Explore 50: five decades of discovery

At the heart of the Explore 50 celebrations is a special series of talks celebrating five decades of Society-supported exploration. In this event, five speakers, each representing a different decade since 1976, will share stories from the field that capture the challenges, research outputs and evolving purpose of expeditionary fieldwork.

These short talks chart how exploration has changed, while highlighting the enduring values that unite it.

Meet our speakers

Paul Rose is at the front line of exploration and one of the world’s most experienced divers, field science and polar experts. Paul helps scientists unlock and communicate global mysteries in the most remote and challenging regions of the planet. Paul will be the MC for the evening.

Nigel Winser founded and curated the Explore weekend, shaping it into a leading gathering for explorers, adventurers and expedition thinkers over its first 30 years. A passionate advocate for exploration and the people behind it, Nigel has played a pivotal role in building the Explore community.

Robert Swan is one of the world’s leading motivational speakers and the first person in history to walk to both the North and South Poles. Witnessing the impact of climate change firsthand on his polar journeys, he has dedicated his life to protecting Antarctica and inspiring action on our planet’s future.

Rachel Carr is Professor of Glaciology at Newcastle University, where her research and teaching focus on how glaciers are responding to climate change across the Himalaya and Arctic. An academic geographer with a passion for fieldwork, her current research on Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in Bhutan is particularly timely.

Mark Day is Co-Founder of the Altyn Dala Conservation Initiative, winner of the 2024 Earthshot Prize, and a former RGS student grant recipient. He leads the RSPB’s international work on capacity building and organisational development, helping partner organisations deliver stability, growth and lasting conservation impact.

Alastair Humphreys is an adventurer, author and communicator who popularised the idea of the ‘microadventure’ making adventure accessible through small, local challenges. Having first attended Explore in 1999 before cycling around the world for five years, he is now a regular podcaster and popular speaker known for his humour and storytelling.

Booking information

• Advance booking for this event is required. In order to book you will need an account on our website. If you already have an account you will be prompted to log in when you click 'book now'. Please create an account if you do not have one yet (you do not need to be a member of the Society to create an account).

Attending in-person

• We do not issue tickets (electronic or physical) for this event. Instead your name will be on a list at the door. Please use the Society's entrance on Exhibition Road.

Attending online

• If you are attending the event online, the joining instructions will be included in your confirmation email.

If you have any questions or require assistance with your booking, please email events@rgs.org

Accessibility at our events

We want everyone to feel welcome at our events. Key accessibility features of this event include:

• Step-free access to the event
• Accessible toilets
• Assistance dogs are welcome
• Hearing loop

For full details, please visit our accessibility page. If you have any questions or specific access requirements, feel free to get in touch with us on access@rgs.org