10:00
The Royal Society
July 4
The Royal Society
This event is part of the Royal Society's Summer Science Exhibition 2026.
From scorching deserts to frozen sea beds, from the highest peaks of the Himalaya to the hadal depths of the oceans, there are habitats on this Earth that appear inimical to life – yet in which it flourishes nevertheless. During the midday heat of the Sahara, silvery ants sprint from their nests to feed. In North American forests, wood frogs awaken each spring from solid blocks of ice. At the site of the Chernobyl disaster, fungi harness radiation to thrive.
In this talk, award-winning science writer and author of Super Natural: How Life Thrives in Impossible Places, Alex Riley, will paint a portrait of life’s resilience and ingenuity under the harshest circumstances. You’ll hear how, at nature’s extremes, the rules of life as we know them are rewritten – and how, here, we can find hope for the future of life on Earth, and beyond.
This event is part of Attenborough at 100: a weekend of wildlife.
This event will be held in Theatre 2 at the Royal Society on Saturday 4 July 2026, 2.10pm – 2.40pm.
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