Bering (or Behring), Vitus (1680-1741), a Danish navigator. When very young he joined the Danish navy. In 1704 he entered the Russian navy and served in a war against Sweden. In 1724 the czar ordered Bering to find out if Asia were joined to America by land. After crossing overland to Kamchatka, Siberia, he sailed north along the Asiatic coast in 1728 until he was sure the continents were not connected. On another North Pacific exploring expedition he discovered Alaska. The Bering Strait and Bering Sea are named for him.