One thing the world got right and has stayed largely true to is the peace and protection of the Antarctic.
Under the Antarctic Treaty, no country can lay claim to it or is locked out of it. It is off-limits to militarisation, nuclear activities and mineral exploration and is the world's biggest scientific research park.
The Great White South thus seems safely isolated from the world's troubles, yet it is falling under their shadow.
There are fears that the last unspoiled continent may one day have its price - a price that may be found in the soaring markets for oil, gas and minerals, and in the lengths to which countries are prepared to go to ensure security of supplies.
Relevant examples are easy to find. The endless permutations of conflict and uncertainty in the oil-rich Middle East drive a search for more stable supplies. One result is the Bush administration's controversial move to allow exploration for more secure indigenous oil supplies in the Alaskan wilderness.
It should not come as a surprise, as we report on the previous page, that there are signs countries are jockeying for position in the Antarctic in the event a world energy crisis leads to a relaxation - or worse disregard - of a ban on exploitation.