Talks and shows

Saving the world's botany

Embark on an epic quest with botanist Chris Thorogood to protect the world's largest flowers, the Rafflesia, in the face of extinction and deforestation.

A butterfly on a pink flower
Event image by Leah Newhouse

Join Chris Thorogood, a botanist at the University of Oxford’s Botanic Garden, and discover the biggest flower on Earth – the Rafflesia. Chris has enjoyed a lifelong infatuation with these extraordinary blooms, from crafting life-size replicas in an abandoned cemetery to dedicating his life to the study and protection of these enigmatic plants.  

In this talk, Chris will take us on an astonishing adventure through the Rafflesia’s home of Southeast Asia where he collaborates with fellow botanists and foresters to unravel their biology. From battling leeches, roving through remote territories alongside indigenous tribes, and navigating the dense and untrodden rainforest, Chris will narrate his quest to unveil the secrets of this leafless parasite.  

With two in five plant species under threat of extinction worldwide, Chris will stress the urgency of his mission, and explore the vital role of plants in our survival. Can the efforts of Chris and his fellow botanists save the Rafflesia from disappearing forever?

Copies of Thorogood's latest publication, The Pathless Forest: The Quest to Save the World’s Largest Flowers will be available for purchase after this talk.

This Ri event is brought to you by Undaunted, a partnership between the Royal Institution and Imperial College London to combat the causes and effects of climate change through clean-tech innovation.

Event type

This is a smaller event in the Conversation room.  This event will not be livestreamed.

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About Chris Thorogood

Chris Thorogood
Via Oxford Botanic Garden & Arboretum

Chris Thorogood researches the evolutionary genetics of plants, plant taxonomy and biodiversity hotspots. Specifically he is interested in speciation and adaptive radiations in poorly known parasitic and carnivorous plant groups, and also in taxonomic diversity in biodiversity hotspots including the Mediterranean Basin region and Japan. Chris is based at the University of Oxford Botanic Garden and works in close collaboration with other scientists at University of Oxford Department of Plant Sciences. He is also interested in identifying novel and effective routes to public engagement with research, as Head of Science and Public Engagement at the Botanic Garden. 

Timing

The doors will open at approximately 6.45pm, with a prompt start at 7.00pm. 

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Event terms and conditions

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