The Phantom of the Poles

The Phantom of the Poles is a book by William Reed, first published in 1906. Reed, an American writer fascinated by polar mysteries, proposed a bold theory: that the Earth is hollow, and that what explorers called the poles were in fact phantom points—entrances to a vast inner world.

He marshals observations such as warm Arctic winds, compass irregularities, embedded rocks in ice, strange auroras, unexplained dust deposits, and persistent open-water patches near the poles, all of which he believed supported the idea of a cavernous Earth with polar openings. Reed structures his argument around a series of pointed questions: why the poles appear flattened, why they were supposedly never reached, why compasses falter, and how phenomena such as meteor showers, coloured snow, tidal waves, and polar ice-pressure might be explained.

His conclusion is that beneath the polar veil lies an interior realm, perhaps warmed by an inner sun and containing unknown lands, seas, and possibly life. In historical context, Reed’s work represents a strident voice in early twentieth-century pseudoscience. Published just before explorers such as Peary in 1909 and Amundsen in 1911 reached the actual poles—effectively undermining his central premise—the book nevertheless captures the adventurous and speculative spirit of its era.