Exploration

Quick Facts: Who was Exploration?

Subject:

Exploration

Known for:

The process of discovering unfamiliar areas, spanning geography to outer space.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Exploration is the process of exploring, an activity which has some expectation of discovery. Organised exploration is largely a human activity, but exploratory activity is common to most organisms capable of directed locomotion and the ability to learn, and has been described in, amongst others, social insects foraging behaviour, where feedback from returning individuals affects the activity of other members of the group. Geographical exploration, sometimes considered the default meaning for the more general term exploration, is the practice of discovering lands and regions of the planet Earth remote or relatively inaccessible from the origin of the explorer. The surface of the Earth not covered by water has been relatively comprehensively explored, as access is generally relatively straightforward, but underwater and subterranean areas are far less known, and even at the surface, much is still to be discovered in detail in the more remote and inaccessible wilderness areas. Two major eras of geographical exploration occurred in human history: The first, covering most of Human history, saw people moving out of Africa, settling in new lands, and developing distinct cultures in relative isolation.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Early explorers settled in Europe and Asia; about 14,000 years ago, some crossed the Ice Age land bridge from Siberia to Alaska, and moved southwards to settle in the Americas. For the most part, these cultures were ignorant of each other's existence. The second period of exploration, occurring over the last 10,000 years, saw increased cross-cultural exchange through trade and exploration, and marked a new era of cultural intermingling, and more recently, convergence. Early writings about exploration date back to the 4th millennium B.C. in ancient Egypt. One of the earliest and most impactful thinkers on exploration was Ptolemy in the 2nd century AD.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Between the 5th century and 15th century AD, most exploration was done by Chinese and Arab explorers. This was followed by the Age of Discovery after European scholars rediscovered the works of early Latin and Greek geographers. While the Age of Discovery was partly driven by land routes outside of Europe becoming unsafe, and a desire for conquest, the 17th century also saw exploration driven by nobler motives, including scientific discovery and the expansion of knowledge about the world. This broader knowledge of the world's geography meant that people were able to make world maps, depicting all land known. The first modern atlas was the Theatrum Orbis Terrarum, published by Abraham Ortelius, which included a world map that depicted all of Earth's continents.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Exploration

True or False: “Did the Age of Discovery solely result from European scholars rediscovering ancient Greek and Latin geographical works?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The Age of Discovery was partly driven by land routes outside Europe becoming unsafe, alongside a desire for conquest.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Exploration of Antarctica — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: The historical journey of understanding and exploring the vast, icy continent at the bottom of the world.
• Exploration of Mars — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: The scientific exploration of Mars through robotic spacecraft, revealing its geological history.
• Exploration of the Moon — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: A chronicle of humanity's journey to understand and explore our nearest celestial neighbor.
• Exploration of the Pacific — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: A sweeping overview of human migration, trade, and European discovery across the vast Pacific Ocean.
• Expulsion of the Chagossians — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Forced removal of Chagossian people from the Chagos Archipelago for a US military base.
• Extermination camp — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Systematic killing centers established by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust.

Frequently Asked Questions about Exploration