On a cold November day in 1911, Robert Scott set off from Cape Evans on the first of two expeditions that would eventually lead to his becoming the first man to conquer the South Pole. It was an adventure of epic proportions and one that has been retold and studied by many over the years.

The first part of the journey was a marathon slog over 800 miles from Cape Evans to Ross Island. The ship had to ram through ice floes in order to break free from the pack and make progress. This was a dangerous operation as they were in an icy environment and their supply of coal was running low.

It took almost three weeks to get through the ice and Scott warned his men that they were a long way from the warmth of base camp. As a result, they began to become malnourished and exhausted.

In mid-February, a member of the party died in his sleep - he was apparently overcome with frostbite and exhaustion. The rest of the team struggled on, but by March 21, a month after Scott and his men had set out, they were pinned down in their tent by the weather. They were running out of fuel and food and had no way of getting further.

What was the cause of this catastrophic disaster?

The question has always been a hot topic among historians and polar enthusiasts. Some have slammed Scott for his lack of planning and others have blamed the atrocious weather conditions on a random mishap.

But, as new research from a leading Antarctic expert suggests, the exact cause of Scott's death is still shrouded in mystery. According to Turney, Scott and his men may have been killed by one of their own crew members.

This could explain the bizarre temperatures Scott and his men recorded over a prolonged period of time, as well as pointing to the strangely similar weather conditions that are currently experienced in Antarctica. This analysis is based on a combination of historical (Heroic Age) and modern weather data from manned and automated stations, and high correlations between the minimum near surface air temperatures at different locations.

As well as the anomalous temperatures, a number of other unusual conditions emerged over the months. For instance, the expedition team's huts were not well insulated and there was little insulation on the outside of the huts. Additionally, the huts were made of wood, rather than the more traditional rock and metal.