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.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, host Richard Wiese sits down with planetary scientist Dr. Paul Byrne to explore one of the most misunderstood worlds in our solar system: Venus.

Often overshadowed by Mars, Venus was once Earth-like—until it became the hottest, most hostile planet in the solar system. Paul explains why this hellish world might hold the answers to some of the biggest questions about Earth’s future, planetary evolution, and climate change.

They dive into why Venus matters now more than ever, the upcoming NASA and ESA missions to its surface, and how the technology required to study Venus could redefine space exploration as we know it.

🌍 Tune in to discover how a deep dive into Venus could help protect Earth’s future.

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.

Exploration isn’t just about where you go—it’s about how you listen.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, Ben Mirin, an explorer, wildlife DJ, artist, and naturalist, shares how he’s merging science, sound, and storytelling to uncover the hidden voices of the wild. Through innovative technology, Ben captures and interprets animal sounds and environmental patterns, revealing the untold stories of nature.

He reflects on the balance between creativity and scientific rigor, the importance of slowing down and paying attention, and how exploration extends beyond physical landscapes—it’s also a journey of understanding the world around us.

🌍 Tune in for a fresh perspective on exploration, art, and the power of listening to nature’s hidden signals.

Follow Ben Mirin:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenMirin

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 episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, host Richard Wiese sits down with U.S. Secretary of the Interior, Doug Burgum—former Governor of North Dakota, entrepreneur, and advocate for resilience in exploration and leadership.

Doug shares how the rugged landscapes of North Dakota shaped his values and why Teddy Roosevelt’s time in the Badlands serves as a powerful reminder that true leadership is forged in adversity. Much like Roosevelt, who sought refuge and renewal in the untamed wilderness, Doug has embraced the pioneer mindset—whether in business, politics, or conservation.

From growing up in a small town to taking bold risks in entrepreneurship, Doug reflects on the spirit of exploration, the power of self-reliance, and the importance of preserving our natural frontiers for future generations. His journey is a testament to how embracing uncertainty can lead to unexpected frontiers—both in life and leadership.

🚀 Tune in for a conversation on grit, vision, and why the lessons of the past still guide today’s explorers.

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.

Saving the planet isn’t just about science—it’s about storytelling, indigenous knowledge, and even art.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, Dr. Natalie Schmitt shares why conservation needs more than just data and research. A geneticist, documentarian, and field explorer, Natalie has studied snow leopards in the Himalayas, worked with First Nations trackers to monitor caribou, and even helped advocate for scientists wrongly imprisoned in Iran.

She discusses how DNA tracking is revolutionizing conservation, why indigenous knowledge is crucial to protecting ecosystems, and how being a “holistic conservationist” means embracing multiple disciplines to make a real impact.

From her childhood in Australia’s wilderness to tracking some of the world’s most elusive species, Natalie’s journey proves that exploration isn’t just about where you go—but how you see the world.

🌍 Tune in for a fascinating discussion on conservation, exploration, and the future of protecting our planet.

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.

Exploration isn’t just about venturing into new landscapes—it’s also about uncovering the deeper stories behind cultures, traditions, and creativity. In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, host Richard Wiese sits down with Rebecca Hui, an anthropologist, conservationist, and founder of Roots Studio (now Rurban Studio), whose work bridges indigenous art with global markets in a way that fosters equity and preservation.

Rebecca’s journey has taken her from rural villages in India to high-fashion runways, where she’s worked to transform cultural misappropriation into collaboration. By connecting indigenous artisans with the modern creative industry, she ensures that centuries-old traditions remain alive and respected. Along the way, she’s witnessed firsthand the tension between tradition and modernization, discovering how exploration can be a tool for both storytelling and protection.

Through her work, Rebecca challenges what it means to be an explorer today—not just discovering, but amplifying and safeguarding the voices of those who have long been overlooked.

🚀 Tune in for a fascinating conversation on cultural exploration, art as a language, and why tradition is the foundation for future creativity.

Follow Rebecca:

@babybackrebs

RootsStudio.co

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.