South America
The Meals That Starving Travelers Dream Of
Daydreaming of food is a tradition as old as the saga of man versus wild. What would you wish to eat if you were starving in a tent or a dinghy at sea?
November 28, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Lonesome George Was Not Alone!
Newly uncovered DNA evidence suggests that Lonesome George - a tortoise that died last summer and was thought to be the last of his kind - might have not have been alone after all
November 19, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Ecuador Set To Poison Millions of Rats on Galapagos Islands
Twenty-two tons of tiny blue poison pellets will be used to try to wipe out invasive rats
November 16, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Volcanoes: The Top Hotspots of the World
Volcanic landscapes draw countless tourists to rumbling mountains, rivers of lava and boiling geysers. Here are a few of the hottest destinations
October 19, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
More Wines from Unexpected Places
Good, locally made wines can now be found in such unlikely locales as equatorial Kenya, the Texas Hill Country, and temperate and rainy Japan
October 17, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Four Surprising Places Where Local Wines Thrive
Almost everywhere European explorers went, vineyards grew behind them. Here are a few places tourists might never have known there was wine to taste
October 11, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Snakes: The Good, the Bad and the Deadly
With venom so potent it can kill a person in just 30 minutes, the black mamba is a snake to avoid—while others are worth learning about before you cast your judgment
October 03, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Health Hazards of the Traveler
Russian scientist Leonid Rogozov was the only doctor within 1,000 miles when, in 1961, he was struck by appendicitis in Antarctica. Fortunately, he had Novocain and a scalpel
September 28, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Sao Paulo Traffic Jams Extend 112 Miles, On Average
With so much time spent in cars, it’s inevitable that life events like meeting your future spouse occur there, too
September 25, 2012 |
By Mary Beth Griggs
The Equinox: See It for Yourself This Weekend
There are many great spots around the globe to observe the celestial phenomena, from Machu Picchu to the Yorkshire moors
September 21, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Could Spider Venom Be the Next Viagra?
Researchers are studying the surprising side effects of the banana spider's bite
September 12, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The World’s Closest International Relationships, According to Facebook
An interactive map depicts the Facebook friendships between countries
September 12, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Older Termites Blow Themselves Up to Protect Their Colony
After a lifetime of servitude to the colony, older termites sacrifice the only thing they have left: their lives.
July 27, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Today’s the Shared Anniversary of Ruin Porn Poster Children Detroit, Machu Picchu
July 24th marks double jackpot for the intrepid explorers of years past as well for as fans of the latest photographic trend, "ruin porn."
July 24, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Man’s Best Friend or the World’s Number-One Pest?
With perhaps 600 million strays skirmishing for food on the fringe of the human world, street dogs are a common element of travel just about everywhere
July 18, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Frog Daddy Raises Babies in Throat, Spits Them Out When Ready
“A baby is the beginning of something special – usually dinner.” For more of that preciousness, check out this NatGeo video on male Darwinian frogs, found in South America. Babies grow up in daddy’s vocal sack, and when they outgrow the parental homestead, they’re coughed up like so many amphibious hairballs. More from Smithsonian.com: Rare [...]
July 05, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Bacteria, Plants Turn Garbage Dump into Beautiful Park
Thanks to the help of some hungry bacteria and plants, a 150-foot high garbage dump in Colombia is being transformed into a public park. The microbes and greens are neutralizing the contaminated soil, sucking up heavy metals and feasting on chemicals. Wired’s Olivia Solon describes how the project got off the ground: A team from [...]
June 27, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
The Nastiest Critters Lurking Outside Your Tent
The bite of a Goliath bird-eater is hardly worse than a bee sting to a human---but this beast is among the nastiest things that could skitter across your face in the dark night of the Amazon. Zip up your tent
May 08, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
Will Matt Rutherford be First to Circumnavigate the Americas Solo?
"Basically, I either fail and everyone thinks I'm crazy, or I succeed and I'm a hero," says the sailor, who is on the homestretch of a nearly one-year journey
March 15, 2012 |
By Alastair Bland
