Wow, that is amazing, I would love to meet them next time we come visit! Shackleton was a revolutionary explorer not only for what he accomplished, but was also known for being a compassionate and great leader to his crew.

International collaboration under the Antarctic Treaty provides a rare example of how nations can work together for mutual benefit in a consensus based agreement. These are precious and few. The only other example that leaps to mind was the international agreement to ban CFC's and fix the ozone hole in our atmosphere. The huge challenge lies in finding a way to adapt and change a long term agreement (there is no perfect agreement; they all require adaption eventually) where the consensus model gives every participant a veto on change. This has become even more challenging in the 21st century as the trend to rising nationalism has replaced the motivation for international collaboration and cooperation.