Accompanying Tim Cahill’s tale of adventure among the ancient castles of the Assassins in Iran’s rugged backcountry (“Everybody Loves the Assassins”, October 2002) are images by Manhattan-based photographer Rob Howard. The journey marked the fifth collaboration between the two friends, and Howard’s second visit to Iran. Howard, whom Cahill refers…

For over 20 years, 47-year-old Grant Brittain has captured images of Tony Hawk pulling off tricks on a skateboard that defy human anatomy, common sense, and the laws of physics. Brittain first photographed The Birdman in the early 1980s while managing the Del Mar Skate Ranch and continues to do…

Sometimes, when there's a big environmental problem that defies immediate understanding, it helps to resort to fourth grade science experiments. In June, Carl Safina pointed out during a TED talk that he believed bombarding oil with dispersants near the spill likely helped to hide it under the surface in dilute…

Photo: Steven Zwerink/Wikimedia Commons The five things you should know if you were only going to know five things about this past weekend at the Olympics. 1. In the sense that human evolution is a gradual, linear change, Usain Bolt isn’t human. You’re not supposed to look comfortable…

The ponies that carried Genghis Khan’s warriors are small, tough, and skittish as hell, making the prospect of riding them for 1,000 kilometers seem downright insane. American cowboy Will Grant couldn’t resist, so he entered the Mongol Derby—the longest, hardest horse race in the world—determined not just to finish but to win.

Sarah Outen, Photo by Nigel MillardTwo years ago today, 25-year-old English adventurer Sarah Outen set out to row the Indian Ocean solo, becoming the first and only woman to do so when she finished in August 2009. Today, she's upping the ante by setting off on a two-and-a-half-year, 20,000-mile…

Sarah Outen, Photo by Nigel Millard Two years ago today, 25-year-old English adventurer Sarah Outen set out to row the Indian Ocean solo, becoming the first and only woman to do so when she finished in August 2009. Today, she's upping the ante by setting off on a…

Last week, Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold set the speed record on the Nose. But even they're not sure it was a great idea.

How do I wash the sweaty odor from my polypropylene toque? I used Wisk liquid detergent without success. The toque is clean but it still smells badly. I need help. Alexander Do Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Gear and apparel manufacturers are big chemical users. A new overhaul of the Toxic Substances Control Act has them scrambling to innovate—minus the toxins.