At the top and bottom of the world are enormous areas of . . . nothing. Virtually no life exists in the frozen wastelands of the North and South Poles. However, the human spirit of adventure and discovery—to say nothing of the desire to tap into natural resources—led people to try and conquer the icy lands. Inside, read about the courageous and daring explorers who first opened up the poles to scientific discovery. Then see how the world’s nations have worked together not only to find out more about the polar regions, but to work together to protect them.