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Polar Exploration Historian Roland Huntford Passes Away at 98

2/10/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Roland Huntford, a journalist and historian focused on polar exploration, died January 23 in Cambridge, England, aged 98.
His death was announced by the Fram Museum in Oslo.
He spent 15 years as The Observer's Scandinavian correspondent, embracing Nordic culture.
His work includes detailing the race to the South Pole between Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen, with Amundsen first in January 1912 and Scott's team dying on the return.

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Story summary

Roland Huntford, a journalist and historian focused on polar exploration, died January 23 in Cambridge, England, aged 98.
His death was announced by the Fram Museum in Oslo.
He spent 15 years as The Observer's Scandinavian correspondent, embracing Nordic culture.
His work includes detailing the race to the South Pole between Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen, with Amundsen first in January 1912 and Scott's team dying on the return.