“Environmental scientists in Canada said it was impossible for me to ge...” — Ben Saunders Quote

“Environmental scientists in Canada said it was impossible for me to get to the Pole in 2004... I said 'no,' it's still OK, and I can still get there, and I did.”

“Expeditions are escapism. The stuff that we're normally concerned about just doesn't matter out there. Tax returns, gas bill, none of it. Life becomes very simple, it's about moving in a certain direction - north if you're going north - staying warm and not getting eaten. That's it.”

“What's the nastiest injury I've sustained? Just a frostbitten toe... but thankfully it's still intact.”

“I don't think of myself as an explorer but as an athlete.”

“When I'm skiing, I listen to electronic music. It's repetitive and let's me get into a groove and crank out the miles.”

“I've diced with death the most cycling around London. Black cabs are far more dangerous than polar bears.”

“Computer programmers, biotechnologists, environmental scientists, neuroscientists, nanotech engineers - all of these fields, and more, should have at least a course in ethics as part of their degree requirements.”

“Grave security concerns can arise as a result of demographic trends, chronic poverty, economic inequality, environmental degradation, pandemic diseases, organized crime, repressive governance and other developments no state can control alone. Arms can't address such concerns.”

“As I became more interested in behavior from the standpoint of neurobiology, the stress-response became really interesting. What stress physiology is about is - when there is a new environmental challenge, how does an individual adapt? It seemed like a natural transition.”

“One of the responsibilities faced by the Environmental Genome Project is to provide the science base upon which society can make better informed risk management decisions.”

“The world faces enormous human development and environmental challenges, from poverty and disease to food security and climate change.”