The spirit of discovery

Astriking aspect of each year’s Explore weekend (other than it always seeming to coincide with my birthday) is the sheer variety of endeavours that the participants are undertaking. An oft-held refrain is that, with the advent of satellite mapping, GPS devices and globally connected social media, there’s nothing left to discover in the world any more. As anybody that has had even a cursory conversation with the enthusiastic souls at the Society’s annual November gathering can attest, nothing could be further from the truth.

While the large-scale expedition to conquer some far-off, undiscovered location is obviously a thing of the past, today’s explorers are continuously unearthing new aspects of the world on a far more intricate level. From measuring how the changing face of melting glaciers impacts a region’s ecosystem, to documenting the declining (or hopefully rising) numbers of wildlife species in remote places, to the ongoing development of cultures and societies and the intimate systems that tie us all together however remote our geography – today’s explorations are as much about examining the way our planet and its inhabitants are evolving as they are about finding the unknown. These are the voyages of discovery that shape and inform the geographers of tomorrow and it is a constant delight to meet, hear from and find ways for Geographical to work with this growing band of pioneers every year.

On page 55 you can read about the way the weekend’s activities have changed the lives of just some of those that regularly attend, and how coming back year after year serves to refresh the adventuring spirit, so to speak. If you are attending this year’s Explore, please do seek out our humble little table among the rest of the attendees (it will likely be the easiest expedition you’ll embark upon). We would love to find ways to share your adventures and discoveries with the wider Geographical world. Cakes and candles optional!