Before embarking on your week of adventure in the Madre de Dios, or Mother of God region, deep in the Peruvian Amazon, brush up on your ecology, biodiversity and ethnobotany with today’s TED Talk Tuesday feature. Welcome to the jungle.  

“We live in a world where legends do come to life.”

The mythical boiling waters of the Amazon are more than a myth. But how? Peruvian geoscientist Andrés Ruzo uncovers the truth behind the mystical waters of the Shanay-timpishka river that he heard about as a little boy. It is a stark reminder that wonder is all around us, that there is so much to be explored, and that it is us who define what is significant.

“The rainforests hold answers to questions we have yet to ask.”

What do the Amazonian shamans use to heal their sick? And how can we stop the indigineous tribes of the Amazon, and their wisdom, from being endangered? Ethnobotanist Mark Plotkin shares the passion and the wisdom that the rainforest and its people have taught him. And how the rainforest is the greatest expression of life on Earth.

“I reconnected with every living being.”

With a desire to reconnect to the natural world, Irene Shamma ventured into the Amazon rainforest. It is there that she was reminded of the interconnectedness between the mind, the body, and the soul. It is in the Amazon where she was able to reopen her heart, and make a promise to return to the rainforest and payback the favor.

Ready to join Unsettled’s greatest adventure?