The icy deserts of the Arctic and Antarctica have long captured humanity’s attention. Why does the northern lights appear in the sky? Are there still undiscovered islands beneath the ice of the Arctic Ocean? Was Antarctica always the coldest continent on Earth? This book will answer these and many other questions, revealing polar mysteries that are still waiting for their researchers. The reader will learn the dramatic history of conquering the North and South Poles, discover how indigenous people of the North live, and how difficult the work of polar scientists is; it will also show how polar creatures—polar bears, walruses, and penguins—survive among ice and snow: the planet’s northernmost and southernmost inhabitants.