Phil Torres

Phil Torres (born April 17, 1986) is an American scientist, journalist, television host, photographer, and explorer. After leading conservation projects in the Amazon rainforest for two years, he is now the lead host of the television show TechKnow on Al Jazeera America. His science research and reporting have sent him around the world, including a submarine to the bottom of the ocean, a USCG ice breaker into the Arctic, and an expedition into Mongolia.

Torres was born in Denver, Colorado.

He is a graduate of Cornell University, located in Ithaca, New York, with degrees in entomology and biology. Torres is also working on a PhD at Rice University, located in Houston, Texas, working on tropical conservation biology.

Before coming to television he worked extensively in the Amazon rainforest, having lived remotely there while leading conservation research and education projects for almost two years.

Torres helped to discover over 40 new species by the age of 20 during scientific expeditions in Mongolia and Venezuela. One of his most-publicized discoveries was a spider that constructs a fake, larger spider in its web using silk, leaves, and dead insects. This is the only known animal (besides humans) that creates another animal from scratch and was Wired Science's number-two story of the year in 2012.

His other television work includes hosting and analytic duties on Animal Planet, the BBC, and the Discovery Channel.

Torres also is involved in macro photography and has had images of his work published around the world, including BBC Wildlife magazine and Discovery Channel Magazine.

Torres resides in Los Angeles, California. He speaks English and Spanish, which he sometimes uses on TV when he must translate information from local researchers in Latin American countries.

He is the younger brother of Eve Torres, a former WWE Diva's Champion.

Torres appeared on the television quiz game show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? in October 2008 and won $100,000.