Life’s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher , host Richard Wiese meets with Dr. Laurie Marker, world-renowned cheetah conservationist and founder of the Cheetah Conservation Fund. Dr. Marker shares her remarkable journey—from her early work in Oregon to establishing a pioneering conservation program in Namibia, where she has spent decades building trust with farmers and saving the world...

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, our host Richard Wiese speaks with polar explorer and educator Geoff Green, founder of the internationally acclaimed "Students on Ice" program. Geoff has led more than 120 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic, bringing together students, scientists, artists, and world leaders to foster a deeper understanding of the planet. Geoff...

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher , host Richard Wiese speaks with Elodie Freymann, a primatologist, botanist, and naturalist whose work blends science, storytelling, and exploration. From her New York roots to her time studying chimpanzees in the forests of Uganda, Elodie’s journey is anything but conventional. She shares how a chance discovery of javelin in high school led h...

In this episode of Life’s Tough: Explorers Are Tougher , host Richard Wiese sits down with marine biologist and shark conservationist Dr. Rachel Graham. A true global citizen, Rachel’s upbringing in Tunisia and North Africa shaped her fearless approach to science, community engagement, and wildlife protection. Today, she leads MarAlliance, a nonprofit focused on marine conservation, especially sha...

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher , host Richard Wiese speaks with legendary explorer Mikael Strandberg, whose journeys span deserts, ice, jungles, and cities—but who calls parenting his toughest and most rewarding expedition. Strandberg recounts cycling 1,600 kilometers with his two daughters, teaching them independence through trial and error, and embracing the chaos of rais...

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher , host Richard Wiese speaks with geoscientist Andrés Ruzo, the first to scientifically study the Boiling River in the Peruvian Amazon. Ruzo recounts how childhood legends of a river that boiled—passed down by his grandfather—evolved into a scientific quest. Initially dismissed by colleagues, he persisted, guided by family stories and indigenou...

In this episode of Life's Tough, Explorers are Tougher , host Richard Wiese sits down with Leela Hazzah, founder of the Lion Guardians program, a groundbreaking initiative in Kenya and Tanzania that transforms Maasai warriors from lion hunters into lion protectors. Leela recounts her journey from Egyptian-American roots to becoming one of CNN’s Top 10 Heroes of the year, sharing how her child...

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher , host Richard Wiese sits down with Dr. Rodrigo Medellín, known for his mission to save bats and, in turn, protect tequila production. Rodrigo dismantles long-standing myths about bats, addressing misconceptions rooted in literature, pop culture, and recent pandemic fears. He explains how vampire bats—just three of over 1,400 bat species—were...

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher , host Richard Wiese welcomes Hayley Arceneaux, childhood cancer survivor and astronaut. Hayley shares her deeply personal and inspiring journey—from undergoing treatment at St. Jude as a child to becoming a physician assistant at the very hospital that saved her life. Now, she’s on the verge of becoming the youngest American in space as part...

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher , host Richard Wiese interviews Richard Garriott, a real-life explorer, entrepreneur, and video game legend. As the son of an astronaut, Garriott always had his eyes on space—but his journey took an unconventional path through fantasy, failure, and relentless curiosity. Garriott recounts how he built one of the first successful computer game e...

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher , we meet Dr. Kathy Sullivan—astronaut, ocean explorer, and author of Handprints on Hubble . Kathy shares her groundbreaking journey from becoming the first American woman to walk in space to later becoming the first woman to dive to the deepest point on Earth. With a blend of humor and humility, Kathy talks about her love for adventure, her r...

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher , marine ecologist Dr. Roxanne Beltran shares what it’s really like to study elephant seals—and why these unlikely collaborators are crucial for understanding ocean health. From wrangling 2,000-pound mammals on windswept beaches to being featured on the cover of Science , Roxanne brings humor, humility, and heart to every part of her work. Rox...

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher , host Richard Wiese welcomes Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano, the first Italian to walk in space and a globally respected voice in the astronaut community. Luca opens up about his infamous near-drowning during a spacewalk, and how that life-threatening moment ultimately deepened his understanding of risk, resilience, and what it means to lea...

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher , we meet Tia, a Charleston native whose journey from bartending to global recognition began with a personal health crisis. After years in the food and beverage industry, Tia’s decision to quit smoking triggered an unexpected and debilitating decline in her health. Conventional medicine offered no solutions, but a chance encounter with two hol...

In this episode of Life's Tough, Explorers are Tougher , host Richard Wiese dives into conversation with Susan Baur , founder of Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage. What began as a personal effort to clean Cape Cod ponds evolved into a joyful movement of women in their 60s to 80s suiting up in wetsuits to restore their local ecosystems. Susan shares how, after a career in psychology and wr...

In this episode of Life's Tough, Explorers are Tougher, host Richard Wiese welcomes filmmaker, photographer, and Explorers Club 50 honoree Brendan Hall. Brendan shares how his childhood passion for filming led him to a career as a documentary filmmaker and how his authentic, accessible approach to storytelling shaped his journey. Brendan discusses his selection for the dearMoon mission, a civ...

In this episode of Life's Tough, Explorers are Tougher, host Richard Wiese talks with J.R. Harris, veteran solo trekker and author of Way Out There . J.R. shares how a kid from Queens, New York, became a lifelong wilderness explorer, shaped by early Boy Scout experiences and a desire to live life on his own terms. They discuss the allure of solo travel, the emotional impact of nature, and how...

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers Are Tougher! , host Richard Wiese welcomes Chrissy Tracey—vegan chef, forager, sustainability advocate, and author of Forage & Feast . Chrissy shares her journey from exploring wild plants as a child in Connecticut to developing a deep connection with food through her Jamaican heritage and plant-based lifestyle. Listeners will hear how a life-changing...

Dr. Birute Galdikas has dedicated over 50 years of her life to studying and protecting orangutans in the rainforests of Borneo. As one of the legendary “Trimates” chosen by Louis Leakey — alongside Jane Goodall and Dian Fossey — Birute helped pioneer the field of primatology and conservation. In this episode of Life's Tough, Explorers are Tougher , she reflects on her journey from graduate st...

Brad Lidge is known for his dominance on the mound during the 2008 MLB postseason—but what most people don’t know is what came next. In this game-changing episode of Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher , host Richard Wiese interviews Brad about his surprising journey from baseball hero to archaeologist. Brad reveals how his love for ancient history began during his baseball career and culmina...

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers Are Tougher , Brandi DeCarli, co-founder of Farm from a Box, shares her radical approach to fighting food production inefficiencies using clean, climate-smart technology and community-first design. Inspired by her work with the UN in Kenya, Brandi helped create a scalable, solar-powered agricultural system that fits inside a shipping container—capable of...

In this episode of Life’s Tough: Explorers Are Tougher , host Richard Wiese journeys across Scotland’s legendary Loch Ness with renowned naturalist and monster hunter turned scientist, Adrian Shine. Adrian’s name is synonymous with the Loch Ness investigation. Over the last five decades, he’s gone from wide-eyed believer to skeptical researcher, leading sonar sweeps, underwater camera dives, and e...

Wildlife biologist and conservationist Morad Tahbaz joins host Richard Wiese to share his harrowing story of being wrongfully imprisoned in Iran. Accused of espionage while on a conservation mission, Morad endured solitary confinement, torture, and psychological warfare for nearly six years. He reflects on the brutal conditions he survived, the coping mechanisms he developed through art and creati...

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 sto...

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...