Roald Amundsen grew up reading about polar explorers and sleeping with his bedroom window open in winter to toughen himself up. By his 30s he was already famous - his ship was the first to sail through the icy Northwest Passage above Canada.
In 1910 he secretly switched his plans from the North Pole to the South. A British team led by Robert Scott was also racing to be first. Amundsen used 52 sled dogs and Inuit-style fur clothing he’d learned about in the Arctic. Scott’s team chose ponies and motor sleds, both of which failed.
On 14 December 1911, Amundsen and four men planted the Norwegian flag at the South Pole - 34 days ahead of Scott. They returned safely. Scott’s team reached the pole a month later but tragically died on the way back. Amundsen’s careful planning is still studied by explorers today.
