The Amazon rainforest is one of the enduring mysteries of the natural world - and no wonder, it is as big as the whole continental US! It’s home to over 2 million Indigenous peoples, and a massive 10% of the world’s known plant and animal species - and doubtless thousands more we haven’t even discovered. Over the centuries, this dense, sprawling and dangerous rainforest traversed by one of the world’s mightiest rivers has been a magnet for adventurers from outside, and the life-blood for those within. 

Scientists are dazzled by the natural riches of the Amazon, with figures like Richard Spruce unlocking some of its secrets, and helping find the secret weapon that becomes one of the most important materials in the WW2 war machine, ensuring Allied victory.

Today, millions of acres of the Amazon’s lush labyrinth remain unexplored, yet it faces its greatest challenge yet. Thanks to demands of farming and mining, the lungs of our planet are struggling. But we still have a chance to save it - and ourselves.