Planet Visionaries – SEASON 5

A podcast in partnership with The Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative
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Mar 24, 2026 • 35min

Planet Visionaries – Ep 14: Grégoire Courtine & Jocelyne Bloch on Restoring Movement After Paralysis

In this episode of Planet Visionaries, a landmark podcast series in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, host Alex Honnold talks to neuroscientist and Rolex Awards Laureate Grégoire Courtine and neurosurgeon Jocelyne Bloch. Both are pioneers in neurotechnology, using their expertise to help paralyzed people walk again. They explain the groundbreaking science behind their implants and how communication between the brain and the spinal cord can be restored. This episode explores the power of perseverance, innovation and hope in redefining what is possible for recovery. For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers. Over time, the company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to protecting the planet. Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex stands alongside the inspiring people who are dedicated to building a better future for all life on Earth. Credits: Stills and footage courtesy: Grégoire Courtine & Jocelyne Bloch Find out more about NeuroRestore Theme and score by Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music, produced by Russell Emanuel. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow @sonypodcasts. Thank you to On Air Presents. for their creative, branding and marketing support. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Mar 17, 2026 • 19min

Planet Visionaries – Ep 13: Standing Rock’s Wind Driven Future with Joe McNeil

In this episode of Planet Visionaries, a landmark podcast series in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, host Alex Honnold sits down with Joe McNeil, CEO of Sage Development Authority of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. His mission is economic and deeply cultural: to restore long-term stability for the next generation of Lakota people by reclaiming control of their energy future through wind and solar projects designed to keep revenue and opportunity within the community, as well as reshaping land ownership.   For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers. Over time, the company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to protecting the planet. Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex stands alongside the inspiring people who are dedicated to building a better future for all life on Earth.   Credits: Stills and footage courtesy: Lightspring Solar and The Honnold Foundation.   Theme and score by Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music, produced by Russell Emanuel.  Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow @sonypodcasts.  Thank you to On Air Presents. for their creative, branding and marketing support.   Planet Visionaries is a podcast in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, and a Sony Music Podcasts production.  Planet Visionaries is a podcast in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, and a Sony Music Podcasts production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Feb 17, 2026 • 21min

Planet Visionaries – Ep 12: Rooted in the Future with Xiye Bastida

In this episode of Planet Visionaries, a landmark podcast series in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, host Alex Honnold sits down with Indigenous environmental advocate Xiye Bastida. A global youth leader and co-founder of the Re-Earth Initiative who brings ancestral knowledge into modern climate action, she explains why hope, culture, and collective action are essential to protecting our planet.   For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers. Over time, the company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to protecting the planet. Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex stands alongside the inspiring people who are dedicated to building a better future for all life on Earth. Credits:  Stills and footage courtesy: Xiye Bastida  To find out more about the Re-Earth Initiative   Theme and score by Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music, produced by Russell Emanuel.  Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow @sonypodcasts.  Thank you to On Air Presents. for their creative, branding and marketing support.   Planet Visionaries is a podcast in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, and a Sony Music Podcasts production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Feb 10, 2026 • 24min

Planet Visionaries – Ep 11: The Sound of Conservation

In this episode of Planet Visionaries, a landmark podcast series in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, host Alex Honnold sits down with Ben Mirin, acoustic and ethno-biologist, and Founding Director of the Creative Conservation Lab at Cornell University. Named one of The Explorer’s Club 50 People Changing the World, – Mirin blends sound with science. Together with Honnold, they explore how storytelling through audio can inspire action to protect the planet. For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers. Over time, the company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to protecting the planet. Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex stands alongside the inspiring people who are dedicated to building a better future for all life on Earth. Credits: Stills and footage courtesy: Ben Mirin and National Arts Centre of Canada. Theme and score by Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music, produced by Russell Emanuel. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow @sonypodcasts. Thank you to On Air Presents. for their creative, branding and marketing support. Planet Visionaries is a podcast in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, and a Sony Music Podcasts production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Feb 3, 2026 • 26min

Planet Visionaries – Ep 10: Update on ending 'Hidden Hunger' with Felix Brooks-church

In this episode of Planet Visionaries, a landmark podcast series in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, host Alex Honnold revisits his conversation with Felix Brooks-church, co-founder of Sanku, a non-profit organization tackling ‘hidden hunger’ at scale by fortifying staple foods. At the end of this episode, Brooks-church, a Rolex Awards Laureate, provides an update on his progress towards his ambitious goal of improving the nutrition of 100 million people. For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers. Over time, the company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to protecting the planet. Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex stands alongside the inspiring people who are dedicated to building a better future for all life on Earth. Stills and footage courtesy: Sanku Theme and score by Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music, produced by Russell Emanuel. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment a sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow @sonypodcasts. Thank you to On Air Presents. for their creative, branding and marketing support. Planet Visionaries is a podcast in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, and a Sony Music Podcasts production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Jan 27, 2026 • 29min

Planet Visionaries – Ep 9: How solar transport is helping to save the Amazon with Oliver Utne

In this episode of Planet Visionaries, a landmark podcast series in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, host Alex Honnold sits down with Oliver Utne, founder of Kara Solar, an Indigenous-led project building solar-powered riverboats and charging stations in the Amazon. With the support of the Honnold Foundation, Kara Solar gives communities clean, reliable transport that reduces dependence on fossil fuels, strengthens ties between villages and provides an alternative to road building and deforestation.   For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers. Over time, the company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to protecting the planet. Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex stands alongside the inspiring people who are dedicated to building a better future for all life on Earth. Stills and footage courtesy: KaraSolar The New York Times article on Kara Solar. Theme and score by Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music, produced by Russell Emanuel. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow @sonypodcasts. Thank you to On Air Presents. for their creative, branding and marketing support. Planet Visionaries is a podcast in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, and a Sony Music Podcasts production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Jan 20, 2026 • 39min

Planet Visionaries – Ep 8: The Ocean has a voice with Cristina Mittermeier

Cristina Mittermeier, a conservation photographer and co-founder of SeaLegacy, passionately advocates for ocean protection through storytelling. She shares her insights from the World Economic Forum, discusses her latest book 'Hope', and highlights how action drives conservation success. Mittermeier explains the High Seas Treaty’s significance and the rapid recovery observed in marine protected areas. Delving into the science of whale communication, she emphasizes the ocean's crucial role in our ecosystem, aiming to rekindle awe and inspire global action.
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Jan 13, 2026 • 26min

Planet Visionaries – Ep 7: Speaking Whale - with Dr. David Gruber

In this episode of Planet Visionaries, a landmark podcast series in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, host Alex Honnold meets marine biologist, explorer and Project CETI founder David Gruber - a scientist pushing the boundaries of how humans understand the natural world. From discovering the first biofluorescent sea turtle to pioneering soft robotics that allow us to study ocean life without harm, Gruber has dedicated his career to trying to see Earth through the eyes of other species. Now, with Project CETI, he and a team of interdisciplinary researchers are attempting something once thought impossible: translating the communication of sperm whales.   For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers. Over time, the company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to supporting initiatives to protect the planet. Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex stands along.   Credits: For more on Project CETI: https://www.projectceti.org/ Dr. David Gruber shared how his work intersects with ethics and law through collaborations with César Rodríguez-Garavito at NYU School of Law and The More Than Human Life Project MOTH Theme and score by Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music, produced by Russell Emanuel. Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts and follow @sonypodcasts. Thank you to On Air Presents. for their creative, branding and marketing support. Planet Visionaries is a podcast in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, and a Sony Music Podcasts production. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Dec 2, 2025 • 35min

Planet Visionaries – Ep 6: The Solutions Project with Mark Ruffalo and Gloria Walton

In this engaging talk, Mark Ruffalo, the acclaimed actor and environmental advocate, sits down with Gloria Walton, President of The Solutions Project, to discuss shifting power to frontline communities for a sustainable future. They reveal the critical role of grassroots organizations in driving renewable energy initiatives from South-Central LA to Baltimore. Mark shares his journey from anti-fracking activism to leading storytelling as a tool for policy change, while Gloria emphasizes trust-based philanthropy and self-determination in fighting climate challenges.
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Nov 25, 2025 • 31min

Planet Visionaries – Ep 5: Through the lens of ice with Paul Nicklen

In this episode of Planet Visionaries, a landmark podcast series in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, host Alex Honnold meets with world-renowned wildlife photographer Paul Nicklen. He shares how his deep reverence for the natural world has evolved into a mission of global advocacy for conservation through his visually stunning work. For nearly a century, Rolex has supported pioneering explorers. Over time, the company has moved from championing exploration for the sake of discovery to supporting initiatives to protect the planet. Through the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Rolex stands alongside the inspiring people who are dedicated to building a better future for all life on Earth. Credits:  Stills and footage courtesy: Paul Nicklen, Cristina Mittermeier, SeaLegacy  Theme and score by Kara Talve for Bleeding Fingers Music, produced by Russell Emanuel.  Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts  and follow @sonypodcasts.  Thank you to On Air Presents. for their creative, branding and marketing support.   Planet Visionaries is a podcast in partnership with the Rolex Perpetual Planet Initiative, and a Sony Music Podcasts production.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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