There’s dark matter in the cosmos, and inside us, and hidden beneath our feet. Robert Macfarlane is an explorer and linguist of landscape and his book, Underland: A Deep Time Journey, is an odyssey that’s full of surprises — from caves and catacombs under land, under cities, and under forests to the meltwater of Greenland. “Since before we were Homo sapiens,” he writes, “humans have been seeking out spaces of darkness in which to find and make meaning.” Darkness in the natural world and in human life, he suggests, is a medium of vision — and descent, a movement toward revelation.Robert Macfarlane is a Fellow at the University of Cambridge. His books include Mountains of the Mind, The Old Ways, Landmarks, and Underland: A Deep Time Journey. With the artist Jackie Morris, he co-created the book of illustrated poetry, The Lost Words and a follow-up,  The Lost Spells.Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org.This show originally aired on November 14, 2019. 

For several years and more than a thousand miles, celebrated travel writer Robert Macfarlane has been following the vast network of old paths and routes that criss-cross Britain and its waters, looking at their connections to countries and continents beyond. In this event, recorded at the Tabernacle in London On the 12th of June 2012, Macfarlane tells us his enthralling accounts of the ghosts and voices that haunt old tracks, of songlines and their singers, of the stories our tracks keep and tell, and of rights of way and rites of passage.This event was produced by Executive Producer Hannah Kaye with editing by Executive Producer Rowan Slaney.To hear the full length episode of this event and to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, head to intelligence Squared.com/membership or subscribe on Apple Podcasts—We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared..Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Robert Macfarlane, a Cambridge professor and nature writer, teams up with Johnny Flynn, a talented singer-songwriter and actor, for an enlightening discussion. They share insights about their new children's book, 'The World to Come,' inspired by the vibrant ecosystems along the River Lea. The duo delves into the transformative power of nature on creativity and the heartwarming tradition of wassailing trees. Listeners are treated to a live performance of a song that sparked the book's inspiration, blending music and storytelling beautifully.

Robert Macfarlane, an award-winning author and professor specializing in environmental humanities, explores the evolving bond between humanity and the elements. He discusses how climate change shapes our identity and emotions towards landscapes, emphasizing the sensory connection we often neglect. The conversation also highlights the urgent need for ecological protection, including recognizing rivers as living beings. Macfarlane urges a restoration of linguistic diversity to deepen our environmental appreciation, ultimately advocating for a sustainable future.

Three fascinating guests, Maria Callas, Johnny Flynn, and Robert Macfarlane, explore diverse topics including the achievements of Maria Callas in opera, the collaborative process and their love for nature, walking and songwriting, the power of literature and cultural events, and the influence of Quakerism on art in a captivating and thought-provoking podcast.