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The Arctic vs. the Antarctic - Camille Seaman

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How can you tell the two poles apart? Where are the penguins? What about the bears? The Arctic pole is located in the Northern Hemisphere within the deep Arctic Ocean, while the Antarctic pole is smack in the middle of the ice-covered Antarctica. Camille Seaman describes how enterprising people and organisms have found ways to reside around both poles despite the frigid temperatures.

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Camille Seaman
  • Director Iuri Araújo, Guilherme Araújo
  • Narrator Michelle Snow
Additional Resources for you to Explore
Read more to learn about an expedition to the Arctic. Scientists are working at an ice camp around the North Pole.
For a list of frequently asked questions about the Arctic, check out this page.
Here's a camera that takes pictures of the North Pole throughout the year.
There's a wonderful story about the North Pole. It's where Santa Claus lives. For a daily ticker countdown until Christmas, check this site. It also has stories about Santa and his helpful elves.
Here's the South Pole webcam.
Here's a newspaper called The Antarctic Sun published by three scientist who study the Antarctic.
Here's a blog (including some beautiful panoramic photos) about the South Pole.
TED-Ed
Lesson Creator
New York, NY
What were some misconceptions you had about the poles?
08/19/2013
Avatar for Oğuzcan Yavaş
Oğuzcan Yavaş • Istanbul, Turkey • COMPLETED LESSON

I thought the arctic was colder than the antarctic and no one lived in the arctic.

08/19/2013
Avatar for Vageesha Herath
Vageesha Herath • Colombo, Sri Lanka • COMPLETED LESSON

I thought that polar bears lived in the South and penguins liver in the n\North.

08/20/2013
Avatar for sarah karawya
sarah karawya • Mansoura, Egypt • COMPLETED LESSON

i thought that there is human residence in the Antarctica

08/20/2013
Avatar for junior paina
junior paina • COMPLETED LESSON

Well you are wrong

06/08/2015 • 
IN RESPONSE TO Oğuzcan Yavaş Show the comment
Avatar for Bryan Khuu
Bryan Khuu • COMPLETED LESSON

Some misconceptions I had about the North and South poles were that I thought penguins and polar bears both lived in the North and South poles. But one thing I THINK I am right about is that Artic Wolfs live in the North pole instead of the South Pole. Another thing I didn't know is that when the Earth is farthest from the sun, The North party of the Earth gets warmed up by the Sun's rays while the South pole is experiencing Winter which doubles how cold the South Pole can get. The North Pole is around 40 degrees Celcius and the South Pole is around 80 degrees Celcius.

11/02/2015
Avatar for ramces hernandez
ramces hernandez • COMPLETED LESSON

this was a good lesson that this is teaching me that i didnt know

11/02/2015
Avatar for citlali andrade
citlali andrade • COMPLETED LESSON

Some misconceptions I had about the poles was that I thought that the north pole was bigger than the south pole.I also,thought that penguins lived(different kinds)in both the poles.

11/02/2015
Avatar for Kevin Gonzalez
Kevin Gonzalez • COMPLETED LESSON

A misconception I had was that there was polar bears and penguins on both antarctica and the arctic.

11/02/2015
Avatar for Jason Lee
Jason Lee • COMPLETED LESSON

Some misconceptions I had about the poles is that I thought polar bears also lived in the south pole. I also thought that the Arctic was a solid region. Lastly, I thought that you can live in Antarctica.

11/02/2015
Avatar for alkhansa alharbi
alkhansa alharbi • COMPLETED LESSON

i learn that Antarctica colder than northern cousin and i learn that the arctic region consist of a vast and antarctica is earth southernmost continent.

11/02/2015
Avatar for Minerva Abac
Minerva Abac • COMPLETED LESSON

There was few misconceptions about the poles because how did they know and found out and why?

11/02/2015
Avatar for Iyana Clark
Iyana Clark • COMPLETED LESSON

I always thought that the arctic was colder than the South and I also thought that the North was much bigger than the South

11/02/2015
Avatar for maria medina
maria medina • COMPLETED LESSON

I thought that the arctic was colder than the antarctic, also i got confused about the animals like were they belonged.

11/02/2015
Avatar for Esmeralda Pena
Esmeralda Pena • COMPLETED LESSON

Some misconceptions I had about the poles was that when the Earth is farther away from the sun it is winter in the Antarctic so it causes it to be much more colder. I also learned that both poles are a contribution to our planet not just one pole.

11/02/2015
Avatar for Andy Anguiano
Andy Anguiano • COMPLETED LESSON

I thought the north pole was the coldest but it is instead south pole.

11/02/2015
Avatar for jennifer robles
jennifer robles • COMPLETED LESSON

A misconceptions that i had were that i thought that the north pole was bigger than the south pole something else is that i thought that both polar bears and penguins lived i both the north pole and south pole.

11/02/2015
Avatar for kenedy cruz
kenedy cruz • LESSON IN PROGRESS

south pole has polar bears and north has penuins

11/02/2015
Avatar for Alena Roberson
Alena Roberson • COMPLETED LESSON

Something that I learned that I didn't know before was that the artic had a sea ice which is 13,000 feet or height.I mean I knew it was cold but I didnt think it would be in this harsh conditions

11/02/2015
Avatar for Yendy Ruiz
Yendy Ruiz • COMPLETED LESSON

I thought that that the north pole was colder and the south pole was warmer and I also thought both poles had penguins and polar bears.

11/02/2015
Avatar for Grace Paredes
Grace Paredes • LESSON IN PROGRESS

Well I thought that pinguens and polar dear live to geather also that the north was colder then the south was hot also I thought that polar bears lived in the South and penguins live in the North I thought that there is human residence in the Antarctica.

11/02/2015
Avatar for Andrea Vivas
Andrea Vivas • COMPLETED LESSON

A misconception about this lesson was that the animals were on different sides so were the places and the size was different. I also thought that the heat would be less colder but it was more heat/temp. on both poles

11/02/2015
Avatar for nikayla wilson
nikayla wilson • COMPLETED LESSON

I always thought that both the north and south poles had polar bears and penguins, until now.

11/02/2015
Avatar for Kevin Rodriguez
Kevin Rodriguez • COMPLETED LESSON

I thought that both poles were the same because of its cold temperatures.

11/02/2015
Avatar for jhonathan maradiaga
jhonathan maradiaga • LESSON IN PROGRESS

The aritcle is good and intresting about south and north pole.

11/02/2015
Avatar for Amritesh Banerjee
Amritesh Banerjee • COMPLETED LESSON

I thought the south was colder than the north and no one lived there and my thought was true.

06/11/2016
Avatar for raahim memon
raahim memon • COMPLETED LESSON

I thought polar bears and penguins both live in the north pole and the south pole. I also did not know that Antartica is twice the are of Australia

08/06/2016
Avatar for Professor Aeryn
Professor Aeryn • COMPLETED LESSON

There are no penguins at the North pole. I learned that the north pole is surrounded by land. South pole is the 5th largest continent. South pole continent is 3km higher than sea level. The north pole is always moving because its attached to ice floats.

12/02/2018
Avatar for Ananda Fox
Ananda Fox • COMPLETED LESSON

I thought both the north and south poles had both penguins and polar bears.

05/04/2020
Avatar for Feather Temple
Feather Temple • COMPLETED LESSON

i thought it was all freezing cold to be honest

12/14/2020
Avatar for Tanisi Bhardwaj
Tanisi Bhardwaj • COMPLETED LESSON

I thought that the North Pole and South Pole both had polar bears and penguins.

03/30/2021

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Camille Seaman
  • Director Iuri Araújo, Guilherme Araújo
  • Narrator Michelle Snow