Can Geo Talks

Can Geo Talks is a dynamic speaker series featuring some of the most fascinating individuals working in the fields of geography, exploration, environmental science, journalism, history and more. Past presenters include world-renowned cave diver and Royal Canadian Geographical Society Explorer-in-Residence Jill Heinerth, actor and comedian Sir Michael Palin, award-winning photographer Michelle Valberg, marine archaeologist Mensun Bound, journalist and author Whit Fraser, and bestselling author and RCGS Westaway Explorer-in-Residence Adam Shoalts. 

Talks are held monthly from February to June and September to November. Unless otherwise specified, all talks take place in person at Canada’s Centre for Geography and Exploration, the headquarters of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society located at 50 Sussex Drive in Ottawa. Information about upcoming talks will be posted here. Admission for the talks is free; please consider supporting future events by donating to the Society. 

Upcoming talks

 

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 — Alex Hutchinson: The Explorer’s Gene

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Join Canadian Geographic and bestselling author Alex Hutchinson for a fascinating deep dive into the neuroscience of why we explore.

Why is it that we’re drawn to the blank spots on the map? Whether it’s crossing oceans or ordering unfamiliar dishes at a restaurant, we seem to be wired to explore. In this Can Geo Talk, journalist Alex Hutchinson digs into the ancient patterns of human migration and modern theories of neuroscience that explain the itch to discover new things, expressed not just on the slopes of Everest but in the ways we work, play, and live. Drawing on the stories and reporting from his new book The Explorer’s Gene, Hutchinson investigates how we decide when to stick with the familiar path and when to veer off into the unknown, what we’re seeking when we explore, and why it’s worthwhile. The takeaway: even in our fully mapped digital world, the age of exploration is not dead—but it’s different, and understanding why can help guide us in the right direction.

About Alex Hutchinson

Alex Hutchinson is a National Magazine Award-winning science journalist who writes about endurance, adventure, and fitness. In addition to The Explorer’s Gene, he is the author of the New York Times bestseller Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance. He writes Outside magazine’s Sweat Science column, and also contributes to the Globe and Mail, Canadian Geographic, the New York Times, and other publications. Before journalism, he competed for the Canadian track and field team and received a PhD in physics from the University of Cambridge. He lives with his family in Toronto.

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ICYMI

Check out these recordings of our recent talks!

Browse photos from past events

Explorer and bestselling author Adam Shoalts recounts an expedition he undertook from Lake Erie to the Arctic during one of two sold-out talks on Nov. 27, 2023.
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Explorer and bestselling author Adam Shoalts recounts an expedition he undertook from Lake Erie to the Arctic during one of two sold-out talks on Nov. 27, 2023.
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Journalist Karen Pinchin discusses her first book, Kings of Their Own Ocean, on Sept. 21, 2023.
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Glaciologist Anna Crawford speaks about her work on the Milne Ice Shelf on Nov. 3, 2022. (Photo: Tanya Kirnishni/Can Geo)
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Glaciologist Anna Crawford speaks about her work on the Milne Ice Shelf on Nov. 3, 2022. (Photo: Tanya Kirnishni/Can Geo)
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Russell Potter and Mary Williamson sign copies of May We Be Spared to Meet on Earth, a collection of the private correspondence of Sir John Franklin’s officers and men, after their talk on Sept. 26, 2022. (Photo: Ben Powless/Can Geo)
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Russell Potter, Peter Carney and Mary Williamson give a talk on their book May We Be Spared to Meet on Earth, a first-of-its-kind collection of the private correspondence of Sir John Franklin’s officers and men, on Sept. 26, 2022. (Photo: Ben Powless/Can Geo)
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Guests explore a giant floor map of the circumpolar Arctic before a talk on the Franklin expedition on Sept. 26, 2022. (Photo: Ben Powless/Can Geo)
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World-renowned cave diver and Royal Canadian Geographical Society Explorer-in-Residence Jill Heinerth gives a talk about her book, Into the Planet, on Sept. 13, 2019.
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Jill Heinerth signs a copy of her book, Into the Planet, for a young fan on Sept. 13, 2019. (Photo: Ben Powless/Can Geo)
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Wildlife photographer Michelle Valberg gives a Can Geo Talk on Nov. 7, 2019. (Photo: Ben Powless/Can Geo)
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Large-format photos by Michelle Valberg surround the audience during her Can Geo Talk on Nov. 7, 2019. (Photo: Ben Powless/Can Geo)
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Wildlife photographer Michelle Valberg gives a Can Geo Talk on Nov. 7, 2019. (Photo: Ben Powless/Can Geo)
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Michael Palin presents a Can Geo Talk on his book Erebus, a history of the doomed ship, in Ottawa on Oct. 19, 2018. (Photo: Ben Powless/Can Geo)
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Michael Palin greets a fan after his Can Geo Talk in Ottawa on Oct. 19, 2018. (Photo: Ben Powless/Can Geo)
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Michael Palin ready to sign books following his Can Geo Talk in Ottawa on Oct. 19, 2018. (Photo: Ben Powless/Can Geo)
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