MENTAL FLOSS PODCASTS

The Quest for the North Pole Bonus Episode 4: Live from Greenland

In the final bonus episode of The Quest for the North Pole, we travel to far northwestern Greenland to see the changing Arctic firsthand. Along the way, we'll see amazing wildlife, get frostbite, and realize how lucky we are not to be man-hauling thousand

The Quest for the North Pole Bonus Episode 3: Family Reunions

While on their quest for the North Pole, Robert Peary and Matthew Henson had sons with Inughuit women. In the 1980s, an ambitious Harvard neuroscientist brought them to America.

The Quest for the North Pole Bonus Episode 2: Minik and the Meteorites

Before Robert Peary claimed to have reached the North Pole, he led several expeditions to northern Greenland. He brought back three legendary meteorites from the Arctic—and a young boy named Minik.

The Quest for the North Pole Bonus Episode: The Arctic’s Biggest Mystery

The demise of the Franklin Expedition remains the most compelling puzzle in Arctic exploration. What catastrophe had befallen Britain’s best-prepared polar expedition? And what tantalizing clues are still being uncovered?

The Quest for the North Pole, Episode 9: The North Pole Today

Global warming is changing the Arctic—and explorers of the past would barely recognize its green tundra, diminished glaciers, and ice-free seas. Our final episode looks at the North Pole’s many legacies.

The Quest for the North Pole Episode 8: Triumph by Snowmobile

In 1968, a Minnesota insurance salesman named Ralph Plaisted was sitting in a bar, talking to a friend about snowmobiles. His friend said that if snowmobiles were so great, he should be able to ride one to the North Pole. Plaisted accepted the challenge.

The Quest for the North Pole, Episode 7: A Gold Brick

Robert E. Peary expected worldwide fame for being first at the North Pole. But Frederick A. Cook said he had been first. Peary sensed his glory being snatched from his grasp—and mounted a relentless campaign to prove his claim.

The Quest for the North Pole, Episode 6: Third Time’s the Charm

After traveling over hundreds of miles of dangerous ice, Robert Peary believed he had reached his goal: He and his team were the first men to stand at the North Pole. Or were they?

The Quest for the North Pole, Episode 5: Meet Peary and Henson

In this episode, we’ll meet Robert Peary and Matthew Henson, two adventurers with completely different backgrounds and temperaments who formed one of the most enduring and successful partnerships in the history of exploration. But there were also disappoi

The Quest for the North Pole, Episode 4: Inuit and the Explorers

European explorers often thought of the Arctic as an empty wasteland, and the Indigenous people who lived there as childlike. But as one historian put it, “the real children in the Arctic would be the white explorers.”

The Quest for the North Pole, Episode 3: The Turning Point

British explorer George Strong Nares failed in his quest for the North Pole, but Norwegian genius Fridtjof Nansen got closer to the mythical point on the map than anyone before. The international competition was on.

The Quest for the North Pole, Episode 2: Go North, Young Man

In this episode, we’ll dive into the first real attempts to conquer the North Pole, by land or by sea. And we’ll analyze what went so extremely wrong.

The Quest for the North Pole, Episode 1: Why Go to the North Pole?

In the premiere episode of our podcast 'The Quest for the North Pole,' we learn what made explorers go north in the first place.

The Quest for the North Pole: A Historical Timeline of Arctic Exploration

From Leif Eriksson’s chance continental landing to Ralph Plaisted’s trailblazing snowmobile adventure, here’s how Arctic exploration unfolded.

22 Polar Exploration Terms You Should Know

While listening to Mental Floss's new podcast, 'The Quest for the North Pole,' learn the definitions for these common polar terms.

The Quest for the North Pole: 39 Key Players You Should Know

Here's a rundown of the most important and influential historical characters in the new podcast from Mental Floss, 'The Quest for the North Pole.'

Listen to the Trailer for Mental Floss's Latest Podcast, The Quest for the North Pole

In our new podcast, 'Mental Floss Presents: The Quest for the North Pole,' we’ll dive into the adventure, excitement, and danger surrounding our obsession with the North Pole.