Next on NOVA: "Arctic Passage"

http://www.pbs.org/nova/arctic

Broadcast: February 28, 2006 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

(NOVA airs Tuesdays on PBS at 8 p.m. Check your local listings as
dates and times may vary.)

The greatest geographical prize of its day was the search for the
fabled Northwest Passage through the island maze of Arctic Canada.
In 1845, Great Britain mounted an all-out assault with a lavishly
equipped expedition that was never heard from again. Then in the
early 1900s, a little-known Norwegian adventurer set forth in a
secondhand fishing boat and succeeded beyond all expectation. This
two-hour special answers the riddle of why Sir John Franklin's
mission failed and Roald Amundsen's made it.

Here's what you'll find on the companion Web site:

ARTICLE, INTERVIEW & MORE

Future of the Passage
Will rapid Arctic melting turn the Northwest Passage into a busy
shipping route?

Franklin's Provisions
Tinned meat: 33,289 lbs. Peas: 147 bushels. Chocolate: 9,450
lbs. -- see the supplies that could not sustain, and may even
have doomed, the expedition.

Norway's Reluctant Hero
In this interview, historian Roland Huntford argues that
Amundsen's Norwegian heritage had everything to do with his
polar firsts.

My LIfe As an Explorer
Learn about Roald Amundsen from the man himself, in these
excerpts from his autobiography.

AUDIO SLIDE SHOW & INTERACTIVES

Remnants of an Expedition
Franklin expert Russell Potter narrates this audio slide show of
artifacts from the lost expedition.

Tracing the Routes
In this interactive map, follow the Franklin and Amundsen
expeditions -- and see how one collapsed while the other thrived.

The Note in the Cairn
Read the original version of the final messages left by
Franklin's desperate men.

Igloo 101
Take our quiz on Inuit snow shelters, and find out if you know
enough to build one yourself.

PODCASTS

On our Web site, subscribe to our podcast feeds to download audio
and video pieces about arctic exploration, including:

Author and mountaineer Jon Krakauer on the purpose of adventure
Explorer Benedict Allen on the feeling of polar cold
Biographer Roland Huntford on the lure of the Northwest Passage

Also, Links & Books, the Teacher's Guide, the program transcript,
and more.

http://www.pbs.org/nova/arctic