How Dinner and Brandy Led to the Creation of the Antarctic Treaty

In ‘This Week in History,’ three scientists proposed a Third International Polar Year, resulting in major scientific and political breakthroughs.

A United States 1958 3-cent stamp for the International Geophysical Year. National Postal Museum. Public Domain

“Sydney,” Lloyd Berkner asked, “don’t you think that it is about time for another international polar year?”

A decorated naval officer and brilliant radio engineer, Berkner’s question was directed to Sydney Chapman, the British geophysicist. Berkner and Chapman were in Silver Spring, Maryland, having been invited to the home of James and Abigail Van Allen for dinner. Much like Berkner and Chapman, Van Allen was well known in his specific field of nuclear physics.