explorer

Celebrated annually on the second Monday of October, Columbus Day is a federal holiday that honors the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.

Defending the Arctic—an environment that for centuries has thwarted ambitions of explorers and governments—will demand big budgets, unprecedented resources and determination.

Another explorer, Martin Nweeia, a dental surgeon, discovered that a narwhal’s tusk, whose purpose was a mystery to scientists, is actually a sensory rod that helps it measure salinity, temperature and water pressure.

Originally known just as Columbus Day, the holiday, which has its roots going as far back as the 18th Century, honors the Italian explorer who arrived in America in 1492.

Originally known just as Columbus Day, the holiday, which has its roots going as far back as the 18th Century, honors the Italian explorer who arrived in America in 1492.