Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!

About Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!

“Exploring is an innate part of being human.” Richard Wiese, spends 30 minutes every week with some of the world’s most compelling adventurers, explorers, and socio-environmental advocates, listening to their distinct adventures, unique discoveries, projects & goals, while discovering their multitude of challenges, surprises, triumphs and set-backs they encounter along the way. Join Richard as he pulls back the curtain on what it’s like to travel around the world and beyond; explore some of the most exotic and often dangerous places; and uncover what makes people, places and our planet so special.

Publisher

Richard Wiese

Category

science · science · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 Jan 2025

Latest episode

14 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 65 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   14 Oct 2026

   Vera Knook: Saving Rivers

   What does it mean to be an explorer when so much of the world has already been mapped? On this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, Richard Wiese sits down with hydraulic engineer, kayaker, National Geographic Explorer, Explorers Club 50 honoree, and River Collective founder Vera Knook. Vera shares how studying water management and experiencing free-flowing rivers from a kayak changed the way she thought about engineering, conservation, and our relationship with rivers. Vera also e...

2. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Justin Grubb: Turning Backyards Into Wildlife Habitats

   What if becoming a conservationist didn't start in a rainforest, an ocean, or some distant wilderness—but in your own backyard? On this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, Richard Wiese sits down with conservationist, biologist, filmmaker, and storyteller Justin Grubb. Justin traces his career back to a childhood creek in central Ohio, where watching a place he loved change because of development taught him just how fragile local habitats can be. Justin shares how habitat restorat...

3. 

   4 Sept 2026

   Imani Black: Building the Future of American Aquaculture

   Imani Black grew up near the Chesapeake Bay, but a third-grade science camp changed the trajectory of her life. What started as a childhood fascination with oysters, blue crabs, and marine restoration eventually became a career in aquaculture—and a mission to make sure more people have an opportunity to build careers on the water. In this episode of Life's Tough, Explorers are Tougher, Richard Wiese talks with Imani about founding Minorities in Aquaculture (MIA), the barriers she encountered ...

Inside a recent episode

Brandi DeCarli: The Revolutionary Farmer

Published 14 May 2025 · Transcript excerpt

[…] We designed Farm from a Box. Let me give a description. So we know it's in a shipping container. We pre-install as much as we possibly can so that the system arrives basically locked and loaded. Every single unit is powered by off-grid solar, so it acts independent of any grid access and definitely works really well out in really remote locations. That powers a solar-powered pump that can adapt to whatever the water access point is, which in East Africa is a river or a bore well more often than not. We also have drip irrigation to be able to really sustain the crop throughout the entire year and really extend the growing season while also conserving water resources. […]

Who has been a guest on Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Luca Parmitano
• Tia
• Susan Baur
• Brendan Hall
• JR Harris

Contact Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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