Open Polar Sea

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Open Polar Sea
Silas Bent's 1872 map including the "Supposed Open Sea"
Created by	Suggested by Robert Thorne in the 16th century
In-universe information
Type	Ice-free ocean in the North Pole area
Locations	Arctic Ocean

The Open Polar Sea was a conjectured ice-free body of water that was believed to encircle the North Pole. Although this theory was widely accepted and served as a basis for many exploratory expeditions aimed at reaching the North Pole by sea or discovering a navigable route between Europe and the Pacific via the North Pole, it was ultimately proven to be untrue.

However, global warming could open large areas of the Arctic Ocean by the end of the 21st century.