Adventure

The Chilling True Story Behind 'In The Heart of The Sea'

Chris Hemsworth as Essex first mate Owen Chase. Credit: Warner Bros. "Monsters. Are they real?" This is the narration that opens Ron Howard's seafaring epic In The Heart Of The Sea as the camera explores the murky depths, unidentifiable shadows passing through with unnerving enormity. In this modern day, of course, we know that monsters do no exist, but two centuries ago, when whaling vessel the Essex was rammed by a creature of such tremendous size that it cracked its 88-foot newly refitted hull, the word seemed appropriate. For the crew of the Essex, having their craft destroyed by a…

The Warrior Dash Just Got Muddier, Wetter, and Tougher

Adventure Email Print More Credit: Courtesy Warrior Dash Warrior Dash, the world's largest obstacle race, has been going strong since 2009, but every year the three-mile, 12-obstacle mud race tries to adapt and evolve, mainly due to designer Terry McMahon, who aims to keep the obstacles fresh. For the 2016 season, which begins in Florida on February 6, there will be a handful of new, insane-sounding obstacles like Goliath 2.0. Your average weekend warrior probably doesn't need to panic, though. McMahon's philosophy has always been to make them challenging enough for the competitive athlete, but easy enough for just about …

Let's Be Jolly: The Ultimate Holiday Playlists

You'd never forget to buy the perfect bottle of champagne or put out some delicious appetizers for a holiday party, so why leave the music to chance? Nothing sets the tone for an evening with friends like an excellent playlist and, let's face it, a great one is hard to come by. But never fear, for we have curated three playlists guaranteed to deck your halls and jingle your bells. So no matter if you're having a cool kick back with friends, a swanky cocktail hour, or a cozy night just for two, we've got you covered with some of…

Will Daily Fantasy Sports Be Regulated Out of Existence?

Credit: Stephan Savoia / AP Every day for the entirety of the 162-game baseball season, Teddy McDermott* wagers up to $10,000 betting on the surprise ascendancy of pro athletes. His career has made him more than $1.5 million during the last two years. This is the power of Draft Kings, Fan Duel, and other daily fantasy sports sites, on which running through stats and picking successful players can earn you big money from the comfort of your home, without the need to resort to any actual gambling, at least according to those operating the sites and their partners. But…

Wade Davis: Why Ayahuasca Is Still Having a Moment

Canadian anthropologist, ethnobotanist, author, and photographer Wade Davis. Credit: Pradeep Gaur / Mint / Getty Images Over the past thirty years, Canadian anthropologist and ethnobotanist Wade Davis has established himself as a sort of curator of what he calls "the ethnosphere," ranging the world as a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, researching and collecting stories and practices from the world's vanishing cultures. Much of his focus has been on psychotropic substances, including the use of ayahuasca in Amazonian shamanism, a topic he has written about extensively. We reached out to Davis over the phone from his home in Vancouver, British Columbia, to…

Gird Thy Loins: New York Comic Con Kicks Off This Weekend

Brace yourselves Manhattan, because this week New York Comic Con 2015 kicks off. October 8-11, The Javits Center turns into the pop culture capital of the city as comics, movies, gaming and television stars converge to delight fans and showcase what's next in entertainment. NYCC is the largest comics show on the East Coast, with last year's attendance tallying in at over 151,000 people. Judging by this year's all-star line up, it might even be bigger. The guest list features nerd royalty such as Felicia Day, Bruce Campbell, Bryan Cranston, Billie Piper, Danny Glover, Jack Black, Elijah Wood, Natalie Dormer…

Searching for the Next Federer

In many ways, Alex Lazarov is a big deal. The 17-year-old Bulgarian is a world-class junior tennis player, currently ranked 62 in the 18-and-under category. He's won a number of prestigious tournaments in Europe, and is being courted by several major U.S. university tennis programs. But at Grand Slam tournaments, Lazarov and other talented juniors are little more than a sideshow. In fact, junior events have historically been unreliable indicators of future success. Scan the list of grand slam junior winners and you'll see some familiar names — Federer, Edberg, Wawrinka, Henin — but also many that don't register, significant…

5 Things You Didn't Know About Duke Kahanamoku

Duke Kahanamoku poses in a swimming pool in Los Angeles, Aug. 11, 1933. Credit: AP It's Duke Kahanamoku's 125th birthday today. Widely considered the father of modern surfing, the tall Hawaiian with a mellow smile and graceful style was the first to expose the world to Hawaii's once-unique sport. While his surf legacy endures, it's easy to miss that he was also an Olympic medalist, a town sheriff, appeared in nearly 20 films, and, in our opinion, was an early contender for Most Interesting Man in the World. So to celebrate the rich and influential life of Kahanamoku, here are…

How Did Donald Trump Do as a Pro Football Team Owner?

Credit: The Sporting News / Getty Images For some football fans, Donald Trump's presidential campaign may feel like an instant replay of his time as owner of the defunct United States Football League's New Jersey Generals. Trump is running for office under the banner (and rope-trimmed hat) of "Make America Great Again." He has said that he has no time to be politically correct, that the country's problems need immediate fixing, and he has no patience for tiptoeing around issues or even being polite to people. He's rocketed to the top of the GOP polls behind those ideas. RELATED: Behind…

Enjoy Your Travel, Don’t Just Instagram It

I’m sure you’ve seen it. You are at a tourist destination and everyone has their cell phones out, taking photos. Have they even looked at the sights besides looking at them on the screen? Researchers and those who study travel trends have found that people are focusing more on recording their journeys than enjoying them in the moment. You are more likely to see a tourist holding a selfie stick so that they can take a picture of themselves beside the Lincoln Memorial than actually looking at the amazing structure in person. On a recent trip to New York City,…