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Living in a Bipolar World

Living in a Bipolar World

Expedition Notes

Short articles on the top and bottom of the world, the magnets that point to them, and the friendly opposites in between.

Sweet and Salty: Why Opposites Work on a Plate Everyday Opposites Sweet and Salty: Why Opposites Work on a Plate Chocolate with sea salt, prosciutto with melon, kettle corn. Some of the best things to eat are two opposites on one fork. A cheerful look at why. The Lights at Both Ends of the World Arctic The Lights at Both Ends of the World The northern lights have a southern twin. Both are made by the same event, at the same moment, at opposite ends of the planet. What Is Directly on the Other Side of the World? Opposite Ends What Is Directly on the Other Side of the World? Dig straight down from most of the United States and you end up in the Indian Ocean. Meet the antipodes, the exact opposite points on the globe. Summer in July, Summer in January Opposite Ends Summer in July, Summer in January The seasons run in opposite directions on each half of the world. The cause is the tilt of the planet, not its distance from the Sun. Cut a Magnet in Half and You Get Two Magnets Magnets Cut a Magnet in Half and You Get Two Magnets You can never have a north without a south. Snap a magnet in two and each piece instantly has both ends. Physicists are still looking for the exception. Earth's Magnetic Poles Can Trade Places Magnets Earth’s Magnetic Poles Can Trade Places Your compass points to a spot that keeps wandering. Over long stretches of time, north and south have swapped altogether. Rocks keep the record. The Place Where Every Direction Is North Antarctic The Place Where Every Direction Is North Stand on the South Pole and turn in any direction you like. You are facing north. Maps get strange at the ends of the Earth. One End Is a Sea, the Other Is a Continent Opposite Ends One End Is a Sea, the Other Is a Continent The North Pole sits on floating ice above deep ocean. The South Pole stands on a high ice sheet on land. That single difference explains much of the rest. Polar Bears Have Never Met a Penguin Opposite Ends Polar Bears Have Never Met a Penguin Holiday cards put them on the same iceberg. In the wild, they live half a planet apart. Here is who really lives at each end.