A History of Antarctic Science

This book describes the development of Antarctic science over three centuries against a background of advances in techniques of travelling and working in the polar environment and changing political attitudes to a remote and unknown part of the world.

This book is the first to describe the development of scientific activity in the Antarctic (as distinct from exploration) in all its aspects. Coverage spans three centuries, starting with Halley who laid the foundations of geophysics which was to be the principal driving force behind Antarctic science for most of its history. Although early researchers built up a picture of the main features of the Antarctic environment, the idea of science specific to the continent emerged only later. As the main disciplines of oceanography, earth sciences, the sciences of atmosphere and geospace, terrestrial biology, medicine, and conservation developed, the clear interactions between them within an Antarctic context led to the emergence of the holistic view of Antarctic science which we hold today. For anyone with an interest in the history, conservation or politics of this special part of the world, or in the history of the development of science, this book will provide a mine of information and will act as a rich source of reference for many years to come.