The Atlas Obscura Podcast · Thursday, September 17, 2026
Ross Jennings conceived the idea of being the first person to play the bagpipes in Antarctica. However, his research revealed a photograph from 1906 of a man in a kilt playing bagpipes with a penguin, dashing his hope of being the first.
“And I thought, wow. Wow. Very inspiring. Why can't I do that? But I'm not quite as, like badass and, like, outdoorsy, but I can play the pipes. And it sounds so silly, but I just really love the idea of being the first person to do something. And I thought, wow, why don't I be the first person to play the bagpipes in Antarctica?”
“And up pops that damn photo. I've seen this photo. It is delightful. It is a black and white photo of a man in a traditional kilt, standing on the snow, bagpipes over his shoulder, with a huge penguin standing next to him. From 1906. And I thought, you bug, you bastard. You beat me.”