Following Hummingbirds From Canada to Mexico - Ken Welch

Grantee Ken Welch says that he feels like Wile E. Coyote when he’s sitting with a box-trap, waiting for a hummingbird to fly in for a meal. Unlike the cartoon coyote, Welch is able to catch the birds and microchip them to monitor their calorie count as they double their weight to prepare for their long migrations from eastern Canada to Mexico.

The World's Biggest Bug - Mark Moffett

National Geographic grantee Mark Moffett has found the world’s biggest bug. The 7-inch cricket, found in New Zealand, weighs three times as much as a mouse. Moffett joins Boyd to talk about how he found and held the massive bug and fed it a carrot.

The Biggest Rat in History - Ken Aplin

National Geographic Expeditions Council Grantee Ken Aplin found evidence of the biggest rat ever to roam the earth. Aplin found the fossilized remains of a 13-pound rodent in East Timor. Boyd and Aplin talk about looking for and eating large rodents.

Native Americans Changed The Landscape to Suit Their Needs - Nancy Turner

Many Native American cultures have been labeled ‘hunter gatherers’. But National Geographic grantee Nancy Turner feels that doesn’t fully appreciate how accomplished they were at cultivating the landscape to suit their needs.

Shed Some Light on Thailand's Rare Dolphins - Justine Jackson Ricketts

Many people think of dolphins as active, playful animals who are always jumping and splashing in the waters. But National Geographic grantee Justine Jackson Ricketts says that the rare Irrawaddy dolphins tend to be quieter and stay in the water. She's studying the dolphins' habitat of choice in order to better preserve them.

Egyptian Puppy Mummies - Paul Nicholson

Few creatures provide better companionship to man than dogs. They were created by us, and of all animals on the planet, they seem to have a better understanding of their human companions than any other. So, it's not surprising to assume that Ancient Egypt's gods might like some canine companionship. National Geographic Grantee Paul Nicholson has been exploring a dog burial site at Saqqara, where as many as eight million puppies were offered as tribute to various gods in exchange for divine intervention.

Killing Ancient Forests For Paper - Jan Vertefeuille

America's demands for paper products make the industry a money-maker. In this country alone, we use 80 million tons of paper every year. WWF's Jan Vertefeuille explains that this demand is being filled by companies that clear-cut Sumatra's forests, endangering rare tigers, orangutans and rhinos.

Life Under Da Sea - Sylvia Earle

Ever dreamed of living underwater? Sylvia Earle, National Geographic Explorer in Residence, spent a week living beneath the sea at the Aquarius Underwater Laboratory. Aquarius is a huge cylindrical tank with various rooms sitting 60 feet underwater that was designed for extended underwater reef research. Now part of the reef itself off of Key Largo, this station is critical to conserving the world's reefs which are now half gone. Unfortunately, the future of Aquarius is in question as the federal government has ceased funding. Earle explains her experience and how important it is to keep Aquarius in operation.

Chicago's Thriving Coyotes - Stanley Gehrt

There are coyotes running wild on the streets of Chicago. Initially when Stanley Gehrt started studying the urban coyotes, he thought there would be a few dozen of them, and that they would easily be deterred from making the city their home. But living close to large numbers of people means there are plenty of food sources for the canines, including the city's hundreds of thousands of rats. He was surprised when he discovered that hundreds of the canines make Chicago their home. Gehrt tells Boyd that every major North American city has a population of coyotes and, the animals being as opportunistic as they are, there is very little humans can do about it.

Did Drought Push Genghis Khan into Europe? - Amy Hessl

While studying petrified trees in Mongolia, Amy Hessl made an interesting discovery. It was once thought that Genghis Khan led his Mongolian army across the steppes and into Europe as a result of drought at home. Hessl’s discovery tells us the exact opposite.

Teaching Children To Calculate Risk - Mike Libecki

Mike Libecki was one of National Geographic's candidates for "Adventurer of the Year" in 2013, and it's easy to understand why: the experienced mountaineer led expeditions from places as disparate as Antarctica and the Philippines. Libecki is also a father. He tells Boyd what it's like to raise a child as a risk-taker, and how he handles his daughter wanting to follow in his footsteps, across frozen continents and through lush jungles.

Giving Sanctuary to Former Circus Cats - Eduardo Serio

Mexico City's 9-month old ban on circus animals has left Mexican officials with another issue: the glut of big cats, elephants and even bears that need to find new homes. Enter Black Jaguar White Tiger Foundation's Eduardo Serio. The big cat sanctuary opened in September 2013, but already is home to 45 big cats and two grizzly bears. Serio took his first few cats into his home, but quickly realized that his garden was unfit to save these rambunctious young cats. He purchased 32 acres just outside of Mexico City and has built a large infrastructure of animal pens to quarantine new arrivals and house the cats in large areas with pools and toys to enrich them. But the only place to see Serio's big cat sanctuary is on Instagram, as they don't allow visitors in person.

Ebola is Wiping Out West Africa's Apes - Ken Cameron

The recent West African Ebola outbreak killed approximately 10,000 people, but it killed five to ten times that number of non-human apes. Ken Cameron, a Wildlife Conservation Society field veterinarian based in Congo, says that the virus that doctors and government have scrambled to contain has been running rampant in the region's forests, killing half of the apes in one national park, and bringing the western lowland gorilla to the brink of extinction. Cameron and his team have been looking for areas where bats, long considered to be an Ebola reservoir between outbreaks, apes and hogs all overlap. He says that certain fruit trees have multiple species feeding at them, which could be way to transmit the disease between species.

Documenting Life in the Endangered Coral Triangle - David Doubilet

A lifetime of being a professional diver and photographer in the world's oceans has left David Doubilet with a unique understanding of their reefs and animals that depend on these reefs. This in-depth understanding also has Doubilet worried. Ocean acidification and coral bleaching endanger the South Pacific's "Coral Triangle," surrounding the island nations of Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia. Doubilet explains that if the coral dies, the "city of great complexity beneath the sea," full of everything from bacteria to sharks and whales will go with it.

Eating Vietnam - Graham Holliday

Eating street food on the other side of the world can be intimidating, but author and longtime resident of Vietnam Graham Holliday insists it's the only way, in that country. The foods might be foreign to us, like pig intestines and uterus, which are "popular drinking foods," but Holliday insists that the Vietnamese are notoriously fastidious and clean when it comes to food prep. Eating from carts and huts on the side of the road, the sickest he got in his 10 years in the country was after he had eaten at a well-known French restaurant. But Holliday does recommend skipping alcohols made from fermented snakes: they taste pretty bad. His new book, Eating Viet Nam is available now.

The Science Behind El Niño - Tom DiLiberto

2015 is officially an El Niño year, as declared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. The Western United States had been hoping for the weather phenomenon to bring storms and water to the parched areas of California, but that might not happen this time. NOAA's Tom DiLiberto says that the El Niño weather phenomenon is caused by weakening trade winds blowing away from the Americas, toward Asia. The weaker winds allow water that is usually "piled up" in the western Pacific to flow back east, warming up the ocean off the coast of South America. These warmer ocean temperatures also warm up the atmosphere, disrupting more typical weather patterns.

Finding The Truth Behind Atlantis - Mark Adams

The myth of "The Lost City of Atlantis" stems from a Plato story. Plato was one of the founders of Western philosophy and did use parables to illustrate points, but every time he discussed Atlantis, he clearly stated "This is not a parable." So Mark Adams went on a hunt for a plausible location of the city, based on clues from Plato and historical events in antiquity. Even if Adams never finds Atlantis, he offers a moral from Atlantis' myth: a technologically advanced society loses its bearings, and is punished for its hubris with natural disasters. Adams' new book, Meet Me in Atlantis is available now.

Why Don't People Believe in Science? - Joel Achenbach

"Most people really do like science." Reporter Joel Achenbach researched the pervasive disbelief in some of science's findings, like climate change, the moon landing and autism's disproven connection to vaccines, to find that people tend to think of themselves as rationalists. But, when scientists discover something that conflicts with our worldview, the public wants the findings to be completely infallible before they'll accommodate the findings. But science, by its nature, is fallible: "By definition it's rarely truly settled, because if it was settled, it wouldn't be a scientific question at that moment. Scientists do their work with a certain level of uncertainty in the results, and they're comfortable with that." Achenbach recommends that the public take a less absolute approach. Just because there is some degree of uncertainty, doesn't mean that we don't know anything about the topic.

Coyotes Thriving in New York City - Christopher Nagy

Coyotes are some of the most adaptable animals in the canine world. The opportunistic feeders have recently been spotted in New York City, of all places, but an aggressive encounter isn't likely, says the Gotham Coyote Project's Christopher Nagy. He explains that in most cases, the coyote knows we're coming well before we see them, and they stay hidden. In most cases, the only chance of aggression is if the coyote mothers are protecting pups. With as much as 19% of New York City listed as park space, there are plenty of places for coyotes to hide inside the concrete jungle.

This Weekend in History - Istanbul, Not Constantinople

In our This Weekend in History segment, Nat Geo Library research manager Maggie Turqman shares some important events in history whose anniversaries fall this weekend, including: the 1998 FDA approval of Viagra; the 1806 authorization of the U.S.'s first national highway; and the 1930 enforcement of Istanbul no longer being named Constantinople.

Wild Chronicles - Best Worst Trip Ever

Any time a vacation has an "aftermath," you know it was bad. In this week's Wild Chronicles segment, Boyd shares the story of his "best worst vacation ever."

This Is What You Just Put In Your Mouth? - Patrick Di Justo

This Is What You Just Put In Your Mouth? The challenge from Patrick Di Justo's book title was birthed in the author's fascination in finding what actually are the ingredients that are listed on the labels of processed foods. His research was never intended to gross out readers, but to explain the aisles of the grocery store with their mysterious packaged offerings. For example, Di Justo reveals that ham, bacon and spam all originate in pig, but they differ in the types of processes that happen afterwards. He explain that coffee includes a cockroach pheromone, and vodka is essentially ethanol mixed with water.

Forest Fires Caused By Weather, Not Climate - Mark Finney

Climate change is to blame for many destructive natural phenomena. But Mark Finney, a research forester with the US Forest Service, says that climate change isn't the cause for a seeming increase of fires around the western United States. Finney says that weather, even a dry week or two, can set the stage for a fire. And while controlled burns, or "prescribed fires," are the most effective treatment against wildfires, Finney suggests that people leave them to professionals, even around their yards.

Cooking The World From Scratch - Sasha Martin

Sasha Martin's best childhood memories of her family revolved around food. To help her find her place in the world, Martin took up the endeavor of cooking a meal every week that comes from a different country until she had "cooked the world". The result is her memoir, Life From Scratch, that variously describes her poor childhood with her mother's creative abilities to manifest cultural meals from around the world, to being taken in by a family that enabled her to attend school in Europe, to wanting to share her love of cooking with her own daughter. Martin said that in choosing meals, bigger countries were hard because there is a lot of diversity in cuisine from countries like the United States. To represent her upbringing she chose barbecue ribs and apple pie as her American meal.

Through Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail In Winter - Justin Lichter & Shawn Forry

Hiking the length of the 2,663 mile Pacific Crest Trail in summer is challenging. But Shawn Forry estimated that he and partner Justin Lichterhad a 17% chance of success before they began their attempt to hike the train this winter. Despite California's droughts, they spent much of the hike through Oregon and Washington soaked and battling high wind, but they report they had good weather through the High Sierras, which was the key to their 132 day journey. Lichter says that they were never lost, but they did get "temporarily misplaced" on a few occasions.

Greenland's Pristine Seas: Freezing A Moment In Time - Enric Sala

Last week, the British government announced their intention to establish the world's largest marine reserve around the Pitcairn Island's pristine seas. National Geographic Explorer in Residence Enric Sala's Pristine Seas team helped the UK's decision makers understand just how perfect the ocean life around the islands are. And now, Sala and his team have turned their focus to colder waters off Greenland's coast to establish an environmental baseline for what will be the last region in which the water will remain frozen throughout the year.

An Optimistic Tiger Census? - Belinda Wright

India is home to 70 percent of the world's tiger population. At 2,226 the country's tiger population is 30 percent larger than recent estimates thought. Tiger conservationist Belinda Wright says that the increase in tigers doesn't necessarily represent an actual numbers increase, it's simply the result of a more accurate census. India's tigers compete for space with the country's 1.25 billion people, but Wright says that the cat's future will only be secured when China's demand for tiger parts ends.

Sleep Is Good For Your Brain - Jeff Iliff

Brains, like other muscles and biological processes, create waste when they work all day. And sleep is the key to cleaning up that waste. Neuroscientist Jeffrey Iliff explains that brains are almost as active at night as they are in the day, but they're doing different things. Iliff explains how during sleep our brains clean out the waste plaque that can prevent it from running smoothly and could potentially contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Hitch-Hiking From Tasmania to London - Jamie Maslin

Hitchhiking is an art that once flourished in the United States and many other places around the world, but because of perceived dangers, it has become discouraged. But Jamie Maslin doesn't see it that way. He hitched over 800 rides in cars and yachts to travel from Tasmania to London, and he said that generally speaking, people are trustworthy. "You really get to see a country thtrough the eyes of a local," Maslin explains. But he does have a trick: "I ask where they're going first," so you have the opportunity to turn down a sketchy ride offer. Maslin's new book The Long Hitch Home is out now.

Avalanche Survivor Thanks Her Gear - Elyse Saugstad

Professional skier Elyse Saugstad was leading a tour in the backcountry at Stevens Pass, WA when disaster struck. One of the members of her group triggered a slide. Elyse and four other skiers were below. And for a few horrifying seconds, she tumbled 2600 feet without knowing which end was up. Fortunately, Saugstad had a inflatable backpack that helped float her to the top. She tells Boyd about the experience.

The Fish That Don't Get Away - Lee Crockett

Lee Crockett, director of Federal Fisheries Policy at the Pew Environment Group, discusses the plight of the fish that do not get away. Crockett explains that the bluefin tuna population and other rare species of fish are killed as bycatch because of surface longline fishing in the Gulf of Mexico—a serious problem for the already endangered species.

Lighting Up Tanzania - Jamie Yang

Ever since the light bulb’s invention, electricity has become one of life’s essentials. Unfortunately, many people on the planet still do not have access to a reliable source of electricity. National Geographic Energy Challenge grantee Jamie Yang decided to help change that by providing recyclable batteries to customers in Tanzania. He speaks to Boyd about how these small, portable sources of energy have made a big difference in Tanzanians’ lives.

Hunting Tuna and Unsustainable Sushi - Ken Brower

Elephants and tigers have faced a well-documented downfall in the face of high demand for their parts. But bluefin tuna has been declining more quietly from the oceans than their land mammal counterparts. Ken Brower has followed the largely legal but unsustainable extraction of the fish that can grow as large as 700 pounds as the global demand for sushi has boomed in recent years. His story "Quicksilver Tuna" appeared in the March, 2014 issue of National Geographic magazine.

Wild Chronicles - Breaking Up With Winter

It snowed in Washington, D.C. today, on the first day of spring. Boyd has had it with cold weather and so, in this week's Wild Chronicles segment, he's breaking up with winter.

This Weekend in History: Roosevelt Shooting African Animals and the Birth of the 4-Minute Miler

National Geographic Library Manager of Research Maggie Turqman returns with some timely milestones plucked from history. This weekend, New Orleans, which has been no stranger to disaster, had 80% of its buildings burn down on March 21, 1788; post-presidential Thedore Roosevelt left for an expedition to British East Africa to "collect," (aka shoot) big game animals in 1909; and Roger Bannister, the first sub-4 minute mile runner, was born on this weekend in 1929.

Pitcairn Islands: 322,000 Square Miles of Newly Protected Ocean - Paul Rose

Today, the Pitcairn Islands became home to the world's largest marine protected area. Last summer, National Geographic Weekend spoke with Pristine Seas' Paul Rose, who long petitioned for the area. Rose explains the need for more marine protected areas and specifically, why this reserve is so important to the survival of animals and coral that call the South Pacific home.

Investigating the Myth of Clean Coal - Sara Bernard

The United States has been starving for a cheap, domestic and relatively clean fuel source. And, in a throwback, some companies are turning to coal. This is the case in Kemper County, Mississippi, where Southern Company built a plant built by "cheap, clean" coal burning processes. After a months-long investigation, Sara Bernard is less optimistic than the power company seems to be. The $6.17 billion plant is among the most expensive ever built in the United States, but to help cover costs, it has been trapping carbon dioxide emissions, which would seems good. But the Southern Company is, in turn, selling those emissions to oil companies which are pumping them into the earth to extract more fossil fuels. Bernard's thorough investigation of Mississippi's clean coal plant can be found at Grist.

This Weekend In History: Civil Rights, Aspirin, Reality Television

In our This Weekend in History segment, Maggie Turqman highlights the 116th birthday Aspirin's patent, with the drug's roots back in antiquity, the 50th anniversary of the police assault on Selma, Alabama's civil rights protesters, and the 27th return of the Writer's Guild of America strike that led to the rise of "reality television."

The Sugarcane Epidemic - Ed Kashi

Sugarcane is one of the biggest crops in Central America, but harvesting the cane is killing people by the thousand. Filmmaker Ed Kashi, whose recent short documentary focuses on Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, says that 33% of men in that town die young from end stage renal failure related to working in the fields. The real tragedy is that these deaths are potentially avoidable; there is evidence that more water and rest could prevent many of these cases.

The Science Behind Sunset's Colors - Stephen Corfidi

After a recent spell of beautiful sunrises and sunsets, National Geographic Weekend reached out to NOAA meteorologist Stephen Corfidi to find out why. As it turns out, the two times of the day are similar in the angle that the sun's light cuts through the Earth's atmosphere. The light's angle interacts with air molecules in the lower atmosphere that change how we perceive the sky's color. Corfidi says that winter tends to get better sun rises than summer because there is less haze in the atmosphere and weather systems move faster, causing cleaner air to be cycled closer to the Earth's surface, where we get to enjoy the show.

Blood of the Tiger: China's Cat Farms - J.A. Mills

China is well known for its import of wild elephant ivory that fuels Africa's poaching crisis, but there is a quieter crisis caused by the tiger's extremely endangered status. Since there are so few of the cats left in the wild, the Chinese government has sanctioned them to be farm-raised in the country. Wildlife investigator and author J.A. Mills says that today's tiger farms are buoyed by wealthy Chinese consuming them as luxury items. Mills is optimistic that China's younger generations will reject the trade, as they don't want to be blamed for the extinction of tigers, elephants and rhinos. But she says that the United States has a captive tiger problem as well, which Chinese officials often cite when Americans demand that they control their market for animal parts.

Digging Up Guatemala's Mayan Past - Mariela Mayen

Tikal was a stronghold of the Mayan civilization, which ruled throughout Central America. The current National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site protects over 4,000 buildings, including temples and pyramids and served as a city for 1600 years. On a recent trip to Tikal, Boyd spoke with guide Mariela Mayen about the people who once thrived there. Mayan achievements on display at Tikal are their ability to build temples that were bathed in the sun's direct rays during the winter and summer solstices, displaying a developed calendar and understanding of the cosmos.

Native Bees Buzz Through Honeybee Collapse - Clay Bolt

Photographer Clay Bolt has been studying bees for years. The bee educator wants the public to know that the honeybee is considered an invasive species, and that despite their colony collapse, there are plenty of native North American bees who are just as effective as honeybees at pollenating. Bolt spends much of his work time around bees, but says he has only been stung twice, including once at a National Geographic event, when the bee flew down his shirt.

Dogsled Victory Despite Moose Encounter - Brent Sass

Freezing temperatures and exhaustion are two of the more mundane threats that face long distance dog sled racers, but Brent Sass had a less common encounter during this year's Yukon Quest race. Sass and his team surprised a moose on a road. The moose stomped his hooves right in front of the team, and passed by Sass so close, he "could have given him a high-5". After the moose encounter, Sass slept late, turning a 10-hour lead into a nap. His well rested team were able to pull Sass to an hour and 12 minute victory after trailing heading into the race's last leg.

Wild Chronicles - The World's Greatest Animal Migrations

In this week's Wild Chronicles segment, Boyd shares his encounters with some of the world's greatest migratory animals: arctic terns, humpback whales and wildebeest.

Bears Eating Moths In Wyoming's High Country - Joe Riis

Last summer, National Geographic photographer Joe Riis got wild and lived outside in the Wyoming wilderness for 8 months. The photographer who prefers to sleep on the ground, studied the migrations of all of the wild animals that lived around him. Riis specializes in photographing migrations and how they interact with each other, and with humans. He tells about how bears and moths have a migration collision. The grizzlies feed on moths during the late summer as they fatten up for winter. Riis explained that the greatest threats to pronghorn and other animals that migrate throughout the year are housing developments, roads, fences and energy projects.

Wild Chronicles - Igloo Under Construction

In this week's Wild Chronicles segment, Boyd shares the story of sleeping in an igloo on Baffin Island, and the merits of learning how to say "Stop!" in the languages that your dogsled teams speak.

Florida's Soggy Future - Laura Parker

Sea level rise will impact millions of low-lying cities around the world. Florida is one of the places that will be the most impacted by higher water. Laura Parker visited the state last fall during their "King Tide," which is the highest high tide of the year. Despite the high waters, the state has its share of climate change deniers, including local politicians. Parker explains that because of the Ameriacn political system, elected officials are encouraged to have a shorter-term view, but there is growing support for action in South Florida. Parker's article, "Treading Water," appears in the February 2015 issue of National Geographic magazine.

Saint Lucia's Economy is Bananas - Caela O'Connell

Hurricane Tomas hit Saint Lucia on October 29, 2010, flooding the small island nation and crushing its banana crop. This storm helped pave the way for more banana troubles on the island, allowing the fungal banana disease black sigatoka to take hold and further injure St. Lucia's banana prospects. National Geographic grantee Caela O'Connell has been studying the methods and economic systems of banana farmers on St. Lucia and says that a large threat to St. Lucia's banana crop also comes from the large corporate farms in other parts of Latin America and the Caribbean being able to undercut the island's small crop producers. O'Connell also explains the different ways St. Lucians like to consume bananas as part of their national dish.

Revisiting a Lost Cuban Childhood - Juan Valdes

National Geographic Geographer Juan Valdes was just a child when Fidel Castro's revolution changed the course of Cuba. But like any seven year old, Valdes wasn't concerned about Castro, as he was about his family and his favorite toy train. When his parents put him on a flight to Miami as part of "Operation Peter Pan," he lost track of the train. In an audio memoir, inspired by National Geographic's new book Journeys Home, Valdes shares thoughts on his Cuban childhood, his transition to American life, and what it meant for him to return to his home country 40 years after his "Indefinite Voluntary Departure."

Swollen Fluorescent Sharks - David Gruber

Even when scientists know about a particular species, they might know all of its secrets. David Gruber explains that the swell shark, know for its ability to bloat in self-defense, is also fluorescent. Gruber, an expert on fluorescent and bioluminescent marine creatures, or, as he explains, "I like glowy things." Gruber is working to develop a "shark-eye" camera, to better understand what the world looks to a fluorescent shark as it navigates its blue-green world, 130 feet below the ocean's surface.

The World's Most Important Fish - Tyson Roberts

Eels have an important job in China's rice paddy fields. Ichthyologist Dr. Tyson Roberts has studied the eels and their impact on the fields and he says that they are "stirrers", that mixes the soil and, by simple virtue of living and dying in the fields, they add important nutrients as well. Roberts says that these are some of the most important fish in the history of humanity for their ability to increase the yield of China's rice paddies.

Photographing Egypt's Revolution - Matt Moyer

National Gegoraphic's photographers focus on getting the perfect shot. But in uncertain situations, like Egypt's protests during the revolution that unseated Hosni Mubarak, photographers have to ensure their own safety. That's why Matt Moyer recommends hiring a local to read the crowd and watch his back. Moyer explains that, even in more peaceful settings, shooting photos in Egypt is difficult, because locals are protective of their country's image abroad. Moyer plans to return to Egypt, despite the current government cracking down on foreign journalists and their ability to roam the country freely.

The World's Best Surf Towns - Ted Endo

With winter dragging on in parts of the United States, the surfers among us might be looking for a warm getaway. Ted Endo suggests some of the world's best surfing towns, but not necessarily just for the waves. His surf destinations offer a mix of city, culture and, of course, surf. Biarritz, France meets those qualifications, as the birthplace of European surf culture; Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, offers Southern charm with long, uncrowded waves; Raglan, New Zealand offers world class waves, but not an overcrowded surf scene; and Taghazout, Morocco offers more culture than the average beach town.

NYC Subway Bacteria: Shake 10,000 Hands or Touch One Railling - Chris Mason

New York City subways: smelly, crowded but integral to the city's ability to move over 4 million people everyday. They're also covered in microbes. Cornell University biophysicist Chris Mason enlisted an army of willing students to swab the city's subway stations and gained some interesting perspective on the city's microbiome: 48% of the DNA isn't associated with any known bacteria; only 12% of the DNA they collected is associated with human disease; and the South Ferry station that flooded during Hurricane Sandy still shows echoes of ocean DNA that isn't found anywhere else in the city's subway system.

Skiing Alaska's Glaciers For Science - Kit Deslauriers & Andy Bardon

The United States has been mapped, graphed and generally analyzed in every way imaginable. But on deep in Alaska's interior, the exact height of several peaks in the Brooks Range remain a mystery. Glaciologist Matt Nolan hopes to estimate rates of glacier change in the range, so to establish a baselline measurement, ski mountaineers Kit Deslauriers and Andy Bardon carried a GPS sensor to the summit of two peaks in the range. Nolan hasn't revealed the findings just yet, but Deslauriers and Bardon were less secretive about their ski adventure through the "No Fall Zone."

Wild Chronicles - Joking With the Yugoslavian Army

In this week's Wild Chronicles segment, Boyd details a lapse of judgment that involves the Yugoslavian Army, cheap cross country skis, and a recently resurfaced photo.

Analyzing the Northeast's Bumper Winter Snowfall - Joel Gratz

With the consistent snow storms pummeling the northeastern United States and North Carolina, and a drought starving ski resorts in the west, the early winter months of 2015 have been abnormal. But Joel Gratz, founder of OpenSnow, says that weather is often abnormal. He said that it's almost impossible to make a long-term weather prediction, but says that the bumper snowfall in New England should hold with cold weather to maintain the base that has already fallen, while the western states should get the snow they crave late in February and early into March.

Touring Morocco's Ancient Markets - Sarah Casewit

Morocco isn't just desert and mountains. The predominately Muslim nation is home to scenic Saharan dunes and the Atlas Mountains, but it is also boasts many centuries-old cities that are living museums. Sarah Casewit, a travel expert at Blue Parallel Luxury Tours, was raised in Morocco and says that Casablanca, among the best known Moroccan cities, isn't her favorite city in the country. She recommends UNESCO World-Heritage site Fes, and "fun, exciting, exotic, smelly, loud, vibrant" Marrakesh as two highlights of the country's historic markets and welcoming locals.

Climbing in China and the Virtues of Bird Watching - David Anderson

Bird watching is a low-risk way to enjoy the outdoors, which is why the hobby is as popular as it is. David Anderson has enjoyed observing the birds around him since he was young. But the climber and tour guide operator also explains that understanding birds can help fully appreciate the risks that we take in other aspects of our lives. His example: while recnetly climbing in the Andes, he noticed a group of condors wheeling overhead. A non-birder may have dismissed the behavior as odd; Anderson understood that the birds were hoping for the climbers to slip and provide an easy meal for the scavengers. In addition to South America, Anderson regularly runs tours into remote parts of the Tibetan Plateau in China, which can be difficult to get to alone, and are ripe for adventure.

The Chimp and the River: The Genesis of the AIDS Epidemic - David Quammen

Zoonotic viruses are those that pass from animals to humans. They've plagued us for as long as we've existed and they cross over with more regularity than we may realize. Most zoonotic diseases stop in a relatively short amount of time, because humans aren't an ideal host. SARS, West Nile, avian and swine flus are all familiar zoonotic diseases. But none of them have been as difficult for our medicine to manage as HIV. Most people think of the virus that causes AIDS as a relatively recent affliction, but, as David Quammen explains in his new book The Chimp and the River, HIV made the leap from chimps to humans in the southeastern corner of Cameroon over a century ago. Quammen's book explains how the virus likely spilled-over and turned into the global scourge that it is today.

Beautiful Destruction: Pleasing to the Eye, Devastating to the Planet - Louis Helbig

Just as the United States is embroiled in debate over whether or not to build the Keystone XL pipeline, Canadians can hardly agree on what to call the substance the pipeline would be moving. Photographer Louis Helbig's new book, Beautiful Destruction portrays the "bituminous sands" more commonly known as "tar" or "oil sands," depending on one's view of their relative value. The book includes aerial photos of the whole tar/oil-sand industry in Alberta and the book also includes essays from people on both sides of the Canadian bitumen debate.

Learning the Chimpanzee Language - Simon Townsend

Non-human animals use verbal cues to communicate, but it has been difficult for scientists to prove that they use specific vocalizations to refer to other things in their environment, often food or predators. University of Zurich researcher Dr. Simon Townsend says that chimpanzees are one of the animals that use these "referential calls". The apes are so malleable in their verbal skills that after two chimps were moved from a zoo in the Netherlands to one in Edinburg, Scotland. Once in their new home, over time, the chimpanzees changed their vocalizations used to refer to "apples" to better integrate with their new troop-mates. Dr. Townsend says that despite his time studying chimpanzee calls, he isn't inclined to try to speak their "language".

Italy's Forgotten Wildlife - Jeremy Berlin

Italy isn't the top vacation destination place to see wildlife and beautiful nature scenery, but Jeremy Berlin says that it's a possibility that is often overlooked by tourists. In that country's Gran Paradiso National Park, ibex and chamois goat-antelopes were protected from poachers by the park's status as a royal hunting park, which turned into a national park after a few generations. The park even has had a few wolves in recent years. Berlin's article about Italy's rugged national park is in the Feburary 2015 issue of National Geographic magazine.

Surviving Four Months Alone In An Unforgiving Land - Sarah Marquis

Sarah Marquis has spent her life walking. From Canada to Mexico, from Siberia to the far side of Australia. She says that three miles per hour is the perfect speed and that humans were made to walk. But humans weren't necessarily made to live alone in the Australia's rugged Kimberly Region alone, surviving on grubs, found water, and her knowledge of local plants. Marquis, who has spent the last 23 years walking, usually alone, says that these four months will be the culmination of everything she has learned in her career as a professional adventurer.

A Photographer's Passion For Pristine Forest - Mattias Klum

Mattias Klum, a National Geographic photographer who has ventured to some of the world's most pristine areas is concerned by what he sees. But he tells Boyd that for every challenge, there is an equal amount of opportunity. And his new book, The Human Quest, explores the opportunities that the planet offers within the boundaries of her resources. Klum also tells of his love for Borneo and the incredible lengths he has gone to in the past in order to get the stunning images that he does.

When Do You Give Up On One Animal To Save Another? - Christine Dell'Amore

Animal lovers the world around rally around charismatic endangered animals like pandas, tigers and polar bears, devote much energy and resources trying to save a species that may be beyond saving. It's a difficult question, but Christine Dell'Amore tells Boyd that there are some conservationists who would rather save ecologically important animals, because of the significant role they play in their environment's health, rather than the fact that they look good on postage stamp.

Road Tripping To Every State With a Canine Companion - Theron Humphrey

Photographer and dog lover Theron Humphrey hit the road last year to meet a new person every day across the country and share their story with the world, in a project he called "This Wild Idea". To keep himself entertained, he placed his copilot and dog-friend Maddie in many precarious places and snapped shots with his iPhone camera. The end-product was his book, Maddie on Things: A Super Serious Project About Dogs and Physics. Theron continues to tumbleweed around the country for his latest photography and story-collection project about pet rescue, called "Why We Rescue".

Studying Parasitic Plants & Dodging Rebels in the Congo - Jeff Morawetz

While visiting one of the remotest sections of Democratic Republic of the Congo to study the parasitic tropical broomrape plants, Jeff Morawetz was asked to finish his work and leave the computer cafe early, because rebels had entered the town and were firing their guns. The botanist tells Boyd that he's passionate about plants, but he also loves the stories he gets to bring home to his friends from the field.

Surviving a Car Race from Beijing to Paris - Dina Bennett

The Peking to Paris Road Rally bills itself as an "Endurorace," and author Dina Bennett confirms that the race takes stamina. She tells Boyd that a working knowledge on how to fix a 1940 Cadillac LaSalle as well as an ability to read maps and road signs in multiple alphabets. Despite the difficulties in navigating the highways from China to France, Bennett tells Boyd that once they arrived in France, they kept on driving all the way to Greece. Her new book, titled Peking to Paris: Life and Love on a Short Drive Around Half the World.

Answering The Call of the Mountains Later in Life - Alan Arnette

Many mountain climbers grow up in the habit of climbing rock faces and mountains well before they're in their late 30's. But Alan Arnette waited until he was 38 to climb his first mountain, and quickly fell in love with the feeling of achievement - tempered by the pain - of conquering 8,000 meter peaks. He recently successfully climbed his sixth mountain of that height, the nearly 27,000 foot Manaslu, the world's eighth highest peak.

Testing Love With an Epic Expedition - Carolyn Van Hemert & Patrick Farrell

Relationships can be difficult enough. But Carolyn Van Hemert and Patrick Farrell tested their love when they trekked 4,000 miles from Bellingham, Washington to Kotzebue, Alaska over six months. The couple rowed, hiked and skied as they climbed up mountains (only to climb back down the same side when they realized it wasn't where they wanted to go), and survived Biblical swarms of mosquitoes en route, but came out tired but happy.

Setting Records Cycling in Antarctica - Eric Larsen

As fewer mountains remain unclimbed and "extreme" adventures becoming more difficult and dangerous, people drawn to these quests have to get creative in their expeditions of choice. Cold-weather adventurer and avid bicycler Eric Larsen joined two of his loves and decided to ride a fat-tired cycle 750 miles from Hercules Inlet to the geographic South Pole. The riding proved nearly impossible, as his bike regularly punctured the hard snow crust, but Larsen still set an Antarctic record, riding 335 miles.

Skiing B.C.'s Sacred Headwaters - Nick Chambers

Avid skiers pay hundreds of dollars to vacation at the most exclusive resorts. But National Geographic explorer Nick Chambers got to ski some of the world's most remote backcountry for science. He paired his love of skiing with his desire to document the pristine wilderness around the area known to local native tribes as The Sacred Headwaters. Because it's so remote, he hiked 65 miles to live out of a snow cave for 12 days, and ride mountains in North America's untouched wilderness.

Understanding Ebola, SARS, Avian Flu and Bubonic Plague - David Quammen

Throughout history, diseases have consistently jumped from animals to man. David Quammen details the history of zoonotic diseases in his new book, Spillover. He tells Boyd that as humans continue to encroach on habitats formerly left to animals, diseases that jump from animals to humans will happen more often. Quammen says this could spark the next human pandemic. HIV and the Bubonic plague are two diseases that began in animals, but Quammen said that scientists consider humans lucky that various avian flu strains and SARS have proven to be containable this far.

Cooking Locally in Alaska - Barton Seaver

National Geographic fellow Barton Seaver loves to fish. He joined Boyd to chat about a recent trip to Alaska to observe the effects of the controversial proposed Pebble Mine and its possible effects on the area's fisheries and the local salmon run. And while he was in the neighborhood, he couldn't resist dipping his rod into the Stuyahok River, catching and releasing his way from the mountains, down through the tundra, and into the forests where he met some delicious salmon. Seaver left Boyd a Grilled Alaskan Salmon with Tarragon Butter recipe to try, rather than using the bear spray to add spice to the fillets, (a staple of Boyd's cookbook).

Road Tripping America's West Coast - Shannon Switzer

Many people would love to take a month off, hit the road and see all of the things that don't appear on the average tourist's "To Do" list. This past summer, National Geographic explorer Shannon Switzer did exactly that, taking in Salvation Mountain, the Pinball Hall of Fame and the Pacific Coast's best cocktail. (Be warned, the cocktail may induce short-term memory loss.)

Tool Using Dolphins - Eric Patterson

National Geographic Young Explorer Eric Patterson studies dolphins off the west coast of Australia. Patterson and his colleagues are studying a small percentage of dolphins that use marine sponges as tools. Patterson explains to Boyd how the dolphins wear the sponges like a glove to protect their beaks.

The Unromantic Lives of Baboons - Larissa Swedell

National Geographic grantee Larissa Swedell studies the love life of baboons. There’s not a lot of romance. However, every once in a while a male baboon will show his tender side by picking termites off his mate.

Deep Sea Exploration and Making Movies - James Cameron

For filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence James Cameron, a personal love for exploration spills over into his work, allowing films like “Avatar” to spark people’s awareness of real-world issues through dazzling visuals and powerful stories. Cameron joins Boyd in the studio and explains how his films have allowed him to fund his true passion for exploring the unknown places of our planet. He also shares his hopes for the future of conservation and his own future expeditions, including a potential journey to the deepest spot in the ocean.

The History of Marriage - Stephanie Coontz

Love and Marriage didn’t always go together like a horse and carriage. Marriage has changed a great deal over the ages and it continues to change today. Stephanie Coontz, Director of Research and Public Education for the Council on Contemporary Families, joins Boyd to talk about the history of marriage and how to build a successful one today.

Finding Love on a Paragliding Expedition - Nick Greece

Most people think of parachutes as limp, frameless canvas structures that allow humans to float safely back to earth after an airplane crashes, or in extreme cases by choice. But Nick Greece and fellow paragliders have turned the 'chute into a means of locomotion: they take off from high mountain meadows, coasting up to 18,000 feet in the air. He recently completed a two week tour where he and a group of friends camped, and flew for up to 50 miles in a day. There was only one serious crash leading to broken bones. But love was also found.

Walking Across Africa For Love - Julian Smith

In 1898 Ewart “The Leopard” Grogan decided to prove himself to his love (and her skeptical step-father) by walking the length of Africa. A century later, author Julian Smith re-created the trek to prove himself worthy of his fiancée’s love. Smith writes about his adventure in his new book Crossing the Heart of Africa.

Hiram Bingham: The Real Indiana Jones - Christopher Heaney

Hiram Bingham was a professor-turned-explorer whose bravado made him the inspiration for the beloved Indiana Jones character of Hollywood. Christopher Heaney, author of Cradle of Gold: The Story of Hiram Bingham, a Real-Life Indiana Jones, joins Boyd to talk about Bingham’s pursuit of the unknown and the future of Machu Picchu.

Four Months in a Tree for One Photograph - Matthias Klum

What does it take to be a National Geographic photographer? Boyd speaks with Mattias Klum about some of his wildest moments out in the field. Klum talks about his trips to Vietnam, where he came face-to-face with some of the world’s most dangerous snakes, and to Indonesia, where he waited in a tree for four months to take a picture of an orangutan. With courage and patience, he puts himself into precarious situations for the sake of capturing the beauty of our planet and bringing attention to the importance of protecting it. Klum’s most recent work can be found in the February issue of National Geographic Magazine.

Stranded on the Roof of the World - Matthieu Paley

Some might call a land with merciless winds, sub-zero temperatures, and high death rates unlivable. But to the Kyrgyz nomads of Afghanistan’s Wakhan Corridor, this land is called “home”. In the latest issue of National Geographic Magazine, photographer Matthieu Paley captures the Kyrgyzs’ way of life for the article "Stranded on the Roof of the World". He shows how, despite these nomads having found a way to survive in one of Afghanistan’s harshest environments, they still struggle to survive in the face of geopolitics and modernity.

Africa's Love of Soccer - Jessica Hilltout

By touting its approximately 250 million athletes and fan base of over 1 billion people, soccer is hands-down the world’s most popular sport. Photographer Jessica Hilltout decided to learn about the sport’s cultural influence by travelling away from the brightly-lit stadiums and manicured fields and into the rural areas and villages of west Africa. Her 12,500-mile journey between the Ivory Coast and South Africa brought her face-to-face with some of soccer's biggest fans: children who fashion soccer balls out of cloth, twine, plastic bags – anything lying around – in order to play the sport they love so much. Photographs from Hilltout’s trip can be found in the National Geographic Magazine article "Soccer Joy".

United Arab Emirates: Rich on Foreign Labor - Cynthia Gorney

Many impoverished nations don't have enough work for all of its citizens to feed, clothe and house their families. People in these countries are sometimes forced to leave their homes and work abroad, sending money back for relatives or children who can't make the journey. Migrant workers find their way to richer nations whose populace don't want to perform certain types of labor, which are often physical, uncomfortable or dangerous. Cynthia Gorney examines this issue in the oil rich United Arab Emirates in the January 2014 issue of National Geographic magazine, but is quick to point out this is not a phenomenon unique to UAE; the United States benefits from many migrant workers as well.

Komodo Dragons: Ancient Reptile; Modern Day Nuisance - Jennifer Holland

Komodo dragons look like a hang over from the Cretaceous Period, but they’re a modern day problem for those who live inside Indonesia’s Komodo National Park. The vulnerable reptiles, that grow up to 10 feet long and weigh as much as 300 pounds, more or less go where they want in pursuit of food, says Jennifer Holland, who describes their conflict with people in the January, 2014 issue of National Geographic magazine. She also clarifies for Boyd that this particular breed of dragon doesn’t breathe fire, although their bacteria-infested mouths are to be avoided at all costs.

A Lone Wolf Looking for Love - Ed Bangs

An old Russian proverb says: “A wolf lives by its feet.” Former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s wolf recovery coordinator, Ed Bangs, knows that’s true. He draws upon his expertise to explain why a wolf recently made Northern California his home – the first to do so in 80 years. Bangs explains: he’s looking for love.

Visiting All 397 National Parks Units - Terre Jones

Many Americans think of their national parks as the few parcels of pristine land across the country with names like Yosemite, Denali and Arches. But most people would be surprised to discover that there are actually 397 national park units in the United States. Terre Jones, outgoing President and CEO of Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts (itself a parcel of the National Parks Service), has been to 213 of them to photograph for his new book, Roadtrip: A Photographer's Journey to America's National Parks.

Winter in a Refugee Camp - Peter Schwartzstein

With the ongoing war in Iraq and Syria between ISIS and national forces, refugee camps are swelling with people fleeing for their lives. But winter isn't doing the area any favors. Cold weather, uncertain food, and lacking fuel sources leave refugees huddled together to try to avoid freezing, says Cairo-based reporter Peter Schwartzstein. Schwartzstein visited several refugee camps in late December and reports that even though the camps are intended to take in people fleeing conflict temporarily, it's hard to imagine that all of the estimated 14 million refugees will make their way home.

Wild Chronicles - The Amateur's Guide to Ice Climbing

In this week's Wild Chronicles segment, Boyd gives a crash course in how not to ice climb: trust your axe's grip on the ice; climb with your legs, instead of your arms; and keep your hands as warm as possible.

Can Animals Of Different Species Be Friends? - Erica Goode

The well-documented phenomenon of cross-species friendships promoted by the internet have elicited many ooh's and aah's from people the world over. But New York Times science reporter Erica Goode explains that scientists can't seem to agree whether or not there is any actual friendship possible between dogs and donkeys, or lions and antelope. Goode explains that dogs are adept at reading other animals (including people), so they often make friends with other animals. Goode also points out that species may interact in the wild, but it hasn't ever been documented that two wild animals play in the wild, in the absence of humans.

"Never Turn Your Back on a Cow" - Dr. Jan Pol

Dr. Jan Pol is a Michigan-based veterinarian who has been in the business of healing farm animals for the past 44 years. The indefatigable vet has also starred in the eponymous "The Incredible Dr. Pol," on the Nat Geo WILD channel for 5 years. He shared some wisdom from his years as an animal healer with Boyd: "Don't leave your money laying around," so your dog doesn't eat change; Magnets can substitute as medical devices if your cow eats metal; and "Never turn your back on a cow."

Climbing Up Niagara Falls - Will Gadd and Sarah Hueniken

Niagara Falls, like most waterfalls, is a renowned showcase for the powers of gravity. Water, and sometimes people, go over the edges of the falls drawn by a current heading toward the Atlantic Ocean. But recently, the falls were a venue for ice climbers Will Gadd and Sarah Hueniken to spurn gravity and climb up North America's most powerful faucet. The water, turned to ice by the powers of winter, supported Gadd and Hueniken up the 167 foot face, as water poured over the edge next to him. Gadd explains that the climb up Niagara Falls was the most difficult climb of his life, simply for the logistical headache of acquiring permission from the New York State Park Police.

Nat Geo's Photo Camp Goes to South Sudan - Duku Stephen Savio

South Sudan is the world's newest country. But the young nation has had its share of difficulties. Even so, National Geographic hosted one of its Photography Camps in the country, to empower young people to tell their own stories through images, and potentially train the next generation of professional photographers. One of South Sudan's Photo Camp students, Duku Stephen Savio explains how he learned composition, the power of light as a photographic tool. He also explains his hope for South Sudan's peaceful future.

Brain Injuries Impact Soldiers Long After They're Home - Caroline Alexander

Traumatic brain injury in sports is an increasingly recognized affliction incurred from repeated impacts to the head. But Caroline Alexanderexplains that it's now being researched as a cause of U.S. veterans feeling sick, unfocused and depressed after they return from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. While the soldiers might not have any visible trauma, shockwaves from bombs could potentially reverberate under helmets and damage the brain, through the skull. Alexander says that many veterans have been reluctant to report these types of injuries because of the lack of understanding of injuries that don't leave visible scars.

Outdoor Retailer Recap: Women in Adventure, 360° Cameras, & Fashion Meets Function - Rebecca Byerly

On the heels of the recent Outdoor Retailer conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, ultramarathon runner and reporter Rebecca Byerly shared thoughts on the trends to watch in 2015. At the retail show, REI donated $1.5 million to better develop women as executives and leaders in outdoor industries; outdoor companies work to balance fashion with real adventure functionality; and lightweight action cameras take another leap forward with VSN Mobil's offering that shoots 360 degrees simultaneously, removing the pesky need to direct the camera in order to film adventure sports.

Dodging Sulfuric "Snottites" Deep Inside of Caves - Robbie Shone

Dodging dangling "snottites" is a hazard that sounds as if it would be reserved for doctors and elementary school teachers. But photographer Robbie Shone says that it is also a hazard of exploring deep inside some of Mexico's most extensive cave systems. The danger of these dangling, mucus-like collection of microbes is that they produce sulfuric acid, so Shone explains that they're definitely worth avoiding. Shone explains what it's like deep in these caves, where he has to wear a gas-mask just to take photos.

Humpbacks Steal Killer Whales' Dinner - Paul Nicklen

Orcas, or "killer whales," are the apex predators of the seas. But on a recent expedition, National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen ended up feeling sorry for the 6 ton sea mammals while they were being used as waiters by a population of humpback whales off the coast of Norway. Nicklen explains that the orcas would gather fish into a tight bait ball, only to have a humpback charge through and steal the orcas' dinner. Nicklen also had a close encounter with the inside of a humpback's mouth that led him to ponder just how he would die. Nicklen also tells about a recent work trip to Hawaii where the photographer gained access to the notoriously tough local Hawaiian surfer scene. His Hawaiian photos are featured in the February 2015 issue of National Geographic magazine.

The Secret Lives of Predators - Boone Smith

For Big cats are the predators that Boone Smith knows best, but for the series "The Secret Life of Predators" on NatGeo Wild. Smith shares stories of odd killers like the hairy frogfish and the wolf eel. But Smith says that his favorite moments of the show come from well-known hunters, who display tenderness toward their offspring, like one cheetah mother who raised five cubs, despite the long odds against her.

Reporter Visited Philippines to Climb Volcanoes; Met Dennis Rodman's Dad - Daniel Engber

Some of the world's greatest discoveries were made accidentally. Christopher Columbus found the New World while looking for the East Indies. Alexander Fleming found penicillin when a mold growth interfered with his staph bacteria culture. And Daniel Engber went to the Philippines to climb volcanos and learn about the ring of fire, when he encountered Dennis Rodman's long lost father.

Snake Bites: Often Painful, But Not Always Deadly - Wild Chronicles

In this week's Wild Chronicles segment, Boyd shares his experiences with Bill Haast, who worked his entire life with venomous snakes and helped pioneer using venom in modern medicine. Haast was bitten many times by venomous snakes, but still lived to be 100 years old.

The Bite That Heals - Zoltan Takacs

Snake venom is thought of a poison that humans certainly want to avoid. But herpetologist and National Geographic Explorer Zoltan Takacs does the exact opposite, despite having an allergy to venom, as well as antivenom. Takacs is on a mission to unlock the possible medical benefits locked inside the venom. The venoms can be turned into medicines that treat everything from heart disease to arthritis. Takacs' research was prominently featured in the February 2013 issue of National Geographic magazine, in an article titled "The Bite That Heals".

Tracking The World's Slowest Migration: Galapagos Tortoises - Stephen Blake

Of all the animals in the planet that are difficult to track, one wouldn't assume that a 600-pound reptile that walks .2 miles per hour would be on the list. But Stephen Blake has enlisted the help of satellites to keep an eye on the Galapagos tortoises. He's been tracking their seasonal migration from the island's lowlands up volcanoes into the highlands, in search of food.

Rainforest For Sale - Scott Wallace

In one of the world's most remote jungles, there is an estimated 850 million barrels of oil. If Ecuador, the home of Yasuni National Park, where the oil reserves are, pursued the oil, it would be a windfall for the poverty-stricken country. But the impact on the pristine wilderness would be disastrous. Scott Wallace, author of "Rainforest for Sale," in the January 2013 issue of National Geographic magazine, tells Boyd that President Rafael Correa has asked the world to compensate Ecuador for $3.6 billion in order to not develop its jungle.

Pushing Women Forward in Saudi Arabia - Hayat Sindi

Women in Saudi Arabia experienced a big step forward in their slow and uncertain pursuit for increasing rights. The country provides women with very few rights: no vote, no driving and a strict dress code is encouraged. But National Geographic Explorer Hayat Sindi was recently among the first 30 women hand-picked by King Abdullah to his consultative body known as the Shura Council.

The Luck of Discovery - Lee Berger

Paleo-anthropologist Lee Berger was walking with his son and his dog just 30 miles from Johannesberg, South Africa, near a dig site when his son found a fossilized clavicle from an Australopithecus sediba. The two million year old human was remarkably well-preserved and led to the excavation of a site that contained several other individuals. Berger was shocked at the find and assures Boyd he knew it was a pre-hominid fossil, because "antelope don't have clavicles."

Wild Weather Heats Up Australia - Blair Trewin

Australia spent much of January in a record-smashing heat wave that saw the national average temperature above 100 degrees Farenheit for the first time ever. The temperatures were so out of the ordinary that the country had to add new colors to its heat maps. Blair Trewin a climatologist with the Australian Bureau of Meterology said that despite the heat, there were flash floods on the country's Pacific Coast while bush fires and high winds threatened Tasmania's biggest city. (This interview first ran in 2012.)

A Kayaker Runs Rapids on a Stand-Up Paddleboard - Erik Boomer

The thrill of a first-time accomplishment can be exhilarating. So, professional kayaker Erik Boomer tells Boyd he's trying to recreate that feeling of fear and trepidation riding easier rapids that he now finds too easy to run in a boat by riding them on a stand-up paddle board. This fall, in Mexico, he rode a paddle board off a 60 foot waterfall while shooting his new film Cascada. The trick, Boomer says, is to not land on the board or the rocks.

Poop Spitting Competition - Wild Chronicles

In this week's Wild Chronicles segment, Boyd reflects that it's not just high schoolers who are fascinated by animal poop. Boyd shares some of his favorite poop facts, and explains a game that involves seeing how far one can spit impala droppings, known as a "bokdrol spoeg kompetisie."

Customizing Energy To The Needs of Haitians - Allison Archambault

The best way to help someone is to figure out what that person needs and then help them attain it. It seems like a simple concept, but many aid organizations fail to consider the needs of people in one town may be addressed differently than the needs of people in others. But Allison Archambault, president of EarthSpark, is applying this lesson as it strives to connect Haiti's homes with affordable electricity.

Base Camp Birthday Blues - Wild Chronicles

In this week's Wild Chronicles segment, Boyd explains the many difficulties of celebrating a birthday at Everest's base camp: from the challenge of simply getting there, to the hardship in blowing out candles at 17,700 feet above sea level.

1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die - Mimi Sheraton

Travel is now easier than it ever has been in the history of humanity. But what to do when you're abroad? Mimi Sheraton compiled a collection of "1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die," breaking down each country's culinary delights. She also explains the genesis of the words, including Britain's "black pudding hash," which she explains has nothing to do with pudding cups or hash browns; "soused herring," which is similar to pickling; and deep fried Mars bars. Sheraton explains that "not everything in the book is logically wonderful. The overall point of this book is to give people an idea of what the world eats." Sheraton also points to Australia's vegemite as another food a foreigner might not line up for, but is very popular in its home nation.

Photographing Cultures in Transition to Modernity - Hannah Reyes

All around the world, indigenous and nomadic people are losing their culture to the economic forces and environmental fragmentation forcing them to settle in communities. These "transitions to modernity" are a source of curiosity for National Geographic Young Explorer Hannah Reyes. Reyes lived with a pygmy community in the Philippines who dressed in jeans and t-shirts, and would request "whitening soap" to lighten the tone of their skin. Reyes explains that through their televisions, these indigenous people learned that their darker skin was less desirable in the mass culture of southeast Asia. But Reyes explains that, at least in the Philippines, the indigenous people's transitions to modernity aren't always that simple, because the kids are often teased in schools and the parents resort to dressing up in traditional costumes to make money in the cities.

Dark Matter & Dark Energy: The Hidden Cosmos - Timothy Ferris

The universe is governed by many rules that humans have been able to figure out through centuries of careful observation of how celestial bodies interact. But there are potentially more rules of the universe that we're still in the dark on. Two such forces that we've been able to theorize but never observe are dark matter and dark energy. Timothy Ferris, author of the January 2015 National Geographic magazine article "A First Glimpse of the Hidden Cosmos," explains that the galaxy we call home contains five times more dark matter than it does visible matter. But Ferris says that this field of science studying rules of the universe that we have such large knowledge gaps of, "it's impossible to say as of yet what the future of this field will be like... nobody will know until there's a whole lot more research and experimentation."

A Veteran Climber on Risk and Raising a Family - Peter Athans

Peter Athans, a mountaineer who has summited Everest seven times on 16 expeditions to the mountain, looks back on his adventures as a young climber taking risks that, he admits, he would never consider now. Athans tells the story of one such expedition to Alaska where he and two other climbers packed for a four-day climb that turned out to be a 13-day "gross miscalculation." Athans lost 30 pounds, but all three men survived the expedition. He explains that he's still able to be a mountaineer and a father, but it involves preparing more carefully and avoiding situations with unnecessarily high risk.

This Weekend in History - Movies, Radio and Cold War Era McDonald's

In our This Weekend in History segment, Nat Geo research library manager Maggie Turqman brings events to celebrate this weekend, including: 1893's completion of the first moving picture studio, Voice of America's 73rd birthday, and the 1990 American soft-power victory of having McDonald's open in Moscow.

Bird Biologist Abandoned by Guide Near Summit of Ararat - Cagan Sekercioglu

National Geographic grantee and Turkish biologist Cagan Sekercioglu has been working to preserve the wetlands along that country's Aras River. Turkey's government has been discussing a plan to divert the water to support agriculture, flooding a swath of land that is home to 1,800 people, and disrupting one of the largest bird migration routes between Europe and North Africa. When he's not campaigning to save Turkey's wetlands, Sekercioglu has been known to attempt to summit the 16,854 foot Mount Ararat; his last attempt had him abandoned near the summit by a sick 15 year-old mountain guide.

The Variety of Photography: Wildlife, Adventure and Models - Ben Horton

Few professions afford as much versatility as photography. And for Ben Horton, variety is the spice of life. The Los Angeles based photographer spends time snapping sharks and crocodiles in Costa Rica, shooting models on California's deserts, and riding horses in Mongolia. Horton appreciates the comforts of Los Angeles, but enjoys the call of adventure that capturing images for National Geographic affords. Hortons says composing images and shooting models has helped him improve his wildlife photography skills as well. But Horton says that sharks and crocodiles are often less willing subjects than the models.

Preparation As Personal Choice: Motorcycling from Tibet to France - Toby Storie-Pugh

Some adventurers prepare exhaustively for their expeditions. And others take more of an "off-the-cuff" approach to their adventures. Toby Storie-Pugh explains that "where you sit on the preparation continuum is a matter of personal choice." And for a motorcycle trip from Tibet to Paris, Storie-Pugh's decision was to learn how to ride the bike in the weeks leading up to the 8,000 mile road trip and stay as sharp as possible during the ride. Storie-Pugh rode through Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran on his route, but said that the vast majority of people in those countries were very welcoming. His 2015 plans include summiting Everest and walking the length of the Congo River.

Searching the World For The Familiar - Andre Aciman

People travel for all different reasons. Many people, like Boyd, travel to gain new experiences, see new places and meet new people. But others, like Andre Aciman, are exiles constantly searching for the familiar. Aciman explains in his book of essays, Alibis, that he travels to reconnect with a past that cannot be reclaimed.

Crazy Far: How To Get People Into Deep Space - Tim Folger

Some people plan their international vacations for months, but for a very specific NASA mission, it might take centuries to plan. Tim Folger tells Boyd that scientists are starting to think of ways for humans to venture out into the deeper recesses of the universe. The trick, however, is finding a way to power a humungous space ship that can take humans "Crazy Far". Folger's story is in the January 2013 issue of National Geographic magazine.

Where In the World Is Genghis Khan Buried? - Fred Hiebert

Many ancient rulers sealed their legacy by creating lasting monuments to themselves. But, National Geographic Fellow Fred Hiebert explains that, apparently, Genghis Khan was confident in his reputation, as his grave site has never been officially confirmed. Hiebert located a likely location for the eternal resting place of the ruler of one of the largest empires ever, but the Mongolian government prevented his excavating the site. So Hiebert turned his sights to one of Genghis Khan's descendents, named Tamerlane, in attempt to locate a missing palace.

Looking For An "Endangered" Species... And Finding Them Over and Over Again - John Mittermaier

John Mittermaier had to be pretty sure of what he would find in order to endure a twenty hour boat ride to a remote Indonesian island. He was in search of the Moluccan Woodcock, which hadn't been seen by scientists in 30 years. But once he reached the island, it took just two days to find his first bird; over the next few weeks, he had over 50 sightings of what was thought to be a rare animal.

Hiking The Rim of Africa - Jay Simpson

The Appalachian Trail is one of the Eastern United States' most famous wilderness expanses. The well-worn 2,200 mile path connects 14 states and, in comparison to many more rugged trails in western states, can be pretty tame. The same cannot be said for the planned Rim of Africa Trail, which runs 400 miles through six mountain ranges in South Africa. Explorer Jay Simpson became the first person to trek the length of the trails, which aren't yet a single, cohesive path. He is helping the Rim of Africa organization plot its route and spread a message of conservation and sustainability to people who live in the shadows of the mountains.

The World Until Yesterday - Jared Diamond

For the vast majority that humans have existed, there has been no reason to trust that a stranger you encounter won't kill you. So, the only logical decision would be to try to kill them first. Jared Diamond tells Boyd that strong governments that people believe in have curbed this distrust among neighbors, as has been evidenced in now peaceful tribal societies, like those in Papua New Guinea. But Diamond says that we've learned a lot from recently contacted human civilizations as well. Diamond's new book, The World Until Yesterday, explores tribal societies to learn what lessons we can glean from the humans that we have only recently met.

Creating a Map of Human History Through Our DNA - Spencer Wells

When they left Africa 50,000 to 60,000 years ago, humans took very different paths. Some went east to Asia, and others went north and west to Europe. But in the meantime, many stopped and became better acquainted with their Neandertal cousins in the Middle East. National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Spencer Wells has developed the Genographic Project to map man's genetic history, and decode our DNA to map man's route through history. He also is capable of calculating the percentage of Neandertal in each person's genetic past.

Can Coal Provide "Clean" Energy? - Keith Kloor

Many environmentalists rail against fossil fuels, but reporter Keith Kloor explains the feasibility of using coal energy in a cleaner way. He tells Boyd that the technology to capture the carbon emissions from using coal exists, but developing better technology to do it in a financially viable way is a very expensive process. Kloor says that, in the United States, clean coal may not make the most sense, but for countries like China and India that don't have access to natural gas, it may be an option.

Chimps Use Spears To Hunt and Fight - Jill Pruetz

The "Planet of the Apes" may seem like purely fictional nonsense. But at least one group of chimps in Senegal is "manufacturing" tools. Emerging Explorer Jill Pruetz has been studying the apes and has seen them create spears by removing excess branches and sharpening the end to a point. They then use the weapons to whack snakes, hunt bush babies and ward off leopards.

Monkeys and Wolves, Working Together - Vivek Venkataraman

Many animals have symbiotic relationships with unlikely partners: rhinos live in harmony with oxpeckers, while baboons and elephants watch each other's backs. But Vivek Venkataraman tells Boyd that primates rarely engage in this type of symbiotic relationship with carnivores. But grass-eating geladas and Ethiopian wolves live without much conflict. He says that in the grasslands where the geladas graze, the wolves seem to have an easier time hunting rodents than when the geladas aren't around.

India's Struggling Mahouts and Their Elephants - Bhaskar Krishnamurthy

India is home to many ancient cultures and practices; many of them thrive into the 21st Century, while others struggle to find a place in the quickly changing world. One of the struggling cultures is that of mahouts: the practice of raising and bonding with elephants, as if they were almost family. Journalist and photographer Bhaskar Krishnamurthy tells Boyd that since India banned using elephants for manual labor, they're used mostly to entertain India's tourists, and perform at weddings and other ceremonies. Many mahouts now struggle to make a living and the younger generations are beginning to abandon the practice.

The Microbes In and Around Us - Nathan Wolfe

Microbes that we can't see affect so many things that we can see, feel - both by touch, as well as inside of ourselves. Emerging Explorer Nathan Wolfe tells Boyd that with every breath, we inhale living microbes that could be completely benign, or could cause a life-threatening illness. The microbes could be from Africa or Asia, just as easily as they could originate very close to us. Wolfe says that's what keeps him exploring - the possibility that the next big discovery could be floating in front of his face. His article "Small, Small World" appears in the January, 2013 issue of National Geographic magazine.

Inventing an Anti-Security System in the Name of Sleep - Paula Kahumbu

National Geographic Emerging Explorer Paula Kahumbu tells Boyd of the story of a young boy whose job it was to help protect his family's homestead at night from lions hoping to make a meal of their livestock. Initially, he had to prowl around the property with a flashlight to show the lions that he was there, vigilantly watching them. But needing some more sleep, he devised a contraption that made flashing lights appear randomly around the property. This has the cats sufficiently baffled that in the two years since his invention, and they haven't made a meal of the family's livestock.

The Dog-Bite Debacle - Justin O'Neill

In this week's Wild Chronicles segment, producer Justin O'Neill fills in for Boyd and tells the story of how he earned a four-day stay in the hospital and how genuinely surprised he was that bacteria could infect a wound so quickly.

Walk from Cape Town to Cairo For Water - Amy Russell

Many people have a vision of Africa as a wild, dangerous land filled with armed rebels and bloodthirsty predators. But, Amy Russell, tells Boyd that's not the case. Russell is walking from Cape Town, South Africa to Cairo, Egypt to raise awareness for clean water. She a member of National Geographic Traveler magazine's first annual "Travelers of the Year" class. On her walk, Russell has been drinking local water from wells or from rivers, which she purifies, as needed. She said that the biggest challenge is just educating people about the dangers of unsafe drinking water.

Skiing Two Million Feet in One Year - Greg Hill

Skier and mountaineer Greg Hill spent last year hauling his skis up mountains and then riding down. In his bid to ski two million feet in a single calendar year, he tells Boyd that he had to cover 5,500 feet per day. He chased winter all around the globe, and finally finished his feat on December 30th. He tells Boyd that he finds climbing a challenge, but skiing down those feet he hiked up are the reward. This past summer, in an attempt to climb Mt. Manaslu, the world's eighth tallest peak, and avalanche nearly buried him on the mountain. He escaped, but several others weren't so lucky.

Monkeys That Use Rocks to Smash Nuts - Dorothy Fragaszy

Large animal predators have to work hard for their food. Lions take great risk to chase down zebras and wildebeest. Polar bears wait very patiently by holes in the Arctic ice until a seal shows up. But just because they aren't eating other animals, capuchin monkeys work for their food as well. National Geographic explorer Dorothy Fragaszy studies the primates in Brazil's Piaui state and says that the monkeys find rocks that weigh half as much as they do to smash open their nuts.

Breaking the Cycle: Lions Eat Livestock; Farmers Kill Lions - Shivani Bhalla

Approximately one hundred Kenyan lions are dying every year due to an ongoing difference in opinion with local farmers. The lions like to eat livestock; farmers don't agree that this is a good idea. Shivani Bhalla, a National Geographic explorer with the Big Cats Initiative is working with locals to save the cats through community outreach and education. She has rebuilt the local population to 45 individuals, up from 15 cats after she lost nearly an entire pride due to conflict with locals.

Adventure to Make the World Less Boring - Tom Morgan

Most people wouldn't dream of trekking to one of the most remote (and frozen) parts of the earth to try and convince a nomadic people to lend them the reindeer that they depend upon so they can race them across the frozen tundra. But Tom Morgan, creator of The Adventurists, sees cold, remote places as an opportunity for entertainment. He then raced motorcycles up a frozen river in Siberia and decided that seemed like a better plan for his racing series, that strives "to make the world less boring."

Wild Chronicles - Running With the Wild Dogs

In this week's Wild Chronicles segment, Boyd shares the story of his deja vu when he saw wild dogs chasing an impala through camp, much as he did twenty years ago on his first visit to Africa. Boyd also explains why he loves wild dogs, despite their ferocious reputation as some of Africa's most effective hunters.

Feed The World With Wasted Food - Tristram Stuart

Many people around the world are hungry, but National Geographic Emerging Explorer Tristram Stuart explains that it's not for a lack of food being produced. Stuart explains that humans currently produce enough food to feed 12 billion people, which is way more than the 7 billion people alive now, but we waste up to 33% of the food we grow. The solution to this frustrating problem, partially, lies in supermarket standards and supply chains. Any "ugly" fruit - a small apple, or a crooked carrot - that is grown might be left to rot or be fed to animals, rather than being directed to people who would be happy to eat that food. Stuart illustrates this problem by staging "Feeding the 5000" events where companies and grocery stories donate food that would otherwise be discarded to feed people who need it.

Ethiopian Wolves & Monkeys, Living in Harmony - Jeff Kerby

Wolves and monkeys seem like unlikely life partners. But high on an Ethiopian plateau, a truce has been negotiated between the primates and canines that live there. National Geographic grantee and biologist Jeff Kerby studies the gelada "baboons" that graze the highlands in large herds eating grasses, "like horses". Wolves walk among the monkeys, looking for small rodents to eat that live in the grasses. Kerby explains that the only violence that typically takes place is monkey-on-monkey, when the males fight over females, using their ferocious looking teeth to establish dominance.

Chasing Fire on the Frozen Continent - Ken Sims

Antarctica is nicknamed "the frozen continent," so it would seem counterintuitive for a geologist to visit looking for lava. But National Geographic grantee and volcanologist Ken Sims rappelled hundreds of feet into Mount Erebus' crater looking for lava samples, while simultaneously hoping to avoid being hit by a lava "bomb" flying from the volcano. Sims explains that he seeks to better understand some isotope "clocks" hidden inside of the lava, that can indicate the Earth's age, how long the lava takes to move from deep inside the planet, and when the volcano might erupt next.

Botswana: Still Enchanting After Twenty Years - Dereck & Beverly Joubert

Twenty years after he first visited Africa, Boyd returned to the scene of his initial infatuation: National Geographic Explorers in Residence Dereck and Beverly Joubert's Selinda Camp and lodges, near Botswana's Okavango Delta. The Jouberts have expanded their land holdings in the area to help protect the African elephants and cats that they love. "This is not something you do on a weekend. You dedicate your life to it," explains Dereck. Beverly says that they now have 7,000 elephants on site that, seven years ago when the Jouberts expanded their land and banned hunting, never would have come out to be seen by people during the day: "They were petrified."

Walking Through Walla Walla, Washington - Robert Reid

National Geographic is home to some of the world's most intrepid travelers, including Intelligent Travel blogger Robert Reid. It is for this very reason that we now know that Walla Walla, Washington is a worthwhile visit to make while in the Pacific Northwest. Some of the town's charms include a blossoming wine culture. Reid also encourages travelers to walk as much as possible, because walking around a city generally forces people to walk with their heads up, paying attention, rather than riding in a taxi while texting friends back home.

Animal Madness: Depressed Dogs, Compulsive Cats - Laurel Braitman

Prozac is a medication used to treat depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder in humans. But Laurel Braitman, author of "Animal Madness: How Anxious Dogs, Compulsive Parrots and Elephants in Recovery Help Us Understand Ourselves," points out that the meds have been designed and tested for effectiveness in our animal friends as well. Braitman says that even though Prozac should help to chill out a dog with a fixation on tail-chasing, psychopharmaceuticals aren't always the best answer. Exercise, counseling and even companion animals can help a depressed gorilla or a compulsive cat.

Blue Whales, Red Poop - Asha de Vos

When blue whale biologist Asha de Vos found red floating clods of poop in the Indian Ocean, she became curious. She immediately assumed the world's largest animals were mating, because the warm tropical waters typically are too warm for blue whales' favorite foods. But as it turned out, they had found enough krill to support something of a feeding frenzy. De Vos warns that despite the fact that there are about 10,000 blue whales around the world, the whales live in separate populations, each facing their own risks and difficulties of survival. Although blue whales aren't being actively targeted, the increase of global shipping puts the whales at risk of getting hit, because it's impossible for container ships to see or steer around the whales. De Vos explains that although it's assumed these collisions happen with some regularity, it's very difficult to accurately estimate how often whales are killed in this way.

Photo 101: No Need For Expensive Trips to Be Published in National Geographic

An image that appears in the pages of National Geographic magazine is the result of a photographer's years of practice, patience and a bit of luck. But Joe Petersburger also explains that knowing something about the animals that you're shooting goes a long way too. The biologist and photographer, who has been three-times featured in NGM, shot images of a bee-eater bird presenting a caught dragonfly to his mate. Because he knew about the birds, he knew the behavior that would happen once the male caught a dragonfly. Petersburger also encourages people to shoot iamges around their homes, in areas that they can access during times of sunlight and storms, during the night and day.

Kayaking Waterfalls: How Long it Takes To Fall, And How Deep Water Needs To Be - Trip Jennings

Riding kayaks off waterfalls is like graduating from school. As professional kayaker and filmmaker Trip Jennings tells it, your first real waterfall is ten feet high. Then progressively, a kayaker will practice riding larger falls until they will hit a 30 foot waterfall. Jennings explains that after "30 feet, things behave pretty similarly. The technique is the same, it just takes longer before you hit the bottom." But Jennings explains that each waterfall behaves differently based on the volume of water going over the fall's edge, because kayakers need the water to break the landing pool's surface tension, rather than landing in flat water, which could cause a serious injury. Jennings shares more kayaking rules in this segment.

How To Feed 9 Billion People? - Dennis Dimick

EAT, the New Food Revolution is the cover story in the May 2014 issue of National Geographic Magazine. Executive editor Dennis Dimmick, analyzes how we are to feed the increasing human population. In order to feed 9 billion people, the global food output would need to double. Dimmick warns that as socieities become more developed, they increase their meat and dairy intake, which requires more energy and land resources. The majority of corn and soy grown is utilized for livestock feed, biofuels, and high fructose cornsyrup. He believes large scale and small scale farming will both be neccessary to provide food for the world into the future.

Chasing Hunter S. Thompson Through South America - Brian Kevin

Hunter S. Thompson is famous for his Gonzo Journalism, but the man wasn't always the "hell on wheels, drug crazed" author most people remember. Bryan Kevin follows in the footsteps of the famous author's trek around South America as a "sincere, eager, green journalist" interesed in "Cold War politics and sociology." Kevin discovered that while much of the continent to this day is still affected by past Cold War era policy, civil disobedience is no longer a perilous situation. Kevin's book, "The Footloose American," recalls Thompson backpacked through South America before the trend was a common occurrence, and that Thompson's Law of travel economics stated one should "Go right ahead, do what you will, and damn the cost, it will all come out in the wash."

Cool Job: Strapping Cameras Onto Critters - Greg Marshall

Scientist and inventor Greg Marshall has one of the best jobs ever. The inventor of National Geographic’s Crittercam system, Marshall spends his workdays attaching lightweight camera systems to animals all over the world. This means swimming with whales or trekking through Antarctica to find Emperor Penguins. Marshall joins Boyd in the studio to share some Crittercam stories.

51 Degrees South: Life On a Disputed Island in the South Atlantic - Vern Cummins & Jamie Gallant

All remote towns have their quirks and the Falkland Islands are no different. The islands, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, have just over 3,000 residents and, Vern Cummins and Jamie Gallant tell Boyd that the size of their community fosters types of collaboration that isn't found everywhere. The pilot flies pigs and reindeer to the veterinarian. A lighthouse operator who serves as a leader of military resistance. And the reindeer doubles as a sheep dog. And just like Lassie, it also saves lives. Vern and Jamie are documenting the islands and the people who live on them in their short documentary series 51° South.

Wild Chronicles - The Four F's of Huner S. Thompson's Life: Fire Water, Firearms, Fireworks & "Farmaceuticals"

On this week's Wild Chronicles segment, Boyd shares his personal experience interviewing Hunter S Thompson, about his book, Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail which used "unvarnished terms to describe life." What scared him were politicians who didn't worry about the future. Boyd explains Hunter's life revolved around the four F's: firearms, fire-water, fireworks and "farmaceuticals." Thompson also enjoyed shooting guns and setting off fireworks under people's chairs.