Ship of fools

James May reveals the truth about the world's most famous pioneers

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For hundreds of years, explorers such as Christopher Columbus, Sir Walter Raleigh and Captain James Cook were seen as maritime heroes who bravely risked their lives to discover new lands and bring home unimaginable treasures.

But now, in a three-part series, James May delves into the truth of the adventurers' achievements and he reckons that referring to them as the 'great' explorers could be something of an overstatement.

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