Dr. Albert Lin blurs the boundaries between man and machine while redefining how we explore our own humanity. In 2016, while out with a friend in a 4-wheel dune buggy, cruising the inland sand dunes near his home in Southern California, when the vehicle made a sharp turn, toppling over.  By instinct, Albert put his foot out to catch the vehicle, but the off-road vehicle was no match for a human leg and it rolled over, completely crushing the bones below his knee.  After weeks in the hospital, Albert had to make a decision. Continue down a long and uncertain road to recovering some function of his lower leg, or make the decision to amputate and dive into learning now to walk, hike, and surf again on a mysterious but highly capable prosthetic limb.

He chose the latter and thus began his journey into the next phase of his life.  Among the many challenges were months of crushing phantom limb pain.  After countless therapies, Albert decided to combine mirror therapy and legalized psilocybin treatment.  The results were instantaneous, bringing to an end pain that Albert describes as a 10 out of 10.  Recovering the use of his leg and regaining the ability to play with his kids, surf, and explore the world, proved to supercharge Albert’s commitment to his life’s work; exploring the planet with the superpowers of curiosity and technology to uncover ancient wisdom for our modern world.

His journey began with the Valley of the Khans project, a pioneering initiative that harnessed technology to search for Genghis Khan’s tomb. Early in his career, he was the driving force behind National Geographic’s pioneering crowdsourcing effort to assist his expedition in Mongolia, using satellite imagery and public participation, a concept he transformed into the platform known as Tomnod, which has since engaged millions of individuals in projects ranging from search and rescue missions to humanitarian and environmental monitoring. His broad imagination has since led to multiple university research centers, clinical trials and technology startups, earning him numerous awards for his discoveries and inventions. But, as he has always said, “Innovation is just one way to serve the deeply human desire to explore our frontiers.”

Leveraging an innovative tool kit of forest- and ground-penetrating technologies, Lin scoured vast terrains while respecting the traditional beliefs of Indigenous communities, which called for noninvasive exploration. This project marked the genesis of his application of similar approaches that led to groundbreaking discoveries across the globe.

One of his most noteworthy accomplishments involves using lidar (laser mapping) and cutting-edge technologies to uncover ancient cities concealed beneath the canopies of remote jungles, mountain ranges, and deserts. These remarkable expeditions have been brought to a global audience in various adventure-driven factual TV series, including “Lost Treasures of the Maya,” “Buried Secrets of the Bible,” and “Lost Cities with Albert Lin.” Beyond ancient history, Albert’s “seeing the invisible” mantra extends to the natural world, where his curiosity gives way to awe, as showcased on National Geographic’s “Welcome to Earth” and “Explorer.” Albert’s ebullient personality and way of merging science, adventure and discovery has become the hallmark of his storytelling.

With a Ph.D. in science and engineering, Albert defines a new age of exploration. He has scaled the imposing walls of Yosemite’s El Capitan, traversed the arid deserts of Arabia, and dove into the deepest underground lakes in Africa with cutting-edge technologies in his backpack, all in the pursuit of wonder. Today, as a globally recognized explorer, trailblazing amputee, and popular TV Host, Albert stands as an inspiration and advocate for the indomitable human spirit.