Published December 1, 2012 12:00AM
The best articles, photos, and videos I didn’t post this week—until now. (Sorry for missing last week, I was concentrating on digesting my Thanksgiving meal, unlike this fool, who gave up.)
If you only click on one link this week, make it “Learning to Accept, and Master, a $110,000 Mechanical Arm,” from The New York Times.
For the week’s best longform journalism, check out “Weekend Reading: Bigfoot Will See You Now.”
ADVENTURE
The world’s toughest endurance races. Take 3,723. CNN
The XXL of whitewater kayaking—without the funding, Outside
An ode to climber Patrick Edlinger, The New York Times
An ode to running coach John Cheffers, The Sydney Morning Herald
What does it feel like to win a gold medal eight years later, when you can’t monetize it? The Trailer via David Epstein
Get in the van, Adventure Journal
On the future of adventure filmmaking, Explorer’s Web
An argument for Usain Bolt as Sportsman of the Year, Sports Illustrated
Guess who’s at the front of the list for Anti-Sportsman of the Year? Sports Illustrated
Trying to change the world, one skateboard at a time, Wired
Best POV cam use for showing yard work, YouTube
“Everything wrong with cycling, all in one handy headline and deck,” Outside via Keyeser
Skiers like to vote, maybe more than other people, Powder
Backcountry gear sales continue to rise, ESPN
World’s newest winter sport? Outside
Suurrry, Wiggins. Marianne Vos is the international cyclist of the year, Velo News
Paula Radcliffe’s elite career may be over, Runner’s World
Has anyone seen Bigfoot? Anyone? Outside
The story behind Powder‘s December cover, Powder
“Kiteboarder Chases a Speed Title That He Lost to a Rocket-Shaped Boat,” The New York Times
Surfer Chris Malloy’s adventure bucket list, Outside
SCIENCE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Dinosaurs may have had the same view of the Grand Canyon that we do? The New York Times
“This bacteria has been killing some of these 50- to 100-year-old corals in less than eight weeks.” Los Angeles Times
The mighty Mississippi is running low on water, The New York Times
So that’s the reason people at NASA are always high fiving each other, Popular Science
About that pipeline and the possible secretary of state who may make the call on it, Outside
Town that banned fracking now faces possible lawsuits from the state and oil companies, The New York Times
Why does the U.S. want to put African lions on the endangered species list? Scientific American
Physicists are not better than you, especially when it comes to infidelity, Popular Science
It’s time for more watchdog science journalism, Reporter’s Lab
Sandy vs. Katrina, by the numbers, The New York Times
Hey, Ridley Scott. “Enter the hyperparasites—wasps that lay eggs in wasps that lay eggs in caterpillars,” Not Exactly Rocket Science
Can a Jellyfish unlock the secret of immortality? The New York Times
Did the EPA just muddy the waters, so to speak, with its new clean water standards for beaches? Outside via On Earth
Anaconda vs. cow, who will win? Wrong. YouTube
The John Belushi of the oceans, Smithsonian
In battle over bivalves, Salazar sides with environmental groups, Outside
HEALTH AND FITNESS
Free medicine, or, on the benefits of playing outside, Outside
Doing some math on the importance of having and wearing eyeglasses, The New York Times
At first glance, these may be two good excuses for not running too much each week: vanity and life expectancy, Outside and Wall Street Journal
On second thought, all that running too much babble needs a deeper look, Sweat Science
Eating a live fish because of a bet is unwise, The Independent
Question: Does flushing the toilet release germs into the air? Answer: Just put your toothbrush in a cabinet. The New York Times
GEAR, DESIGN, AND TECH
So you’re saying there will be police drones in 15 years? Popular Science
Should we program those robots to be ethical? New Yorker
A chair made entirely from nurdles, otherwise known as mermaid’s tears, otherwise known as plastic debris, Fast Company
They sit on exercise balls, break Kindles, and other stuff. Welcome to The New York Times R & D Lab, Adweek
Tracking your skateboard tricks via iPhone, Fast Company
A new website that features old school craftsmen, Outside
TRAVEL
Welcome to a ghost town in the middle of the ocean, The Atlantic
OTHER
OMG, guess who used OMG first in a letter, Smithsonian
An interview with the founder of The Drake magazine, Forbes
On the 2016 Olympics and the people of Brazil (watch the second clip), New Yorker
Photographer Tyler Hicks on Gaza City, The New York Times Lens
Diving into Rosa Parks’ arrest records, Smithsonian
—Joe Spring
@joespring
facebook.com/joespring.1