In this enlightening episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, host Richard Wiese speaks with Christian Rutz, an animal-tracking pioneer who has spent decades studying the tool-using behavior of birds—especially the brilliant New Caledonian crow. Rutz shares how these birds craft tools from twigs and leaves, challenging long-held beliefs about human cognitive uniqueness.

Through riveting stories from fieldwork, Rutz explains how these birds innovate, problem-solve, and pass down knowledge—a sign of culture, not just instinct. The discussion moves from evolutionary biology to conservation, shedding light on how animal intelligence is deeply embedded in their ecosystems. From miniature bird-worn cameras to crow-crafted hooks, Rutz reveals how science is catching up to the remarkable complexity of non-human minds.

Listeners are left with a powerful message: animal intelligence is more diverse and widespread than we thought, and we’re racing against time to study and protect it.

Explore the minds behind the feathers—before they vanish.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

Entomologist and UCL professor Dr. Seirian Sumner joins host Richard Wiese to challenge everything you think you know about wasps. While most people see them as pests, Seirian makes the compelling case that wasps are unsung heroes of our ecosystems—natural pest controllers, accidental pollinators, and potential allies in sustainable agriculture. She shares humorous and insightful stories from her career, from dressing in wasp-themed costumes to giving “wasp evangelism” talks, while also reflecting on gender, mentorship, and inclusion in the scientific community. Plus, she offers practical tips on how to coexist peacefully with wasps at picnics and explores her dream of using wasps as natural tools in developing-world agriculture.

A surprising and enlightening episode that will make you think twice before swatting that next yellowjacket.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this moving episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, host Richard Wiese sits down with Shelton Johnson, a longtime Yosemite park ranger and passionate storyteller who has spent decades inspiring visitors to reconnect with the splendors of our natural world.

Shelton shares his journey from growing up in Detroit to becoming one of the National Park Service’s most powerful voices. At the heart of the conversation is his mission to revive the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers, Black cavalrymen who served as some of America’s first park rangers and protectors—and whose stories have long gone untold.

Blending history, identity, and soul, Shelton brings both poetry and power to his vision of the outdoors. This episode is not just about wild places—it’s about who we are, where we come from, and why the wilderness belongs to all of us.

Tune in for a rich, unforgettable exploration of nature, race, and the American spirit.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.