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<p>The human urge to explore has taken us to every corner of the planet. From the highest peaks to far-flung islands to even the deepest dimensions of an idea, our species has an innate drive to venture into the unknown.</p>
<p>But what exactly drives this need to explore? Is it genetic, cognitive, or something else entirely?</p>
<p>Here to unpack this question is Alex Hutchinson, author of <a href="https://amzn.to/4hFdjRh"><em>The Explorers Gene: Why We Seek Big Challenges, New Flavors, and the Blank Spots on the Map</em></a>. Today on the show, Alex shares the fascinating science behind our exploratory tendencies, from the dopamine-driven “explorer’s gene” that varies across populations to the universal cognitive frameworks that govern how we navigate both physical and mental landscapes. He explains the delicate balance between exploring new possibilities and exploiting what we already know, and why we sometimes find meaning in difficult challenges. We also discuss why younger people explore more than older people do, how this decline in exploration doesn’t have to be inevitable, and how to keep exploring throughout your entire life.</p>
<h2>Resources Related to the Podcast</h2>
<h2><b>Connect With Alex Hutchinson</b></h2>
<p><a href="https://amzn.to/4hFdjRh"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-189428" src="https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2025/03/81yDHJjXsBL._SL1500_.jpg" alt="Cover of ";The Explorer's Gene"; by Alex Hutchinson, featuring a climber trekking on snowy terrain amidst mountains, embracing unknown exploration and new challenges." width="325" height="491" srcset="https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2025/03/81yDHJjXsBL._SL1500_.jpg 325w, https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2025/03/81yDHJjXsBL._SL1500_-320x483.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 325px) 100vw, 325px"/></a></p>
<h2>Listen to the Podcast! (And don’t forget to leave us a review!)</h2>
<p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/2vJHmWhhcMQRXtTruuFWTJ"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-111444 size-full" src="https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2020/02/spotify.png" alt="Spotify." width="300" height="109"/></a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-art-of-manliness/id332516054?mt=2"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-111440 size-full" src="https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2020/02/listen-apple-podcasts.jpg" alt="Apple Podcast." width="300" height="77"/></a></p>
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<h2>Transcript Coming Soon</h2>
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<br /><a href="https://www.artofmanliness.com/character/behavior/podcast-explorers-gene/">Source link </a></p>
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Podcast #1,062: The Art of Exploration — Why We Seek New Challenges and Search Out the Unknown
