Geographical discoveries are always possible — Alexander Lyskin at the National Centre RUSSIA

Modern geographical research continues to surprise: even in the twenty-first century, significant discoveries remain possible on the territory of Russia. Even when they are not large-scale, but rather local, they are yet no less valuable from a scientific point of view. They may relate to ethnography, ecology, geology, archaeology and other fields, revealing unknown aspects of the country's history and natural environment.

This was stated at the National Centre RUSSIA by Alexander Lyskin — a member of the Russian Geographical Society and the Russian Union of Journalists, a photographer with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), a lecturer at the Moscow Institute of Photography (IPLF), and a member of the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain: "Discoveries are always possible. The key question is what exactly is being discovered. If we are speaking about major mountain ranges, it is difficult to find new ones, but local discoveries are entirely possible. Recently, in the area of the Indigirka River, a community of Russian people was discovered who have lived there since the sixteenth–seventeenth centuries with almost no contact with the outside world. This is a genuine sensation. The main thing is to analyse what is happening and to study the territory from a geographical perspective. Everything is possible — much still lies ahead."

Alexander Lyskin became the first expert of the cultural and educational project "Exploring Russia". The series of meetings is linked to the exposition "Geography Lessons" and is intended to present the country as a space filled with high-tech solutions, historical mysteries and natural treasures. The programme includes a lecture component as well as practical masterclasses, combining fundamental science with an "edutainment" format.