Nature
Archive
Determined that Russia will put on the most lavish Winter Games in history, Vladimir Putin has spent $51 billion, quashed environmental critics, and turned one of Europe’s most beautiful natural regions into a construction zone.
Plastic toys, on the other hand, rule! That's the takeaway from a recent Toys"R"Us advertisement. Fortunately, some recent public policy changes bode well for getting kids in need more than free toys.
In the past two months 7 wild orcas have been captured in the Sea of Okhotsk for the purposes of stocking aquariums and water parks. These are the first wild orca caught in more than a decade, making it clear that Russian fishermen are earnest about reviving the wild capture trade.
How Sandra Steingraber is leading the war against hydraulic fracking
Do family vacations that are meant for learning about other cultures devolve into the wild mistreatment of historical sites? These guidelines aim to help you help them see what's so special about all things ancient.
Each summer 20,000 shining paragons of American boyhood march into the wilderness of Philmont Scout Ranch to confront an age-old question: Can the anarchy of adolescence be tamed?
Motivated by adventure, science, and awe at the power of nature, stormchasers are risking it all to get closer to tornadoes than ever before. Last spring, during the deadly Oklahoma City outbreaks, they got more than they bargained for.
A new documentary features scientists, policy makers and activists who are all wrangling for a cleaner, clearer lake. Watch the full film here.
In 1962 in Haiti, Clairvius Narcisse was certified dead and buried. Days later, he was raised from the grave by a sorcerer and became a will-less zombie slave. In 1980, a Haitian psychiatrist found him. In 1983, a Harvard ethnobotanist discovered the secret of his poisoning. And in 1985, a reporter traveled to Haiti to (literally) unearth the true story.
Langdon Cook's new book seeks to demystify the strange—and sometime dangerous—world of mushroom hunting
After a friend's recent near-miss with disaster in the backcountry, our writer has been thinking about risk, personal responsibility, and what it means to be "ready" to go the wild.
5 stories by our editors about near-death experiences and how they survived.
New Jersey’s post-Sandy strategy: massive resistance to rising seas
Geologist Orrin Pilkey predicted exactly what a storm like Sandy would do to the mid-Atlantic coast and New York City. On a tour of destruction after the deluge, he and David Gessner ponder a troubling question: Why are people rebuilding, as if all this isn't going to happen again?
The billions in federal Sandy relief will mainly be used to rebuild what was there before
In a new book, author and naturalist Doug Peacock imagines our species’ next big adventure—coping with a climate apocalypse that may now be imminent.
Is another megaflood imminent in the Boulder, Colorado, area? One thing's for sure—they're gonna need a bigger sewer system.
It’s not too late to reboot your career. Just ask David Lang, who bounced back from a layoff by launching a thriving underwater-exploration startup in a matter of months.
There’s nothing like an attack by flesh-eating bacteria to get your midlife priorities straight
One thing you shouldn’t leave behind with your foolhardy youth: the great American dirtbag road trip. Mark Jenkins explains how to do it right.
There are only a few carefree summers in your life. Don’t waste them interning at law firms—opt for one of these adventure-packed seasonal gigs instead.
There are only a few carefree summers in your life. Don’t waste them interning at law firms—opt for one of these adventure-packed seasonal gigs instead.
There are only a few carefree summers in your life. Don’t waste them interning at law firms—opt for one of these adventure-packed seasonal gigs instead.
There are only a few carefree summers in your life. Don’t waste them interning at law firms—opt for one of these adventure-packed seasonal gigs instead.
Can you hear us now, wolves? How 'bout now? "Non-consumptive" uses of wolves are increasingly popular in the Upper Midwest, but they could turn into too much of a good thing.
Everything you need to plan the perfect Grand Canyon summer escape
Don't touch that wild water until you've used at least one of these methods
In order to determine how 400-foot, 2,000-year-old Redwoods are fairing in our changing climate, this Berkeley researcher puts on his climbing harness.
Starting this week, Sampson, a rescued Labrador with Conservation Canines, will sniff out a very rare and endangered salamander in New Mexico's Jemez Mountains.
We find more joy in our kids' pleasures than our own, especially when it’s joy about a surprise present from the big, wild world
Welcome to Deerlandia, where we kill deer and they kill us. Too bad it's not a spoof.
These sports aren't necessarily deadly, but they certainly instill an imminent sense of death—which is what makes them so thrilling and why we can't look away.
Dams removed from Western rivers get the lion share of attention, but nearly 100 dams have been removed from waterways in Northeast since 1991.
The big surprise about the return of great whites to the birthplace of Jaws? No one’s freaking out.
SeaWorld has called the new documentary Blackfish, about its treatment of orcas in captivity, “shamefully dishonest, deliberately misleading, and scientifically inaccurate.” But the co-writer argues that the facts speak for themselves.
The Chokecherry/Sierra Madre wind farm promises to spin up enough electrons to power a million homes, but the project is also a poster child for the fears and anxieties renewable energy can bring to rural America— and to anglers.
A bill to declare lunar national park would have the United States lay claim to the moon—or at least, the stuff we left up there.
The battle over a major mining project in Wisconsin's Penokee Hills used to be based on environmental impacts, recreation access, and jobs. Now it's about heavily-armed militia groups brought in to protect mine workers from "eco-terrorist types."
I work on trails to help my local mountaineering club. Is there anything light enough to carry along in my backpack?
An upper-crust seafood sandwich gets democratic (Plus: How to make your own Baja lobster roll)
The helicopter ride to a luxury resort was undeniably sweet. But for Peter Heller, the greatest thing about New Zealand’s South Island was kayaking down a surly river with an old paddling buddy, in a country that’s still unbelievably pristine.
An upcoming film from snowboarder Jeremy Jones aims to get the word out on an energy story that dwarfs the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.
The director of HBO's fracking documentary talks environment, contamination, and community
What would summer be without access to clean water for swimming, fishing, surfing and paddling? It would probably be about as fun as summer without access to good beer.
He was a passionate crusader for conservation and alternative energy, but his first love and last steps were in the wild.
Why were 19 experienced firefighters killed when an Arizona blaze blew out of control? Equally important: Can we prevent such a disaster from ever happening again?
Joseph Welch planned to take his six-year-old son out for some canoeing in the Florida Everglades. Before they even put a boat in the water, he was fighting an eight-foot-long alligator for control of his child.
When Hurricane Sandy closed in on New York City, the Weather Channel dispatched (who else?) Jim Cantore. Nick Heil tagged along for a wet, wild adventure that quickly became something else—a survival challenge in the darkest hours of a killer storm.
There are countless ways to meet your end in the great outdoors. These are ten of the most unpleasant, ignominious, and terrifying ways to go.
There are countless ways to meet your end in the great outdoors. These are ten of the most unpleasant, ignominious, and terrifying ways to go.
Over the past five years, nine new national monuments have joined the ranks of America’s protected lands. But Michael Brune, the man who heads up the Sierra Club, would like to see more. Elizabeth Hightower Allen joins him, his family, and a pack of rambunctious llamas on a tour of New Mexico’s highlands.
While scouting a Costa Rican jungle for the perfect location for the show “Naked and Afraid,” 51-year-old executive producer Steve Rankin was bitten by one of the most dangerous vipers on earth, the fer-de-lance. Here’s how he survived the ordeal.
Just after noon on the day before Thanksgiving 2011, 25-year-old NOLS student Rob Tesar unwittingly walked into quicksand in the Utah backcountry. Half a day later, he was still stuck upright, trying to stay awake.
Climate scientists Jason Box and McKenzie Skiles are packing up their ice core drills and heading to Greenland on a crowd-funded expedition.
What made this former legislative aide ditch Capitol Hill for the life of a wandering fly fisherman? The fish, of course.
Drought and climate change have turned western forests into firebombs that go off every summer. Even with new technology, the essential weapon in the fight against flame are the Hotshots, an elite group of wilderness first responders who head straight for the heat.
Every summer, 50 elite athletes endure a torture test of cold and wet at a tiny island off the south coast of Ireland, where they train to swim the English Channel. The only rules: No wetsuits. Or whining. Matt Bondurant goes deep.
Green Mountain Digital re-launches its award-winning bird field guide app, complete with a slew of new social media and geo-tagging features
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife agency is making its long-awaited move to lift federal protections for the gray wolf while focusing more resources on Mexican wolf recovery. But the fate of the species remains unclear.
Those who continue to fixate on cheaters and unfairly accuse innocent riders are missing the point of cycling.
Will Grand Rapids, Michigan, soon become the Boulder, Colorado, of the Midwest? Two paddlers are on the path to making it happen.
The history of tornadoes in the U.S. by the numbers—and 4 tips on how to survive one
I’m headed to Hawaii, but lying on the beach is not my thing. What hikes would you recommend?
Competitive paddler and environmental scientist Kristen Podolak works at the confluence of water and fire as The Nature Conservancy's conservation planner
On the Saturday before Mother’s Day, 2013, Joe Azougar became prey to a 316-pound black bear bent on making a meal out of him. Here’s how he survived.
I’m new to Tornado Alley, and I’m nervous about getting caught outdoors during a twister this summer. How much warning will I have that a storm is on the way?
Cruise lines are big on luxury, with an environmental impact to match. With outdated regulations and uneven cleanup efforts, there may be rough seas ahead for the industry (and the environment).
We gave a former corporate lawyer $10,000 to fund his back-of-the-napkin plan to sea kayak from Minnesota to Florida. He made it all the way—then he turned around and started paddling home. Here's why.
Long-distance cyclists are photographing roadkill in an effort to help scientists determine how to protect various species. A new app can help you do the same.
Already an Everest record-holder, the 29-year-old climbing great shares what it takes to reach the top
In promoting pro mountain biker Rebecca Rusch’s record run on the Kokopelli, Red Bull is undermining their athlete’s accomplishment.
A final directive caps years of debate over whether climbing anchors should be allowed inside National Park wilderness. But questions still remain around just how the policy will be enacted—and what impacts it will have on climbing and the environment.
You only get so much time with your kids before they’re grown up. After a family trip to the hot springs, Katie Arnold meditates on how best to spend it.
A team of African-American climbers heads to Denali this June with a lofty goal—to inspire more diversity outside
How do you teach a boy to love the wilderness when you’re terrified of what might happen out there? Hiking with his ten-year-old son, William Broyles confronts his memories of Vietnam–and one very large grizzly. (And three other great essays on fatherhood, from Jack Hitt, W. Hodding Carter, and Anthony Doerr.)