的同类相食。此外，我还强调了探险的枯燥和乏味，以及探险队领导者如何通过艺术和其他活动来维持士气。 Stu Goldsmith: 作为喜剧演员，我主要负责提供幽默的评论和问题，以活跃气氛。虽然我对北极探险的了解不多，但我提出了关于探险动机和船员娱乐方式的问题，并对历史事件发表了一些有趣的看法。

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The Northwest Passage was a sea route through the Arctic Ocean connecting the Atlantic and Pacific. European explorers sought it for trade and strategic advantage, while ignoring the Indigenous peoples who had already been using it for centuries. The episode introduces John Cabot, the first European explorer to attempt the passage.
  • Northwest Passage: a seaway through the Arctic Ocean
  • European explorers sought it for trade and strategic advantage
  • John Cabot's expedition in 1497

Shownotes Transcript

Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Vanessa Heggie and comedian Stu Goldsmith to learn all about the perilous history of Arctic exploration.

From the 15th to 20th Centuries, Europeans searched for the Northwest Passage, a supposed seaway between the Atlantic and Pacific through the Arctic Ocean. Indigenous groups had been traversing the passage for centuries, using small skin boats and dog sleds, but from 1497, European expeditions were launched to find and claim it. Most of these ended in failure, with explorers either returning home empty-handed or not returning at all. Some even got completely lost, arriving in Hawaii or North Carolina rather than Canada!

In 1845, the most famous Arctic expedition, led by Sir John Franklin, was launched. Within a few months, his two ships, the Erebus and the Terror, with their crew of 129 souls, had vanished. It was not until 1906 that a Norwegian team, led by Roald Amundsen, finally navigated the passage. This episode explores the often fatal quest for the Northwest Passage, charting the various expeditions that tried and failed to find and traverse it, uncovering the men who lost their lives looking for it, and asking why Europeans were so keen to explore such a hostile region of the world. And we unravel the mystery of just what happened to John Franklin and his men out there on the ice.

This is a radio edit of the original podcast episode. For the full-length version, please look further back in the feed.

Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Matt Ryan Written by: Matt Ryan, Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Ben Hollands Senior Producer: Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: James Cook