Virtual

Penguins as a Catalyst for Change: How a Vulnerable Species Group Can Inspire Global Conservation

The well-being of our planet depends on the health of our oceans, yet we have initiated an unprecedented age of alterations to marine systems. Penguins are a species group particularly impacted by these phenomena, and they’re telling us a story we need to hear. Biologist Dr. Pablo Borboroglu, founder and President of the Global Penguin Society, joins the Hidden Compass community to share how penguins can inspire changes throughout the international community for the betterment of us all.

Virtual

The Impossibly Objective Lens: A Photojournalist’s Reflections on the Story Behind the Camera

In “The Impossibly Objective Lens,” German-born documentary photographer and visual storyteller Sarah Pabst explores whether true objectivity is possible — or even preferable. Pabst will share some of her own work, and discuss not only how the person behind the camera can accept their part in the stories they tell, but the possibilities such acceptance reveals.

Virtual

Into the Darkness: A Pioneering Underwater Cave Explorer on the Courage We Need Above Ground

In the claustrophobic darkness of water-filled caves, International Scuba Diving Hall-of-Famer and renowned explorer Jill Heinerth has learned to master her fear. For more than 30 years, Heinerth has journeyed to the most remote corners of the planet. Whether being the first person to cave dive an Antarctic iceberg more than twenty years ago, or going farther inside an underwater cave system than any woman before her, Heinerth finds herself in situations where an error on the job could cost lives. But she also sees possibilities for the explorer’s mindset beyond the dark and remote caves where she has made a name for herself. In “Into the Darkness,” Heinerth will explore the great potential of courage and curiosity above ground.

Virtual

Uncharted Territory: Two Expeditioners Probe the Unexplored Amazon and Reconsider the Modern Explorer

In December 2021, four indigenous Macushi and Wapishana brothers and a British woman emerged from a 253-mile journey on foot through the jungle of Guyana’s Kanuku Mountains, one of the world’s last unexplored wildernesses. Their extraordinary feat shed light on the unfamiliar — not only within the stretch of Amazon they took 50 days to cross, but also within our cultural understanding of who gets to be an explorer. Two of these expeditioners, Lucy Shepherd (presenting live) and Vivian Smith (presenting via video recorded exclusively for Hidden Compass), will share the story of their Amazon Uncharted Expedition and reimagine the modern explorer. In the process, they hope to shed light on the new faces of exploration, and the wild places contemporary explorers can help us better understand — and better protect.

Virtual

Beyond the Storytelling Formula: An Athlete & Filmmaker Advocates for Diverse Stories (Sneak Peek at “OUTLIER” series)

The world of adventure-sport storytelling is undergoing a seismic shift when it comes to representation: A new focus on diversity has shed light on characters and storytellers who more accurately represent our world. But when it comes to the diversity of the stories themselves, there is much more work to be done. In this presentation and conversation with professional athlete, filmmaker, and narrative strategist Dani Reyes-Acosta, we’ll examine the dominant narratives of storytelling and consider how to set new tones that better fit a world built on equity and mutual accountability.

Virtual

Is Anybody Out There? A Pioneering Scientist on Our Most Advanced Search Yet for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

Given the vastness of the universe, the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) could be seen as either a fool’s errand or a triumph in the making. In “Is Anybody Out There?,” Berkeley SETI Research Center chief scientist Dan Werthimer will discuss the possibility of other intelligent life in the universe and our odds of finding it. Then, he’ll show us how new technologies are revolutionizing our search, allowing us to probe at least a million of Earth’s closest stars and a hundred of our closest galaxies for life.

Virtual

Seeking Coexistence: A Multimedia Storyteller Explores Human-Elephant Conflict in India

In India’s eastern Himalaya, where humans and Asian elephants inhabit the same shrinking forests and foothills, a story of struggle unfolds. In “Seeking Coexistence,” multimedia storyteller and explorer Kim Frank will share this story live from the field during the height of conflict season. Frank has highlighted this issue on a global stage, but it is the individuals and animals on the ground whose voices she hopes to capture, and who will ultimately lead the way from conflict to coexistence.

Virtual

2022 Pathfinder Prize Live Pitch Event

Hidden Compass is proud to present our inaugural Pathfinder Prize Live Pitch Event! The 2022 Pathfinder Prize finalist teams will pitch their ideas live — for a chance to receive a $15,000 grant to fund a global expedition of the modern age. Explore the event page to learn more about the finalists, and take note: While the event is free, registration is required.

Purchase Tickets
FREE Ally Price: FREE + ACCESS TO VOTING

Virtual

Ethos of Exploration 2022: Down the Rabbit Hole with Jad Abumrad

Join Hidden Compass’s co-founders and Radiolab founder Jad Abumrad for an intimate discussion about storytelling, journalism, and exploration.
From Radiolab to Dolly Parton’s America, Abumrad has pioneered a “new aesthetic” in broadcast journalism — exploring (and explaining) the world through musical storytelling. On Tuesday December 6, join Abumrad and Hidden Compass’s co-founders for an insightful discussion during the 2022 Ethos of Exploration event, an annual Hidden Compass event featuring speakers whose work embodies the modern age of exploration.

Purchase Tickets
$75 Ally Price: FREE + VIP

Virtual

The Matter of Everything: An Accelerator Physicist on the Experiments that Unlocked Matter and Ushered in the Modern World

In “The Matter of Everything,” accelerator physicist Dr. Suzie Sheehy introduces us to the experiments and scientists that unlocked the nature of matter and changed the course of history. From the serendipitous discovery of X-rays to the scientists trying to prove Einstein wrong, to the race to split the atom, these scientists and their experiments shaped our understanding of the cosmos and how we live within it. Their breakthroughs helped us map the insides of volcanoes, develop life-saving medical equipment, and create electronic devices used in everything from fiber-optic cables to solar panels.

Virtual

The Warrior-Wildlife Shift: A Maasai Elder and a Nonprofit Director Champion Community-Led Conservation in the Amboseli

In “The Warrior-Wildlife Shift,” we hear the story of community-led conservation in the Amboseli — first from Maasai warrior and elder Daniel Ole Sambu, presenting via video recorded exclusively for Hidden Compass, then in live conversation with Big Life Foundation’s Deputy Director, Amy Baird. Sambu and Baird show us how conservation initiatives have transformed the relationship between the Maasai’s aspiring warriors and the animals with which they coexist.