Thor Heyerdahl was a Norwegian explorer and ethnographer who is best known for his Kon-Tiki expedition in 1947. Heyerdahl sailed 8, 000 km across the Pacific Ocean on a balsa wood raft from South America to the Tuamotu Islands. Heyerdahl believed that the ancient people of South America could have settled Polynesia, and his voyage was an attempt to prove this theory. Heyerdahl wrote a book about his journey, which became a bestseller and was later made into a documentary film. Heyerdahl also conducted archaeological expeditions to Easter Island, the Galapagos Islands, and other places around the world. Heyerdahl's work helped to popularize anthropology and archaeology, and he was awarded numerous honors for his achievements.