Countdowns

North vs. South Poles: 10 Wild Differences

Russia has planted a flag at the bottom of the sea marking the North Pole and laying claim to the region in an escalating race for oil. A U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker has been dispatched to map the Arctic seafloor at a time when the vast, floating ice cap is disintegrating. Meanwhile, the rock-solid continent of Antarctica has long been governed by an international treaty that prevents oil exploration and fosters scientific cooperation. These polar difference are among the many that distinguish the two ends of the Earth.--Tuan C. Nguyen