View individual artefacts on the deck of the sunken Antarctic ship HMS Endurance

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Earth's icy extremes have long lured explorers with the promise of uncharted territory.

The challenges of reaching such unforgiving destinations created excitement in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic. Some achieved groundbreaking success, while others ended in tragic failure.

Crews encountered obstacles that caused ships to become stuck or submerged under ice-covered water, creating an enduring mystique about what went wrong.

Now new research reveals stunning insights into polar ...