5.2, 5.3

PART 1

5.2
Andrés Ruzo is a scientist and a National Geographic Explorer from Peru. His work often takes him to his favorite place: Peru’s mysterious Boiling River, deep in the Amazon jungle.

“As a boy in Peru, you hear stories about explorers who went into the Amazon jungle. The ones who came back told incredible tales of shamans, warriors, giant spiders, and deadly snakes. They also told the story of a river so hot it boiled! Many years later, I became a scientist. I remembered the story of the Boiling River and asked myself: could it be real? Experts everywhere told me no, it was impossible.”

“But one day, I asked my aunt and she told me, ‘Andrés, the river is real. I even swam in it before.’ I didn’t really believe her, but she explained that she once visited the river, and that after a heavy storm, you can actually swim in it. But only for about 20 minutes, before it gets dangerously hot again!”

“I was shocked, and I had to see the river with my own eyes. And so I began my first trip to the legendary Boiling River of the Amazon.”

PART 2

5.3
In two months, Andrés is going on his twelfth expedition to the Boiling River. He’s going with a team of 41 researchers, and he hopes to learn as much as he can about the river and its surroundings.

“We’re conducting experiments, collecting samples, and trying to answer questions about the river: why is it hot; why is the water special; what plants and animals live here; and how can we find other rivers like it?”

Andrés is a geothermal scientist. He studies the Earth’s heat, like what you see at volcanoes. He wants to use volcanic heat to create electricity cleanly and cheaply. Although the Boiling River is hot, Andrés doesn’t want to use its heat to create electricity. Instead, he wants to protect the river.

“Scientifically, the Boiling River is unique. It’s the largest known hot river in the world, and unlike other hot rivers, it is nowhere near an active volcano. Also, its waters are so pure you can drink it. You can use it to make tea, straight from the river.

“The wildlife here is really special too. The river is hot enough to kill humans, plants, animals, honestly anything that falls in! But every time I visit, we learn about amazing new plants and animals living in the surrounding jungles and around these dangerously hot waters.

“The river is also culturally important—local people believe that it’s the home to powerful jungle spirits. The people there use its waters to make medicines, to heal, cook, wash…even drink. It’s a big part of their lives and their traditions, and I’m very lucky. I’m friends with the local shaman in the community, and he allows me to study the river. It’s really important that I have the support of the locals. We are working together to protect this river that we love so much.”