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The Amazon Rainforest - vibrant, untamed, and full of stories yet to be told - is home to worlds most people have never seen.

From jaguars that self-medicate with jungle plants, boiling rivers that harbour microbes unknown to science, pink river dolphins gliding through ancient waters, to stingless bees that craft medicinal honey, every corner of this vast wilderness holds a mystery waiting to be uncovered.

In this talk, scientist and author Rosa Vásquez Espinoza unveils a new face of the Amazon - one where discovery, science, and ancestral wisdom intertwine.

Blending modern research with Indigenous knowledge, she reveals how the rainforest is not just an ecosystem, but a living archive of intelligence, healing, and beauty.

Through stories from her book The Spirit of the Rainforest, Rosa shares her work with remote communities and hidden species, offering a rare glimpse into how science and tradition together illuminate the path toward protecting the world’s most extraordinary forest — and rediscovering our own sense of wonder.

About the speakers

Rosa Vásquez Espinoza is a UNESCO-awarded scientist, National Geographic Explorer, and author, named among the BBC 100 Women for her leadership in bridging Indigenous knowledge and modern science.

Of Amazonian and Andean Indigenous roots, she is the founder of Amazon Research Internacional, where she leads groundbreaking efforts to protect biodiversity and empower Amazonian communities.

Her book, The Spirit of the Rainforest, intertwines adventure, science, and ancestral wisdom to reveal the living intelligence and beauty of the world’s greatest rainforest.

Booking information

Monday night lectures are open to Fellows and Members and are included in the cost of membership.

Attending in-person

• All Fellows and Members wanting to attend in person must pre-book a free ticket. You will receive an e-ticket with a QR code that will be scanned on arrival. Your ticket can be shown on a mobile phone or printed. If you do not have a smartphone, we can find your name on the door list instead.
• Doors open at 5.30pm. Please use the Society's entrance on Exhibition Road. The lecture will begin at 6.30pm.
• Monday night lectures are held in person in the Ondaatje Theatre. The bar will be open in the Map Room before and after the lecture. Please be advised all payments are card only.
• The Ondaatje Theatre is fitted with a hearing loop. For the best quality sound we recommend sitting on the outside rows of the front seating section.
• There is step free access to the theatre. Wheelchair spaces can be booked in advance. If you have any questions about the venue, please contact events@rgs.org

Watch online

• You do not need to pre-book to watch the lecture online.
• All Monday night lectures are livestreamed via our website so you can watch them from wherever you are.

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

About Monday night lectures

Our Monday night lectures are exclusive to Fellows and Members and are included in the cost of membership. Members can book to attend the lectures in-person at the Society, or enjoy them live from the comfort of your own home.

These lectures are also recorded and uploaded to our website solely for members to catch up on whenever they like. If you would like to receive a weekly reminder email about the upcoming Monday night lecture, please newsletter.