Exploration has always engrossed the imagination of human being, whether it be the desire to search for a new route around the world or the first adventures into outer space. This seemingly primal fascination has run into quite a number of technical issues, both ideologically and physically. The notion that the world was a sphere was accepted fairly early on in the age of exploration, contrary to the tales that people were scared of falling off the world, it was supply logistics that scared many.
Several discoveries allowed for more certainty and confidence in this new age of discovery. The discovery of regular ocean and air currents allowed for better course plotting than was previously allowed for, even allowing for more efficient routes. This was followed with the discovery of accurate measurements of longitude, allowing for 2D geolocation and more accurate measurements of distance. The discovery of magnetic poles and declination allowed for accurate, on-the-fly measurements to be done on an unstable ship. All of these have effected many aspects of modern navigation, even allowing for all participants of this trip to cross the Atlantic Ocean and land at a specific airport from cruising at 30,000 feet in the air.
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