“What’s Left to Explore?”

On the morning of February 3rd, 2012, one of the world’s most gifted and innovative field virologists, Dr. Nathan Wolfe, delivered an incredibly engaging lecture to a young audience at Beloit Memorial High. Following his presentation, during a question and answer session, one girl out of the thousand (and then some) students asked this question:

“Where should we explore?”

Little did she know that her inquiry would be one that would stick with Dr. Wolfe for quite some time. In fact, this young girl’s question would be an integral part of the famed virologist’s TED lecture entitled, “What’s left to explore?” It is an inspirational talk addressing, in Dr. Wolfe’s words, that we as thinkers and explorers cannot “assume that what we currently think is out there is the full story. Go after the dark matter, in whatever field you choose to explore. There are unknowns all around us and they’re just waiting to be discovered.” To many of our readers, this statement may recall some similar sentiments expressed by our own Roy Chapman Andrews. Great minds truly do think alike.