Chinese researchers just back from a four-month jaunt to Antarctica's eastern extreme have announced their intention to name 46 newly-surveyed islands after notable "scholars, politicians, emperors and artists", Reuters reports.

Accordingly, a new map due to hit the streets in 2007 will feature a veritable land mass of new titles - possibly including Confucius and Mao Zedong, although probably not Chiang Kai-shek.

Expedition scientist Zhao Yue told state media: "This first map will be a landmark contribution made by China to the world in Antarctic research."

Whether Google and Yahoo! have made the 160-strong shortlist for Antarctic immortality - based on their immeasurable recent contributions to the advancement of democracy in China - is not noted. ®