I ran across a bit of trivia today that was interesting and this seems to be the place to post it. I don't expect too much interaction from it but you might like to know that ... ... Arctos is Greek for 'bear'. So Arctic roughly means 'with bears' and Antarctica correspondingly means 'without bears'. I think this is pretty cool - sort of like the poles themselves.
My desk used to be on the east side of the house. So, when working, I noticed the sun and it's shadows in my eyes and on my desk. Over the years, the sun seemed to be staying more and more to the south. And the birds here were changing species. Birds we never saw before were here. I commented a number of times to my keepers that I thought the axes were moving and there was a site that proved it. I think it has been taken down because it proved it was not my car's exhaust causing global warming. Bears might have to move to the south pole?
I did not know that arctos = bears. Most folks have heard of northern lights (aurora borealis) but there are southern lights as well (aurora australis.) I figured that might play into the names. Regarding the shifting axes...when you use a compass you must adjust for declination (degrees difference between magnetic north and true north) that's specific to your location. That adjustment changes over time mostly due to magnetic shifts.) Here is an excerpt from an article on a hiking website: In the continental U.S., declination can vary from nearly 20 degrees east in places on the West Coast to nearly 20 degrees west in places on the East Coast. When you’re navigating in the wilds, degrees matter. A 15 degree error, for example, on a mile-long hike puts you a quarter-mile away from your destination. The adjustment in my area is almost 10° and changes by .03° every year. I found this out when I was installing my roof antennas and used my compass to aim them to the points of transmission.
I just know it is cold and colder ,thats about it. I did read somewhere that some of the oldest living people on earth live close to one of the Poles and their main diet is meat of course.
John Brunner, Quarter of a mile away? To think the sailors of the XV century were running around with only the help of the stars.