Tonight, we’ll read excerpts from the second chapter of British naturalist Charles Darwin’s “The Voyage of the Beagle”. This chapter explores Rio de Janeiro and it’s surrounding environment.

“The Voyage of the Beagle” is the title most commonly given to the book published in 1839 as Darwin’s “Journal and Remarks”, bringing him considerable fame and respect. If you’d like to start from the beginning, the first of this series aired on June 10th, 2024.

Rio de Janeiro is a seaside city in Brazil, with almost 7 million residents. Now, it is famous for its beautiful resort beaches, its Carnival, samba dancers, street art, its weather and its huge Christ the Redeemer statue atop Mount Corcovado.

In this episode, Darwin explores the ecology, geology and in his words, the “shimmering tropical splendor” in Brazil.

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