Alex Hutchinson (Mariner Books (UK, 10 April; US, on sale now))
Approximately 50,000 years ago, our ancestors 鈥� the first modern humans 鈥� set out from their African homeland in droves. We don鈥檛 know for sure what prompted this mass uprooting (sometimes known as 鈥渢he Great Human Expansion鈥�), but our species鈥� staggering geographic spread is proof of its success.
In relatively short order, humans made it to more or less 鈥渆very habitable corner of the planet鈥�, writes Alex Hutchinson, a journalist, author and athlete. Even now, we test ourselves, take on ambitious challenges and seek out new ground 鈥� whether it鈥檚 on a risky hike or a perilous migration.
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The question Hutchinson poses in his bracing new book, The Explorer鈥檚 Gene: Why we seek big challenges, new flavors, and the blank spots on the map, is why. It isn鈥檛 as simple as saying humans are hardwired for adventure when many are very happy homebodies. Inherent to exploring, he argues, is effort, uncertain reward and the risk of failure 鈥� if not real danger. Why would we ever put ourselves through it?
Hutchinson brings professional and personal experience to bear on the question. A physicist by training, he was a middle-distance runner (including for Canada鈥檚 national team) before pivoting to journalism. His book Endure was a New York Times bestseller and set him up as the 鈥渟cience of human endurance guy鈥� before he started itching for new horizons again.
The Explorer鈥檚 Gene is also deeply researched, citing a wide range of studies 鈥� some published as recently as last year 鈥� that shed light on why some are driven to seek adventure while others are content in their comfort zone.
There is no doubting which camp Hutchinson belongs to. The book opens with him on an arduous multi-day hike through the Newfoundland wilderness, and he uses stories from his globetrotting past to ground his discussion. To make sense of that questing impulse, Hutchinson draws from disciplines as diverse as robotics, economics, sports science and mythology, but even abstract concepts are clearly communicated and relevant.
Though he clearly feels the pull to explore, he doesn鈥檛 judge those who don鈥檛. Instead, The Explorer鈥檚 Gene reflects a deep curiosity and desire to make sense of what could be seen as foolhardy or even senseless endeavours, like polar exploration or transatlantic crossings.
Few would volunteer for a one-way trip to Mars, but that doesn't mean remaining in our comfort zone forever
The title refers to the DRD4 gene, which codes for a dopamine receptor in the brain and is associated (in some forms) with novelty-seeking behaviour and ADHD. It seems telling, writes Hutchinson, that the novelty-seeking gene variant is more prevalent in nomadic populations and first arose around 45,000 years ago 鈥� 鈥渏ust when humans began conquering the globe鈥�.
But genetics is only part of the story. Exploration has been shaped by external factors such as technology (making it more possible, and often less risky) and climate (driving population upheaval globally). Then there are the rewards, such as a shot at a new life or the glory of being first.
That thirst for newness and the unknown can manifest in other ways, too. While few of us would volunteer for a one-way trip to Mars or venture into the wilderness, as Hutchinson concedes, that doesn鈥檛 mean remaining in our comfort zone forever.
As he discovers through his experience of orienteering, the benefits of neuroplasticity and engaging body and brain simultaneously support the idea of extending ourselves. Play, for example, is often overlooked in adulthood but can help us develop a tolerance for risk or a perspective that pays off elsewhere.
In his book鈥檚 final chapters, Hutchinson argues that the many ways modern life leads us to be passive, such as blindly following our phone鈥檚 directions, are undermining the depth and quality of our experience.
While there isn鈥檛 one explanation for human exploration, novelty-seeking and chasing challenges, the physical and cognitive effort involved is satisfying, and the risk of failure makes our successes so rewarding. The Explorer鈥檚 Gene challenges us to consider how to stoke that spirit without changing course entirely.
Elle Hunt is a writer based in聽Norwich,聽UK
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