Science
Archive
The doctors who scrambled to rescue and triage survivors in 2015 look back in search of lessons.
It's not just running. Two new studies confirm that weightlifting provides a similar boost to mental health.
It doesn’t always tell the full story. Independent testers have arrived to fill in the gaps.
When it comes to our appetites, we’re no different than our caveman ancestors
A study of the stress-reducing powers of wilderness explores “levels of nature.”
The third annual International World Extreme Sports Medicine Congress confirmed our collective willingness to wreck ourselves in pursuit of stoke
‘Our Wild’ profiles three wildlife biologists and anglers as they immerse themselves in Wyoming’s public lands.
Conventional wisdom says that drafting doesn’t matter when cycling up steep hills. It’s wrong.
The little green legumes are having a moment in the plant-based fitness world
It feels good, but does it boost performance? Only randomized controlled trials can tell us.
Meet the researchers braving toxic fumes and wildlife encounters to understand the microbial life lurking in the national park's geothermal features.
New research compares men’s and women’s pacing patterns, and finds some telling differences
A new study recommends that humans need to give animals time as well as space
Summiting the world's tallest peak puts humans through some of the most extreme conditions on the planet
If a high-profile volcano (think: Hawaii’s Kilauea) shows signs of instability, it’s Michael Poland’s job to reassure us that everything is going to be okay
Or at least that's the thinking among the elite athletes who are adopting treatments that were once considered fringe. A former EMT turned acupuncturist weighs in on the movement.
Think the effects of a warming planet are only theoretical? If you spend any time recreating outside, they're suddenly everywhere you look.
A warmer, drier future is coming for our hops. Luckily, these folks have developed a nice little workaround, thanks to a gene-editing tool that could help create a hop-free beer.
The myth that running causes osteoarthritis and ruins your knees has long been debunked. But what if your joints are already ruined?
Three new memoirs go deep on some big, existential themes—grief, life's meaning, creativity, and motherhood—while giving us inspiring examples of women chasing adventure with kids in tow
These four trips will have you channeling your inner David Attenborough
Jason Nez studies something that's too often forgotten amid the awe-inspiring views and canyon walls: those who live there
Keep getting your eight hours, but the science is more complicated than you might expect
2018 was one of the driest seasons on record. How many resorts can survive another like it?
They're in your gels, chews, and drinks, but do you really need them?
Fieldwork in far-flung places is exciting and rewarding—until it's not. Only recently have insiders—mostly women—been able to start changing the culture.
Turns out, even if you don't play basketball, you can learn a lot from the sport and its athletes
How to know when it's OK to keep pushing and when you're better off taking it easy
We asked a writer to spend one month going as hard as he wanted to—or didn't want to. Here's what he found.
Ulyana Nadia Horodskyj is an ice scientist who's done research high on Everest—and after working with NASA, she's aiming even higher.
The post-exercise recovery trend has produced mountains of new research. But can you trust the results?
Thanks to smartphones and watches, athletes can track more data than ever. But is HRV all that really matters?
It used to be that we all slowed down with time. Not anymore.
Sean Dougherty made a name for himself as a talented climber in the Canadian Rockies. Now he's starting a new adventure in one of the most extreme environments on earth.
Forget brightly colored plastic holds. In the future, we'll climb realistic 3D-printed rocks.
The less you worry about making mistakes, the better you’ll perform
The true story of a flytier who stole hundreds of bird specimens hits hard when you rely on those specimens to do critical research
As the alpha male of the first pack to live in Oregon since 1947, he was beloved by conservationists. Then he broke one too many rules.
A new study probes why athletes like Callum Hawkins sometimes push themselves to collapse
He is one of the most scandal-plagued interior secretaries in history. But even so, he can probably get away with a lot more.
The anti-inflammatory is extracted from the marijuana plant. Is this bud for you?
A mathematical approach to flagging suspicious race times shows its worth
The world of capsules, pills, and powders is fraught with junk science and sketchy brands. Here's how the professionals wade through the confusion.
Researchers studied 1,500 Rocky Mountain forests that had been burned by wildfires. They found that most of the woods aren't recovering after the blaze—and in some cases, they're not returning at all. The culprit? A warming planet.
A new study explores why we're stronger and faster when someone is watching
Pain psychologists explore the differences between those who finish ultra-endurance races and those who don't
The North Face's newest running tights use eye-tricking patterns to make women look taller and slimmer. Do they work?
Sometimes, when it comes to making progress it's the smartest choice you can make.
An analysis of five decades of world records reveals a surprising shift in pacing approach
Recent studies have arrived at the same blunt conclusion: the world’s last, big wildlands are disappearing at an alarming rate. Is there anything to be done?
From filmmakers, Alex Gorosh and Wylie Overstreet, this video is a product of intense boredom.
How the mysterious disappearance of a boat in the Bering Sea changed Alaskan fishing
Don't bet on it. A recent media frenzy that linked the missing aviator to bones recovered long ago on the Pacific island of Nikumaroro missed a crucial point. She probably wasn't anywhere near the place.
To get the most from your performance, you have to accept the unpleasant—and keep pushing
Researchers at Stanford and UCLA are teaching college distance runners that when it comes to staying injury-free, what they eat matters
A seasoned biomechanics expert offers his top insights on running-form danger signs
A new book by Heather Hansen explores the complicated world of wildland-urban interface firefighting as it unfolded in the Cold Springs Fire near Nederland, Colorado
The effort paradox explains everything from mountain climbing to buying IKEA furniture
The entrepreneur believes that biohacking can rocket your body and mind to peak performance. His Bulletproof diet zoomed into the mainstream, his Bullet-proof coffee has everyone quaffing butter, and his Bulletproof books fly off the shelves. Now Bulletproof Labs is out to hack, well, everything.
As artist Chuck Close said, “Inspiration is for amateurs; the rest of us just show up and get to work”
New research explores how ultraviolet light can trigger the production of health- and performance-boosting nitric oxide
Study finds that high-elevation areas in the Himalaya are seeing wetter, more frequent slides
It's the most reliable performance booster in the world—unless you have the wrong genes
Record low snowfalls have made national news, but it came as no surprise for the characters in the End of Snow, from Day’s Edge Productions.
A comprehensive research review finds that "neuromuscular" gains boost your speed and efficiency
A legal complaint says the three leaders are in violation of a 20-year-old law and casts doubt on whether they have any authority at all
A new report suggests that the answer is no, which could impact hunted species across the U.S. and Canada
While other kids were stuck taking standardized tests, I decided to take my daughter, Devon, to Africa to learn about conservation in the global classroom
A good general rule of thumb is to never drink unpurified water. Yet if you do, then use common sense first.
In an era of specialization, a new study argues for diversifying your interests.
With the arrival of a long-rumored drink, endurance athletes want to know
I’m also an avid sportsman and one of my firearms is an AR-15. So you might be surprised that I've never joined the NRA—nor ever will.
For long-term health in endurance athletes, when you eat is nearly as important as how much you eat
Scientists make the case for a new real-time measure of endurance effort
This performance enhancer can up your game if you use it correctly
Efforts to manage human waste in national parks have failed miserably. Now a creative scientist may have found an elegant remedy.
It may be the key to happiness and sustainable performance
Testing the idea that you can improve your ability to eat on the run
The future of the West depends on whether we can keep it in check
In an exclusive excerpt from his book 'Endure,' Outside's Sweat Science columnist explores the brain's role in setting our physical limits.