What did Douglas Mawson discover?

Sir Douglas Mawson is one of Australia’s best known Antarctic explorers. His personal Antarctic achievements include discovering the location of the south magnetic pole as part of Shackleton’s Nimrod Expedition, and organizing and leading the first true scientific expedition to Antarctica.

What was Douglas Mawson doing on his expedition?

Mawson’s plan was to split his expedition into four groups, one to man base camp and the other three to head into the interior to do scientific work. He nominated himself to lead what was known as the Far Eastern Shore Party—a three-man team assigned to survey several glaciers hundreds of miles from base.

Why did Douglas Mawson want to explore Antarctica?

Mawson wanted Australia to have its own mark on the Antarctic map. With an impressive ability to raise funds, alongside a desire to advance scientific knowledge, Mawson got the go-ahead for an Australian-led Antarctic research expedition.

How did Douglas Mawson change the world?

Mawson’s team discovered the first meteorites in Antarctica. The second year also gave them the time to make the wireless equipment they had brought with them in 1911 work at long range. Mawson’s expedition was the first to connect Antarctica to the outside world by radio.

Why was Mawson forced to stay in Antarctica for another?

“It looked like a distant ship; it might well have been the Aurora.” Mawson had arrived too late for the boat that could have taken him home. As a result, he had to stay in Antarctica, along with five colleagues, for an extra year.

Who Discovered Antarctica?

Americans weren’t far behind: John Davis, a sealer and explorer, was the first person to step foot on Antarctic land in 1821. The race to find Antarctica sparked competition to locate the South Pole—and stoked another rivalry. Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen found it on December 14, 1911.

What was Antarctica’s original name?

Terra Australis
The history of Antarctica emerges from early Western theories of a vast continent, known as Terra Australis, believed to exist in the far south of the globe. The term Antarctic, referring to the opposite of the Arctic Circle, was coined by Marinus of Tyre in the 2nd century AD.