Nature
Archive
A fresh look at Wallace Stegner and Edward Abbey, plus this month's best novel-soundtrack combo
Five years after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, we wanted to know whether the Gulf had recovered—and how much remains to be done.
We asked an expert to watch the horror movie ‘Backcountry’ and break down the myths and realities of encountering one of the forest's most intimidating animals
Human-rights superhero Kumi Naidoo has a tough assignment: lead the organization into 21st-century relevance. But after a year that saw activists lionized (imprisoned in Putin's jails) and then vilified (unfurling a banner on Peru's ancient Nazca lines), can he save the day?
These adventure geniuses will make your next trip the one you never, ever forget.
Journalist Edward Struzik renders a barely recognizable far north—but it’s one worth getting to know.
Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg will now attempt the first solar-powered, round-the-world flight in their high-tech, carbon-fiber, kind-of-cramped plane
We made our own list of what we love about winter, but it's always more fun to ask. Using the #OutsidePerfectThings, our Instagram followers shared more than 1,700 snapshots of their favorite cold-weather comforts. As always, the response was overwhelming. Filled with deep snow, adult sodas, happy dogs, and countless adventures, here are 30 of our favorites.
It's a long story involving snow gods, the director's next film, and big money for the ski town. Take a seat.
Our national parks are getting louder, and it's affecting both the wildlife and our health.
It's time for their doors to be shut once and for all
If you love sleeping under the sky, you should try it in the coziest way possible—within the snug confines of a plush outdoor bed.
Can the largest river restoration project in history serve as a template for other waterways across the country?
Give a bunch of guns and gold to hearty, tattooed Alaskans, and turn them loose.
Fungus farming may soon have its day in the sun
A cooler that does double duty as an air conditioner.
Following a lengthy trial plagued by missing and mishandled evidence, judges have acquitted seven men charged with the murder of the environmental activist Jairo Mora Sandoval. But with protestors and government leaders incensed by the decision, the case is far from over.
Former reality-show skipper Chris Fischer has revolutionized shark science—with a daring system for catching the beasts alive and a radical new research-funding model. During an expedition off the coast of Chile that was interrupted by an undersea earthquake, our man wonders if this guy is the next Cousteau or a corporate-sponsored hype machine.
Surround your teens with furniture inspired by the 11-time world champ
This month, a bill was introduced that would limit presidential authority to protect the natural wonders of the U.S.—and it is far more likely to pass than its predecessors. Here's why that's a very bad idea.
After 6 years mired in political turmoil, the controversial pipeline proposal could be concluded this year.
Capture the placid perfection of a winter forest by staying in one of these arboreal lofts. Not only are they specifically made to weather the cold, but they’re cozy too.
Twenty years after wolves were reintroduced in the Northern Rockies, many politicians would still love to see them eradicated, and hunters and ranchers are allowed to kill them by the hundreds. But the animals are not only surviving—they're expanding their range at a steady clip. For the people who live on the wild edges of wolf country, their presence can be magical and maddening at once.
In his relatively short career, Andy Mann has served as the senior photographer at Climbing Magazine and had his images appear in National Geographic and the New York Times. He cofounded Boulder-based 3 Strings Productions in 2010 and has a travel schedule that most pilots would envy. Lucky for us, we get to tag along for the ride courtesy of Instagram. We caught up with Mann for a few tips and to see what separates his shots from the rest.
What to do when it's dark and frigid outside? We have some ideas. For starters, try building a backyard sauna, mixing up a powerful cocktail, joining a mountain race, mixing up a powerful cocktail, joining a mountain race, creating the perfect cabin fire, learning to dogsled, swinging a war hammer, kicking back with a classic adventure book, or escaping to a tropical island. Just hurry up—spring will be here before you know it.
New animal-welfare standards for down insulation aim to clean up a grisly business.
If you've never been to India, go with a company that knows the ropes, even in a well-traveled state like Kerala. Here's how to do it right.
That's what they call the southern Indian state of Kerala, a laid-back tropical paradise where you can paddle hidden backwaters, trek the rugged Western Ghats, look for tigers, indulge in Ayurvedic treatments, and chill out on unspoiled beaches. Just leave your manic Western self behind.
A New Jerseyan builds your dream home, only smaller
The filmmaker behind 'The Cove' is bringing his groundbreaking approach to...plankton?
From that time Lance Armstrong showed us how to fix a flat tire to an investigation into USA Swimming’s sex abuse scandal, we look back at the stories that defined the year.
The Director of Programs at the Natural Resources Defense Council on the fights she faces in 2015, and how to get involved.
More protein than beef. More omegas than salmon. Tons of calcium, antioxidants, and vitamin B. In their secret R&D lab, the scientists at Beyond Meat concocted a plant-protein-based performance burger that delivers the juicy flavor and texture of the real thing with none of the dietary and environmental downsides.
The bold move ostensibly protects one of the world’s most productive fisheries. But the bay’s most pressing threat remains: the Pebble Mine.
A nonprofit aims to publicize never-before-seen footage of marine life in its natural, undisturbed habitat. The goal? Develop the ultimate marine observation tool.
With 75,000 horsepower and the ability to smash through 20 feet of ice, the Polar Star is the country's last ship capable of deep Antarctic missions. She's also 10 years past her retirement date with no replacement in sight.
In his debut novel, John Vaillant delivers a terrifying border tale
It's been a national park for 50 years. One more step will ensure that it's safe forever.
The grizzlies of Yellowstone are about to be removed from the endangered species list. The surprising thing: that's probably for the best.
Locally sourced venison is free range and organic—and impossible to get. But that might be about to change.
Canadian Kate Harris' sure-fire two-step guide on how to become a modern explorer.
Shane Davis is data-mining the oil and gas industry to win hearts, minds, and legislative battles
Erika Bergman turned her career as a submarine pilot into an international engineering and exploration curriculum. The goal: to get more young women outside and involved in the sciences.
No two ski resorts are alike. But which one is right for you? We break down more than 30 of North America's best to find the perfect fit.
The crude that would feed the XL pipeline comes from a once pristine part of Alberta that now resembles mining operations on a sci-fi planet. At places like Fort McKay, home to First Nations people who've lived there for centuries, the money is great but the environmental and health impacts are exceedingly grim.
What happens when a wolf comes to visit—and stays? A new book looks at the unlikely six-year friendship between a wild wolf and the people (and dogs) of Juneau, Alaska.
An explosive memoir by Carine McCandless provides new details about a toxic family environment that drove her brother to embark on the famous and fatal quest immortalized by Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild
The large canine wandering Arizona's Kaibab Plateau appears to be a gray wolf from Yellowstone. Which means its future is grim.
The movie version of Cheryl Strayed's hit book features Reese Witherspoon like you've rarely seen her—tangled hair, ratty clothes, and dirt under her fingernails. But the backpacking film has a secret: it's actually a brutal story about loss and love.
Is there such a thing as the greatest vista on earth? The Japanese think so, and they've got the breathtaking Three Scenic Views, a trio of iconic landscapes that stand above the rest. One writer takes them all in on a breakneck tour.
Lightweight, durable, and comfy, this gear finds its way into Chris Solomon's pack every time he heads out the front door.
This Friday, Netflix releases Virunga, a documentary thriller about the fight to save the mountain gorillas of Congo’s Virunga National Park. We talked with warden Emmanuel de Merode on what it feels like to be shot while defending the most dangerous wilderness on earth.
Last week, a judge ordered homeowners to remove their controversial hut from a Washington ridge. Why? To protect the view.
We'd known about the storm for days, so how come hundreds of trekkers were caught off guard?
Improve your life in five minutes or less.
Tired of epic lift lines, hostile locals, and $15 burgers at the lodge? Something wonderful is happening in a remote pocket of British Columbia, where homegrown spirit is flourishing beyond the reach of corporate resorts and there's plenty of powder to share.
There are many threats to the 50-year-old Wilderness Act. But the most dangerous, Kenneth Brower says, comes from those who are chipping away at the very idea of wilderness itself.
Buy equipment you don't have to feel guilty about using.
A handful of years ago Rachel Brathen was a cigarette-smoking, rebellious teen in Sweden. Then she moved to Costa Rica, found yoga, booted up Instagram, and became a yoga celebrity—if there is such a thing.
Line's inspired ski looks as good as it rides.
Come for the solitude on the island's unpeopled parts and check out the dedicated ex-pat community if you decide you never want to leave.
From nearby to far-flung and exotic, we've got seven islands to cure your winter wanderlust. Turns out one of the most spectacular is right around the corner.
What happens when you take away the road, the cheerful volunteers handing out energy gels, and most of your sanity? You get some of the gnarliest races out there.
Over the last week, five top mountain athletes died in three separate incidents in the Himalayas and Andes. Here, we’ve gathered remembrances from people who knew them best.
It's still possible to be what you wanted to be when you were a kid.
Five business icons share how they flipped the switch on their careers—and how you can follow in their footsteps.
It started with a salsa bowl, some cheap Australian sunglasses, and a little help from Kickstarter. Now, Sunski is making waves—and its founders are living the dream.
An eight-step plan for rebooting your career and finding a job that you love.
Jack Kerouac spent the summer of 1956 manning a fire tower on Washington's Desolation Peak, in the northern Cascades. He didn't do much writing there, apparently, despite being alone with pencil and paper. But he stayed for 63 days. The views were good.
Playing safely in the mountains requires an intimate knowledge of terrain and an understanding of how a host of variables—including sun, wind, and temperature—affect the snowpack.
Every year, more than 500 Americans will be struck by lightning—and roughly 90 percent of them will survive. Though they remain among the living, their minds and bodies will be instantly, fundamentally altered in ways that still leave scientists scratching their heads.