In our 40min conversation, we dove into his study and work that led him from discovering new cicada species in Morocco to cashew farms in Guinea-Bissau. His lifelong obsession with cicadas isn't just about cataloguing dead things in drawers; it is a living, breathing journey to decode nature's most elusive soundscapes. The true purpose of cicadas still appears to be a mystery.

Gonçalo’s journey even took him to high-security youth prisons in Portugal. There, through a pioneering initiative called Freedom Crickets, he helped young inmates learn sustainable insect farming alongside vital psychosocial skills, proving that science can be a profound tool for social reinsertion. A project he later also turned into a business.

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Yet, his most thrilling discoveries happen right on the surface. Whether tracking a rare lineage of cicadas back to the Messinian salinity crisis 5.3 million years ago or pulling off the highway for lunch only to discover an entirely new species by ear, Gonçalo treats the world like an open-ended adventure.

Spending time with him was great, as it made exploring so approachable. One doesn't need to cross oceans to be an explorer. Sometimes, the greatest mysteries are hiding right in your own backyard, waiting for someone willing to listen.

And so, we are waiting for you to listen to this full episode and share your thoughts with us!

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