Ask mapman[TM].

In June 1913, the HMCS Karluk steamed from Victoria, British Columbia, to the Arctic. Twelve crewmen, 10 international scientists, an Inuit family, 30 huskies, and tons of supplies filled the decks of the 128-foot vessel.

Sponsored by the Canadian government, the polar expedition was going to be the most advanced of its time. The scientists set out to answer many questions. Specifically, they wanted to know whether the Arctic was a landmass.

Unfortunately for the expedition, the answer came at the expense of many lives. After the ship became ice-choked north of Alaska, it drifted in a westerly direction for five months. The ice finally crushed the ship, leaving all on board exposed to the brutal weather and shifting ice of the Arctic Ocean (see following question).

Ricky B., from sunny California, wonders about frigid places.

Q Is the Arctic a continent or just floating ice?

A The Arctic is a body of ice shelves and not a continent. Unlike Antarctica, which is a solid landmass, the Arctic's pack ice moves in a clockwise direction. Leads (channels of water in the ice) can open up at any time anywhere across the ice shelf. A couple of years ago, Arctic explorers noticed gaping leads near the North Pole itself.

What about the Arctic explorers from the Karluk? Six members abandoned the expedition after the ship was trapped in ice. Eleven members, along with all the dogs, perished. The rest were picked up on Wrangel Island in September 1914. The survivors had spent nearly a year enduring the harsh climate of the Arctic.

Joel H., from Wichita, Kansas, is concerned about geographic subdivisions.

Q Why is India called a subcontinent?

A The region including India is a distinct landmass, but not quite large enough to be considered a continent. So it is called a subcontinent. Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh are included as part of it too. About 50 million years ago, the subcontinent separated from Australia and Antarctica. When it collided with Asia, the land folded upward, forming the Himalaya mountains--the world's highest range!