Podcasts about Atacama Desert

One of the most badass racers I know is Kat Edwards Anderson. She has been on the WASP twice before, most recently on episode #327 in January, chatting about her runs at the Sedona Canyons 125 and the Moab 240. I first met her in Chile in March, 2024, where she impressively conquered many new challenges for her in the high Atacama Desert. She built on these experiences by overcoming blisters on her feet, menstrual cycle irregularities, heat, and mental hurdles to get on the podium at Moab. In this episode, Kat shares some great insights on her run in May at the Cocodona 250, where she finished as the 6th female. Kat took many of the lessons from Moab, along with input from her coach, Tyler Andrews, to dial in the minutiae that is required to have success at such a grueling race. Kat shares much about the custom-designed gear she used to suit her needs, and the many very sound practices that she employed for Cocodona. Naturally, there were uncontrollables like the weather, and once again, her cycle. Most notably, she generously shares her mental battles through the race, and how her crew and her faith both came through for her to get to a finish line that at times seemed improbable. This is a great chat inside the mind of a tough, focused endurance beast of a runner. Next up for Kat is some “speedwork” as she comes out here to Colorado to slay the Leadville Trail 100.Kat Edwardskatedwardspt.comInstagram @kat.elizabeth_For coaching inquiries: www.chaski.runBill Stahlsilly_billy@msn.comFacebook Bill StahlInstagram and Threads @stahlor and @we_are_superman_podcastYouTube We Are Superman PodcastPlease support Team Leadville and Warriors' Ascent help prevent veteran suicide! Donate here:https://give.classy.org/BillStahl2025Thank you!Subscribe to the We Are Superman Newsletter!https://mailchi.mp/dab62cfc01f8/newsletter-signupSubscribe to our Substack for my archive of articles of coaching tips developed from my more than three decades of experience, wild and funny stories from my long coaching career, the wit and wisdom of David, and highlights of some of the best WASP episodes from the past that I feel are worthwhile giving another listen.Search either We Are Superman Podcast or @billstahl8

We embark on the first part of a series begun in 2024 by Jack Eidt who joined the artistic residency of Osceola Refetoff, a Canadian-American visual artist and photojournalist, in Antofagasta, Chile. Supported by SACO Cultural Corporation, this residency places a spotlight on the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, and its rich yet troubled history with mining. We delve into the environmental and social impacts of mining in this region, the historical context of Latin American exploitation, and the legacy of colonialism and neoliberal policies. Featuring poignant quotes from local authors and music that reflects Chile's cultural heritage, this episode is a profound exploration of eco-justice, history, and art. This episode sheds light on the difficult working conditions, pollution, and migratory phenomena that have shaped the Atacama's legacy. **Historical Context and Colonial Legacy** We journey through the historical context of mining in the Atacama, from the nitrate boom of the 19th century to the present-day lithium rush. The episode explores the economic motivations and political maneuverings that have led to the region's exploitation, including the devastating impact of colonialism and neoliberal policies. **Interview with Don Victor Loyola** One of the highlights of the episode is an interview with Don Victor Loyola, a former miner who has worked at the municipal museum in Maria Elena. **Indigenous Presence and Geoglyphs** The Atacama Desert is also home to a rich indigenous history, evidenced by the thousands of geoglyphs that dot the landscape. These ancient works of art, created by the region's early inhabitants, offer a glimpse into the spiritual and practical lives of the people who once thrived in this harsh environment. The episode explores the significance of these geoglyphs and their role in the transportation networks that connected ancient South American civilizations. Music Featured Violeta Parra “Gracias a la Vida.” Victor Jara “The Right to Live in Peace.” Illapu “Raza Brava” For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio Resources/Articles: Victor Loyola has a thirty year history working in the mining industry in the Atacama Desert of Chile and recently worked in tourism at the Municipal Museum in Maria Elena, Chile. Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs. Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats Episode 229

Here's what to expect on the podcast:Jim's journey that sparked his passion for travel.Jim's unique view of purposeful travel.How travel can deepen your connection to the world and yourself.What made Jim decide to become an author and share his unique travel experiences?Jim's books and his inspiring poetry collections.And much more! About Jim:Jim Menge, a travel raconteur, published author, and global adventurer, has set foot in over 100 countries and six continents. Jim's passion for exploring the world—and sharing its wonders—shines through his acclaimed books like Never Travel in a Straight Line and Ode of the Traveler. A blogger, poet, and traveler at heart, Jim has made travel not just his profession but his purpose. With a unique ability to blend humor, insight, and the bittersweet beauty of exploration, he inspires others to embrace the journey, wherever it may lead.Jim Menge has been at the forefront of travel innovation for over three decades, leading at American Airlines, Sabre, and Virtuoso. His unique blend of strategic leadership and personal passion for exploration gives him rare insight into both the business of travel and the human connections that shape it.Whether trekking the Atacama Desert, walking the ancient Camino de Santiago, or navigating boardrooms in the world's largest cities, he approaches each journey with curiosity, adaptability, and a deep appreciation for the unexpected.His book, Never Travel in a Straight Line, captures his philosophy that life's most meaningful moments emerge from detours, not destinations. Through engaging storytelling and practical wisdom, he challenges us to look beyond rigid itineraries—both in travel and in life.As a keynote speaker and executive coach, Jim helps individuals and organizations embrace change, turn challenges into opportunities, and redefine success on their own terms. His coaching explores how stepping outside comfort zones drives transformation—and how neglecting self-care can lead to stress, burnout, and emotional exhaustion, diminishing both productivity and well-being.Because in the end… the road less traveled isn't just an adventure—it's a mindset. Connect with Jim Menge!Website: https://www.jimmenge.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmenge/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.menge.12Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimmenge/Books:Never Travel In A Straight Line: Discovering Travel's True Purpose https://tinyurl.com/5d67nwknNever Travel In A Straight Line: Self Leadership Strategies to Discover Your Life's Purpose and Live Your Passions https://tinyurl.com/2tahs7fnThe ODE Series: Travel. In Verse. Love. Solitude. Frustration. Each book is a journey. (Upcoming releases and more information available on Jim's website.)----- If you're struggling, consider therapy with our sponsor, BetterHelp.Visit https://betterhelp.com/candicesnyder for a 10% discount on your first month of therapy.*This is a paid promotionIf you are in the United States and in crisis, or any other person may be in danger -Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Dial 988----- Connect with Candice Snyder!Website: https://www.podpage.com/passion-purpose-and-possibilities-1/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/candicebsnyder?_rdrPassion, Purpose, and Possibilities Community Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/passionpurposeandpossibilitiescommunity/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passionpurposepossibilities/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candicesnyder/Shop For A Cause With Gifts That Give Back to Nonprofits: https://thekindnesscause.com/Fall In Love With Artists And Experience Joy And Calm: https://www.youtube.com/@movenartrelaxation

Postcards from Santiago tells the extraordinary true story of George Robledo, the pioneering Chilean footballer whose name has largely been forgotten—despite rewriting the history of English football. Long before the likes of Haaland, Henry, or Cantona made headlines as international stars in England, Robledo was blazing a trail as the first foreign-born player to top the English scoring charts.Abandoned by his father and uprooted from Chile to a Yorkshire mining village, Robledo's youth was shaped by war and hardship. He toiled underground as a Bevin Boy during WWII before launching a football career that would see him rise from Barnsley to Newcastle United stardom. In the 1951–52 season, his record-breaking 33-goal tally made him the most prolific overseas scorer in English football—a record that quietly endures, often overlooked by official statistics.From the searing landscapes of the Atacama Desert to a Wembley FA Cup triumph, and from representing Chile at the 1950 World Cup to appearing on a John Lennon album cover, Robledo's life was nothing short of extraordinary. Through interviews with those who knew and admired him, Postcards from Santiago offers a vivid portrait of a forgotten icon—an immigrant who became both a national hero in Chile and a quiet legend in England.This compelling biography not only reclaims Robledo's rightful place in football history, but also celebrates the resilience, identity, and impact of one of the game's earliest global stars.

If you like culinary or wine travel, you need to put the Chilean Winelands on your travel bucket list. Tamara just came back from a two-week trip to Chile including the Atacama Desert and the Winelands. Episode Highlights: The wine regions are south and west of Santiago It is easy to drive through these regions but it is still recommended to get a driver for days when you are doing wine tasting Two hours south of Santiago is the Colchagua Region that is known for its red wine including Malbec, Bordeaux blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carmenere. One hour west of Santiago is the Casablanca Region, which is closer to the coast, and is more known for its white wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. She stayed at the Vibo Wine Lodge in Colchagua. This is a small boutique property on the Viu Manent Vineyards near Santa Cruz. It has individual lofts or tiny homes spread out throughout the vineyards. Another popular place to stay in this region is Clos Apalta, which is a Relais & Chateaux luxury property. Vibo Wine Lodge includes breakfast in the coffee shop on property and they also have two other restaurants, the Rayuela Restaurant and the Vibo Wine and Food Studio. On property you can hike, borrow bikes, enjoy the pool, go wine tasting or set up horseback riding. They also did a wine tour with Colchagua Wine Tours, which was only $125 for a day with a private driver (you pay for the tasting separately.) Tamara enjoyed wine tasting at Montgras Winery and Maquis Winery. They had a nice lunch at Fuego Apalta on the Montes Winery (but she didn't like the wine at Montes.) Tastings of the "icon" wines, which are the top wines, are about $40-50 per person. Clos Apalta Residence is also an excellent place to go for lunch or dinner and you can go wine tasting at the winery. In Casablance, they stayed at La Casona, which is a hacienda which has been converted to a hotel on the grounds of the Matetic Vineyards. This was all-inclusive because there isn't a lot nearby to eat. But the menu doesn't change so it gets repetitive if you are there for any length of time. The package also includes excursions and they did a biodynamic wine tour and tasting, mountain biking, and hiking. They also offer horseback riding and excursions to towns. They took a day trip to the coast and visited Pablo Neruda's house. Related Episodes: Chile's Atacama Desert Wine tasting in Northern Italy

Scottish tour guides tell us about the most famous castles in a country that's brimming with the imposing structures. Then a Santiago-based American travel writer embarks on a 1,200-mile odyssey through one of the driest places on earth — Chile's Atacama Desert — as he searches for a deeper understanding of his adopted homeland. And listeners call in to share stories and find inspiration for their next travel adventures. For more information on Travel with Rick Steves - including episode descriptions, program archives and related details - visit www.ricksteves.com.

“If you’re someone who’s always dreamed of going to Mars but you don’t have the time to become an astronaut, you can just visit the Atacama Desert.” –Mark Johanson In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Mark talk about how Mark became interested in the Atacama Desert, and his experience in other world deserts (1:45); what Mark sought when he traveled through the region (16:00); what it’s like to experience the area, and why it’s known as “Mars on Earth” (26:00); what travelers can do there, and what it’s like for Mark to live in Chile (36:30). Mark Johanson (@markonthemap) is an American journalist and travel writer based in Santiago, Chile. His first book is Mars on Earth: Wanderings in the World's Driest Desert. Notable Links: Atacama Desert (desert plateau located in Chile) Coober Pedy (town in the Australian Outback) Desert Solitaire, by Edward Abbey (book) The English Patient, by Michael Ondaatje (book) The Songlines, by Bruce Chatwin (book) Man in the Landscape, by Paul Shepard (book) Chinchorro mummies (ancient remains in the Atacama Desert) Qhapaq Ñan (Inca road system) Arica (province in Chile) Altiplano (Andean Plateau) Lands of Lost Borders, by Kate Harris (book) Pan-American Highway (road network) Cusco (city in Peru) San Pedro de Atacama (town in Chile) Elqui Valley (wine and astronomy region in Chile) Gabriela Mistral (Nobel Prize-winning poet) Pisco (fermented spirit made from grapes) Pisco sour (cocktail) The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel's 2017 album Lumber. Note: We don't host a “comments” section, but we're happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.

What if your next bucket list trip revolved around the stars instead of the sights?If you've ever dreamed of chasing the northern lights or stargazing under the darkest skies in the world, this episode is for you. In this conversation, host Kim Anderson chats with Stephanie Vermillion, a travel journalist and photographer whose work spans National Geographic, Outside Magazine, Vogue, and Travel & Leisure. As Outside's astrotourism columnist and author of 100 Nights of a Lifetime from National Geographic, she's the go-to expert on how to plan magical adventures after dark.You'll walk away from this episode with practical tips for planning your own stargazing or dark sky getaway - whether you're a first-timer or already obsessed with the cosmos. From chasing the solar maximum to capturing night sky photos with just your phone, you'll learn how to plan unforgettable trips that revolve around wonder, not Wi-Fi.In this episode, you'll learn:Why the new moon is the best time for stargazingHow to find the best dark sky locations What gear you actually need for night sky photography (spoiler: you probably already have it!)This episode is your guide to astrotourism without the overwhelm. Whether you're heading to Morocco's Sahara or Chile's Atacama Desert—or just want to find a quiet, starry corner closer to home—you'll get everything you need to start planning the ultimate after-dark adventure.WANT MORE? Check out these episodes about exploring the night sky:Travel Talk: 3 Parks, 2 Quirky Histories, and 1 Luxury Stay - Your National Park Guide #106Astrocartography Explained: How to Use Your Birth Chart to Choose Where to Travel, Live & Thrive w/ KJ Atlas #170RESOURCES:Connect with Stephanie: Website, @bystephanievermillionPick Up a Copy of her Nat Geo Book: 100 Nights of a Lifetime: The World's Ultimate Adventures After Dark ⚡ROUND Book: Big Magic by Elizabeth GilbertPLACES & ITEMS REFERENCED:Red-light Headlamp & Flashlight Dark Skies ProgramLight Pollution Map Under Canvas GlampingEPISODE DETAILS:05:02 - New to astrotourism or planning06:41 - Bring a red light headlamp07:16 - Consider booking a local guide08:18 - Plan ySupport the showMore Travel with Less Money—Download Your FREE GUIDE & Start Exploring! Let's connect on Instagram! @DesignHerTravel Get $20 when you Sign-Up for Buzzsprout Please Note: I may earn a small commission when purchasing through these links. It doesn't cost you anything extra but does help support the show.

Hello! What are we actually doing? Our unwanted clothes don't belong dumped in Chile's beautiful Atacama Desert...Everyone knows reasons why the global north exports used clothing to the global south - it's because fashion is too fast, quality is too low, volumes are too high, and for rich countries it's often cheaper to export your problem than it is to deal with it onshore. But even if that wasn't the case, even if you had a big dream and deep pockets, that horse has bolted - the system at scale today is about global trade.Certainly, some of it is a reuse stream, some of it does get re-worn and recycled. Also sorted, processed and re-exported. But the fact is, too many of of these clothes become unsustainable waste that, once they reach their final destination, escape into the environment and pollute Nature and communities.According to the UN, about 40% of the clothes imported through Chile's Iquique free trade zone in the northern Atacama, have no value in the local second-hand clothing market and cannot be re-exported. Many end up dumped in the desert.In our annual Fashion Revolution ep, we meet the activists and creatives behind a genius campaign - Recommerce Atacama. Bastian Barria and Angela Astudillo from Desierto Vestido have joined forces with creative agency Art Plan, ecommerce platform Vtex, and Fashion Revolution Brazil to sell these clothes back to where they come from. The price? Zero dollars. The slogan: "Don't buy, rescue!"Clare sits down with Fernanda Simon and Paula Lagrotta to unpack the issues.More info at thewardrobecrisis.comTell us what you think? Find Clare on Instagram @mrspressGot recommendations? Hit us up!And please share these podcasts.THANK YOU. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Carolina Colque and Sergio Armella are the owners of Ephedra Restaurant outside of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. Let me be clear when I say that this is a very unlikely restaurant. Two young, local Atacameños with no cooking experience, have opened a tasting menu restaurant in the Atacama Desert, the driest place on earth. It's not even in the main town, San Pedro de Atacama, but in an ayllu, a traditional community a dozen kilometers away. I urge you to just go to their Instagram page right now and look at the food they are making and the ingredients they are working with. It will blow your mind.The Atacama Desert, in the far north of Chile, is a special place. I have been there a few times over the years. The scenery is unreal, almost lunar at times, but it is the flavors there that have always excited me. In a place with little rain, most of the plants grow slowly, into large shrubs with brittle branches that develop one-of-a-kind flavors. There are also fruit trees, leguminous pods and fragrant flowers that only come out when there is a hint of moisture in the air. This is the kind of landscape Carolina and Sergio are working with.Before starting the restaurant, Sergio's cooking experience consisted of a Neapolitan pizza business they tried out during the pandemic, then he staged at Geranium, the 3 Michelin star restaurant in Copenhagen, which is extremely technical, for a few months. What makes Ephedra special is their will to create a distinct experience in the place they are from. These unique ecosystems, not to mention the cultures that support them, are what makes Latin American food special.Read More at New Worlder.

The Atacama Desert is the driest place on the planet, and one of the most inhospitable. But salt lagoons dot the barren landscape, and flamingos are one of a number of species that have adapted to live in this harsh environment, and are battling to survive.This is episode 24 of Stories of Resistance—a podcast co-produced by The Real News and Global Exchange. Independent investigative journalism, supported by Global Exchange's Human Rights in Action program. Each week, we'll bring you stories of resistance like this. Inspiration for dark times.This week, we celebrate Earth Day, April 22. April 26 is also Flamingo Day. So, Happy Flamingo Day!You can see exclusive pictures of the flamingos of the Atacama desert, in Michael Fox's Patreon page. You can also follow Michael's reporting and support at patreon.com/mfox.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, like, share, comment, or leave a review.Written and produced by Michael Fox.This is Stories of Resistance — a new podcast co-produced by The Real News and Global Exchange. Independent investigative journalism, supported by Global Exchange's Human Rights in Action program. Each week, we'll bring you stories of resistance like this. Inspiration for dark times.Written and produced by Michael Fox.If you like what you hear, please subscribe, like, share, comment, or leave a review. You can also follow Michael's reporting, and support at patreon.com/mfox.Subscribe to Stories of Resistance podcast hereBecome a member and join the Stories of Resistance Supporters Club today!Sign up for our newsletterFollow us on BlueskyLike us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterDonate to support this podcast

Tamara and her husband recently took a couple's trip to Chile and this week on the podcast she shares her impressions, experiences, and tips for Santiago and Atacama Desert. In a future episode, she will talk about her week in Chile's Winelands. Episode Highlights Tamara flew Avianca Airlines on a flight deal from Boston to Bogota and Bogota to Santiago. Avianca Airlines business class is more like premium economy and not a very impressive business class but overall the flights went smoothly. She really enjoyed her stay at the Hyatt Centric Las Condes. Las Condes is a nice area to stay in Santiago. If you are visiting Santiago or Valparaiso, be on alert of pickpockets and petty crime and don't wear jewelry and keep your phone secure. Foodies would love the chef's tasting dinner at Borago in Santiago. To get to the Atacama Desert, you fly 1.5-2 hours to Calama and then it is a 1.5 hour drive to San Pedro de Atacama, which is the central hub for the region. Tamara stayed at the Nayara Alto Atacama, which provides a transfer to and from the airport. They offer an all-inclusive rate that includes food, drink, and group excursions. Other options include the Explora and the Tierra and the Awasi offers private excursions. She wouldn't recommend self-driving because there is very little cell service and getting to some of the attractions includes driving on dirt roads. The Atacama Desert is at a higher elevation so it is good to stay at least 3 nights so that you can do the higher elevation excursions later in your stay after you have time to acclimate. Nayara Alto Atacama is part of Virtuoso and booking through Tamara you can get perks that include a $100 spa credit. They did three excursions: Sunset excursion to the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) with some short hikes and finishing with a sundowner Salt Flats and Flamingo Reserve - the salt flats are not the flat white salt that you see in Bolivia or Utah, the salt is mixed with minerals and the flats looks a lot like a white lava field Rainbow Valley - not as dramatic as Rainbow Mountain in Peru but a great landscape with layers of red, white, and green rock Star gazing - the Atacama Desert is well-known for its dark skies and star gazing The food at the resort was fine but lunch was a three-course meal and if you want something more casual you can eat at the bar. The portions are small and there are only a few options per meal, but at least the menu changes every day. Make sure you get the correct adapter for electrical outlets. You need cash for small shops and some tips but you can mostly use a credit card or charge tips to your room Make sure you wear sunscreen and a hat because there is a high UV index Be sure to stay hydrated and bring lots of moisturizer and lip balm Bring plenty of layers because the desert gets cold at night Remember that it is in the Southern Hemisphere so the summer high season is December - March and winter is during our summer. Bring shoes with good traction.

In late February in DC, I attended the US premiere of the Bertelsmann Foundation of North America produced documentary “Lithium Rising”, a movie about the extraction of essential rare minerals like lithium, nickel and cobalt. Afterwards, I moderated a panel featuring the movie's director Samuel George, the Biden US Department of Energy Director Giulia Siccardo and Environmental Lawyer JingJing Zhang (the "Erin Brockovich of China"). In post Liberation Day America, of course, the issues addressed in both “Lithium Rising” and our panel discussion - particularly US-Chinese economic rivalry over these essential rare minerals - are even more relevant. Tariffs or not, George's important new movie uncovers the essential economic and moral rules of today's rechargeable battery age. FIVE TAKEAWAYS* China dominates the critical minerals supply chain, particularly in refining lithium, cobalt, and nickel - creating a significant vulnerability for the United States and Western countries who rely on these minerals for everything from consumer electronics to military equipment.* Resource extraction creates complex moral dilemmas in communities like those in Nevada, Bolivia, Congo, and Chile, where mining offers economic opportunities but also threatens environment and sacred lands, often dividing local populations.* History appears to be repeating itself with China's approach in Africa mirroring aspects of 19th century European colonialism, building infrastructure that primarily serves to extract resources while local communities remain impoverished.* Battery recycling offers a potential "silver lining" but faces two major challenges: making the process cost-effective compared to new mining, and accumulating enough recycled materials to create a closed-loop system, which could take decades.* The geopolitical competition for these minerals is intensifying, with tariffs and trade wars affecting global supply chains and the livelihoods of workers throughout the system, from miners to manufacturers. FULL TRANSCRIPTAndrew Keen: Hello, everybody. Last year, we did a show on a new book. It was a new book back then called Cobalt Red about the role of cobalt, the mineral in the Congo. We also did a show. The author of the Cobalt Red book is Siddharth Kara, and it won a number of awards. It's the finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. We also did a show with Ernest Scheyder, who authored a book, The War Below, Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives. Lithium and cobalt are indeed becoming the critical minerals of our networked age. We've done two books on it, and a couple of months ago, I went to the premiere, a wonderful new film, a nonfiction documentary by my guest Samuel George. He has a new movie out called Lithium Rising and I moderated a panel in Washington DC and I'm thrilled that Samuel George is joining us now. He works with the Bertelsmann Foundation of North America and it's a Bertelsman funded enterprise. Sam, congratulations on the movie. It's quite an achievement. I know you traveled all over the world. You went to Europe, Latin America, a lot of remarkable footage also from Africa. How would you compare the business of writing a book like Cobalt read or the war below about lithium and cobalt and the challenges and opportunities of doing a movie like lithium rising what are the particular challenges for a movie director like yourself.Samuel George: Yeah, Andrew. Well, first of all, I just want to thank you for having me on the program. I appreciate that. And you're right. It is a very different skill set that's required. It's a different set of challenges and also a different set of opportunities. I mean, the beauty of writing, which is something I get a chance to do as well. And I should say we actually do have a long paper coming out of this process that I wrote that will probably be coming out in the next couple months. But the beauty of writing is you need to kind of understand your topic, and if you can really understand your topics, you have the opportunity to explain it. When it comes to filming, if the camera doesn't have it, you don't have it. You might have a sense of something, people might explain things to you in a certain way, but if you don't have it on your camera in a way that's digestible and easy for audience to grasp, it doesn't matter whether you personally understand it or not. So the challenge is really, okay, maybe you understand the issue, but how do you show it? How do you bring your audience to that front line? Because that's the opportunity that you have that you don't necessarily have when you write. And that's to take an audience literally to these remote locations that they've never been and plant their feet right in the ground, whether that be the Atacama in Northern Chile, whether that'd be the red earth of Colwaisy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And that's the beauty of it, but it takes more of making sure you get something not just whether you understand it is almost irrelevant. I mean I guess you do need to understand it but you need to be able to draw it out of a place. It's easier when you're writing to get to some of these difficult places because you don't have to bring 900 pounds of equipment and you can kind of move easier and you're much more discreet. You can get places much easier as you can imagine, where with this, you're carrying all this equipment down. You're obvious from miles away. So you really have to build relationships and get people to get comfortable with you and be willing to speak out. So it's different arts, but it's also different rewards. And the beauty of being able to combine analysis with these visuals is really the draw of what makes documentary so magic because you're really kind of hitting different senses at the same time, visual, audio, and combining it to hopefully make some sort of bigger story.Andrew Keen: Well, speaking, Sam, of audio and visuals, we've got a one minute clip or introduction to the movie. People just listening on this podcast won't get to see your excellent film work, but everybody else will. So let's just have a minute to see what lithium rising is all about. We'll be back in a minute.[Clip plays]Andrew Keen: Here's a saying that says that the natural resources are today's bread and tomorrow's hunger. Great stuff, Sam. That last quote was in Spanish. Maybe you want to translate that to English, because I think, in a sense, it summarizes what lithium rising is about.Samuel George: Right. Well, that's this idea that natural resources in a lot of these places, I mean, you have to take a step back that a lot of these resources, you mentioned the lithium, the cobalt, you can throw nickel into that conversation. And then some of the more traditional ones like copper and silver, a lot are in poor countries. And for centuries, the opportunity to access this has been like a mirage, dangled in front of many of these poor countries as an opportunity to become more wealthy. Yet what we continue to see is the wealth, the mineral wealth of these countries is sustaining growth around the world while places like Potosí and Bolivia remain remarkably poor. So the question on their minds is, is this time gonna be any different? We know that Bolivia has perhaps the largest lithium deposits in the world. They're struggling to get to it because they're fighting amongst each other politically about what's the best way to do it, and is there any way to it that, hey, for once, maybe some of this resource wealth can stay here so that we don't end up, as the quote said, starving. So that's where their perspective is. And then on the other side, you have the great powers of the world who are engaged in a massive competition for access to these minerals.Andrew Keen: And let's be specific, Sam, we're not talking about 19th century Europe and great powers where there were four or five, they're really only two great powers when it comes to these resources, aren't they?Samuel George: I mean, I think that's fair to say. I think some people might like to lump in Western Europe and the EU with the United States to the extent that we used to traditionally conceive of them as being on the same team. But certainly, yes, this is a competition between the United States and China. And it's one that, frankly, China is winning and winning handily. And we can debate what that means, but it's true. I showed this film in London. And a student, who I believe was Chinese, commented, is it really fair to even call this a race? Because it seems to be over.Andrew Keen: Yeah, it's over. You showed it at King's College in London. I heard it was an excellent event.Samuel George: Yeah, it really was. But the point here is, to the extent that it's a competition between the United States and China, which it is, China is winning. And that's of grave concern to Washington. So there's the sense that the United States needs to catch up and need to catch up quickly. So that's the perspective that these two great powers are going at it from. Whereas if you're the Democratic Republic of Congo, if you are Bolivia, if your Chile, you're saying, what can we do to try to make the most of this opportunity and not just get steamrolled?Andrew Keen: Right. And you talk about a grave concern. Of course, there is grave concern both in Washington, D.C. and Beijing in terms of who's winning this race for these natural resources that are driving our networked age, our battery powered age. Some people might think the race has ended. Some people may even argue that it hasn't even really begun. But of course, one of the biggest issues, and particularly when it comes to the Chinese, is this neocolonial element. This was certainly brought out in Cobalt Red, which is quite a controversial book about the way in which China has essentially colonized the Congo by mining Cobalt in Congo, using local labor and then shipping out these valuable resources back to China. And of course, it's part of a broader project in Africa of the Chinese, which for some critics actually not that different from European 19th century colonialism. That's why we entitled our show with Siddharth Kara, The New Heart of Darkness. Of course, the original Heart of darkness was Joseph Conrad's great novel that got turned into Apocalypse Now. Is history repeating itself, Sam, when it comes to these natural resources in terms of the 19th-century history of colonialism, particularly in Africa?Samuel George: Yeah, I mean, I think it's so one thing that's fair to say is you hear a lot of complaining from the West that says, well, look, standards are not being respected, labor is being taken advantage of, environment is not being taken care of, and this is unfair. And this is true, but your point is equally true that this should not be a foreign concept to the West because it's something that previously the West was clearly engaged in. And so yes, there is echoes of history repeating itself. I don't think there's any other way to look at it. I think it's a complicated dynamic because sometimes people say, well, why is the West not? Why is it not the United States that's in the DRC and getting the cobalt? And I think that's because it's been tough for the United states to find its footing. What China has done is increasingly, and then we did another documentary about this. It's online. It's called Tinder Box Belt and Road, China and the Balkans. And what we increasingly see is in these non-democracies or faulty democracies that has something that China's interested in. China's willing to show up and basically put a lot of money on the table and not ask a whole lot of questions. And if the West, doesn't wanna play that game, whatever they're offering isn't necessarily as attractive. And that's a complication that we see again and again around the world and one, the United States and Europe and the World Bank and Western institutions that often require a lot of background study and open tenders for contracts and democracy caveats and transparency. China's not asking for any of that, as David Dollar, a scholar, said in the prior film, if the World Bank says they're going to build you a road, it's going to be a 10-year process, and we'll see what happens. If China says they'll build you a road a year later, you'll have a road.Andrew Keen: But then the question sound becomes, who owns the road?Samuel George: So let's take the Democratic Republic of the Congo, another great option. China has been building a lot of roads there, and this is obviously beneficial to a country that has very limited infrastructure. It's not just to say everything that China is doing is bad. China is a very large and economically powerful country. It should be contributing to global infrastructure. If it has the ability to finance that, wonderful. We all know Africa, certain African countries can really benefit from improved infrastructure. But where do those roads go? Well, those roads just happen to conveniently connect to these key mineral deposits where China overwhelmingly owns the interest and the minerals.Andrew Keen: That's a bit of a coincidence, isn't it?Samuel George: Well, exactly. And I mean, that's the way it's going. So that's what they'll come to the table. They'll put money on the table, they'll say, we'll get you a road. And, you know, what a coincidence that roads going right by the cobalt mine run by China. That's debatable. If you're from the African perspective, you could say, look, we got a road, and we needed that road. And it could also be that there's a lot of money disappearing in other places. But, you know that that's a different question.Andrew Keen: One of the things I liked about Lithium Rising, the race for critical minerals, your new documentary, is it doesn't pull its punches. Certainly not when it comes to the Chinese. You have some remarkable footage from Africa, but also it doesn't pull its punches in Latin America, or indeed in the United States itself, where cobalt has been discovered and it's the indigenous peoples of some of the regions where cobalt, sorry, where lithium has been discovered, where the African versus Chinese scenario is being played out. So whether it's Bolivia or the western parts of the United States or Congo, the script is pretty similar, isn't it?Samuel George: Yeah, you certainly see themes in the film echoed repeatedly. You mentioned what was the Thacker Pass lithium mine that's being built in northern Nevada. So people say, look, we need lithium. The United States needs lithium. Here's the interesting thing about critical minerals. These are not rare earth minerals. They're actually not that rare. They're in a lot of places and it turns out there's a massive lithium deposit in Nevada. Unfortunately, it's right next to a Native American reservation. This is an area that this tribe has been kind of herded onto after years, centuries of oppression. But the way the documentary tries to investigate it, it is not a clear-cut story of good guy and bad guy, rather it's a very complicated situation, and in that specific case what you have is a tribe that's divided, because there's some people that say, look, this is our land, this is a sacred site, and this is going to be pollution, but then you have a whole other section of the tribe that says we are very poor and this is an opportunity for jobs such that we won't have to leave our area, that we can stay here and work. And these kind of entangled complications we see repeated over and over again. Cobalt is another great example. So there's some people out there that are saying, well, we can make a battery without cobalt. And that's not because they can make a better battery. It's because they want to avoid the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But that cobalt is providing a rare job opportunity. And we can debate the quality of the job, but for the people that are working it, as they say in my film, they say, look, if we could do something else, we would do it. But this is all there is. So if you deprive them of that, the situation gets even worse. And that something we see in Northern Chile. We see it in Nevada. We see in Africa. We see it in Indonesia. What the film does is it raises these moral questions that are incredibly important to talk about. And it sort of begs the question of, not only what's the answer, but who has the right to answer this? I mean, who has right to speak on behalf of the 10 communities that are being destroyed in Northern Chile?Andrew Keen: I have to admit, I thought you did a very good job in the film giving everybody a voice, but my sympathy when it came to the Nevada case was with the younger people who wanted to bring wealth and development into the community rather than some of the more elderly members who were somehow anti-development, anti-investment, anti mining in every sense. I don't see how that benefits, but certainly not their children or the children of their children.Samuel George: I guess the fundamental question there is how bad is that mine going to be for the local environment? And I think that's something that remains to be seen. And one of the major challenges with this broader idea of are we going to greener by transitioning to EVs? And please understand I don't have an opinion of that. I do think anywhere you're doing mining, you're going to have immediate consequences. The transition would have to get big enough that the external the externalities, the positive benefits outweigh that kind of local negativity. And we could get there, but it's also very difficult to imagine massive mining projects anywhere in the world that don't impact the local population. And again, when we pick up our iPhone or when we get in our electric vehicle, we're not necessarily thinking of those 10 villages in the Atacama Desert in Chile.Andrew Keen: Yeah, and I've been up to the Atacama's, perhaps the most beautiful part in the world I've ever seen. It's nice. I saw the tourist side of it, so I didn't see the mining. But I take your point. There is one, perhaps, the most positive section of the film. You went to France. I think it was Calais, you took your camera. And it seems as if the French are pioneering a more innovative development of batteries which benefit the local community but also protect them environmentally. What did you see in northern France?Samuel George: Point, and that gets back to this extractive cycle that we've seen before. Okay, so northern France, this is a story a lot of us will know well because it's similar to what we've see in the Rust Belt in the United States. This is an industrial zone, historically, that faced significant deindustrialization in recent decades and now has massive problems with unemployment and lack of job opportunities, as one of the guys says in the film. Nothing's open here anymore except for that cafe over there and that's just because it has gambling guy. I couldn't have said it any better. This EV transition is offering an opportunity to bring back industrial jobs to whether it's Northern France or the United States of America. So that is an opportunity for people to have these more advanced battery-oriented jobs. So that could be building the battery itself. That could be an auto manufacturing plant where you're making EV electric vehicles. So there is job creation that's happening. And that's further along the development stage and kind of higher level jobs. And we meet students in France that are saying, look, this is an opportunity for a career. We see a long-term opportunity for work here. So we're really studying batteries and that's for university students. That's for people maybe 10, 15 years older to kind of go back to school and learn some skills related to batteries. So there is job creation to that. And you might, you may be getting ready to get to this, but where the real silver lining I think comes after that, where we go back to Georgia in the United States and visit a battery recycling plant.Andrew Keen: Right, yeah, those two sections in the movie kind of go together in a sense.Samuel George: Right, they do. And that is, I think, the silver lining here is that these batteries that we use in all of these appliances and devices and gadgets can be recycled in such a way that the cobalt, the lithium, the nickel can be extracted. And it itself hasn't degraded. It's sort of funny for us to think about, because we buy a phone. And three years later, the battery is half as good as it used to be and we figure well, materials in it must be degrading. They're not. The battery is degrading, the materials are fine. So then the idea is if we can get enough of this in the United States, if we can get old phones and old car batteries and old laptops that we can pull those minerals out, maybe we can have a closed loop, which is sort of a way of saying we won't need those mines anymore. We won't have to dig it up. We don't need to compete with China for access to from Bolivia or Chile because we'll have that lithium here. And yes, that's a silver lining, but there's challenges there. The two key challenges your viewers should be aware of is one, it's all about costs and they've proven that they can recycle these materials, but can they do it in a way that's cheaper than importing new lithium? And that's what these different companies are racing to find a way to say, look, we can do this at a way that's cost effective. Then even if you get through that challenge, a second one is just to have the sheer amount of the materials to close that loop, to have enough in the United States already, they estimate we're decades away from that. So those are the two key challenges to the silver lining of recycling, but it is possible. It can be done and they're doing it.Andrew Keen: We haven't talked about the T word, Sam. It's on everyone's lips these days, tariffs. How does this play out? I mean, especially given this growing explicit, aggressive trade war between the United States and China, particularly when it comes to production of iPhones and other battery-driven products. Right. Is tariffs, I mean, you film this really before Trump 2-0, in which tariffs were less central, but is tariffs going to change everything?Samuel George: I mean, this is just like so many other things, an incredibly globalized ecosystem and tariffs. And who even knows by the time this comes out, whatever we think we understand about the new tariff scenario could be completely outdated.Andrew Keen: Guaranteed. I mean, we are talking on Wednesday, April the 9th. This will go out in a few days time. But no doubt by that time, tariffs will have changed dramatically. They already have as we speak.Samuel George: Here's the bottom line, and this is part of the reason the story is so important and so timely, and we haven't even talked about this yet, but it's so critical. Okay, just like oil, you can't just dig oil out of the ground and put it in the car. It's got to be refined. Lithium, nickel, cobalt, it's got be refined as well. And the overwhelming majority of that refining occurs in China. So even your success story like France, where they're building batteries, they still need to import the refined critical minerals from China. So that is a massive vulnerability. And that's part of where this real fear that you see in Washington or Brussels is coming from. You know, and they got their first little taste of it during the COVID supply chain meltdown, but say in the event where China decided that they weren't gonna export any more of this refined material it would be disastrous for people relying on lithium devices, which by the way, is also the military. Increasingly, the military is using lithium battery powered devices. So that's why there's this urgency that we need to get this on shore. We need to this supply chain here. The problem is that's not happening yet. And okay, so you can slap these tariffs on and that's going to make this stuff much more expensive, but that's not going to automatically create a critical mineral refining capacity in the United States of America. So that needs to be built. So you can understand the desire to get this back here. And by the way, the only reason we're not all driving Chinese made electric vehicles is because of tariffs. The Chinese have really, really caught up in terms of high quality electric vehicles at excellent prices. Now, the prices were always good. What's surprising people recently is the quality is there, but they've basically been tariffed out of the United States. And actually the Biden administration was in part behind that. And it was sort of this tension because on the one hand, they were saying, we want a green revolution, we want to green revolution. But on the other hand, they were seeing these quality Chinese electric vehicles. We're not gonna let you bring them in. But yeah, so I mean, I think the ultimate goal, you can understand why a country that's convinced that it's in a long term competition with China would say we can't rely on Chinese refined materials. Slapping a tariff on it isn't any sort of comprehensive strategy and to me it almost seems like you're putting the horse before the cart because we're not really in a place yet where we can say we no longer need China to power our iPhone.Andrew Keen: And one of the nice things about your movie is it features miners, ordinary people living on the land whose lives are dramatically impacted by this. So one would imagine that some of the people you interviewed in Bolivia or Atacama or in Africa or even in Georgia and certainly in Nevada, they're going to be dramatically impacted by the tariffs. These are not just abstract ideas that have a real impact on people's lives.Samuel George: Absolutely. I mean, for decades now, we've built an economic system that's based on globalization. And it's certainly true that that's cost a lot of jobs in the United States. It's also true that there's a lot jobs and companies that have been built around global trade. And this is one of them. And you're talking about significant disruption if your global supply chains, as we've seen before, again, in the COVID crisis when the supply chains fall apart or when the margins, which are already pretty slim to begin with, start to degrade, yeah, it's a major problem.Andrew Keen: Poorly paid in the first place, so...Samuel George: For the most part, yeah.Andrew Keen: Well, we're not talking about dinging Elon Musk. Tell us a little bit, Sam, about how you made this movie. You are a defiantly independent filmmaker, one of the more impressive that I know. You literally carry two large cameras around the world. You don't have a team, you don't have an audio guy, you don't ever sound guy. You do it all on your own. It's quite impressive. Been you shlep these cameras to Latin America, to Southeast Asia, obviously all around America. You commissioned work in Africa. How did you make this film? It's quite an impressive endeavor.Samuel George: Well, first of all, I really appreciate your kind words, but I can't completely accept this idea that I do it all alone. You know, I'm speaking to you now from the Bertelsmann Foundation. I'm the director of Bertelsman Foundation documentaries. And we've just had this fantastic support here and this idea that we can go to the front line and get these stories. And I would encourage people to check out Bertelsmen Foundation documentation.Andrew Keen: And we should have a special shout out to your boss, my friend, Irene Brahm, who runs the BuzzFeed Foundation of North America, who's been right from the beginning, a champion of video making.Samuel George: Oh, absolutely. I mean, Irene Brahm has been a visionary in terms of, you know, something I think that we align on is you take these incredibly interesting issues and somehow analysts manage to make them extraordinarily boring. And Irene had this vision that maybe it doesn't have to be that way.Andrew Keen: She's blushing now as she's watching this, but I don't mean to make you blush, Sam, but these are pretty independent movies. You went around the world, you've done it before, you did it in the Serbian movie too. You're carrying these cameras around, you're doing all your own work, it's quite an achievement.Samuel George: Well, again, I'm very, very thankful for the Bertelsmann Foundation. I think a lot of times, sometimes people, when they hear a foundation or something is behind something, they assume that somebody's got an ax to grind, and that's really not the case here. The Bertelsman Foundation is very supportive of just investigating these key issues, and let's have an honest conversation about it. And maybe it's a cop-out, but in my work, I often don't try to provide a solution.Andrew Keen: Have you had, when we did our event in D.C., you had a woman, a Chinese-born woman who's an expert on this. I don't think she's particularly welcome back on the mainland now. Has there been a Chinese response? Because I would say it's an anti-Chinese movie, but it's not particularly sympathetic or friendly towards China.Samuel George: And I can answer that question because it was the exact same issue we ran into when we filmed Tinder Box Belt and Road, which was again about Chinese investment in the Balkans. And your answer is has there been a Chinese reaction and no sort of official reaction. We always have people sort of from the embassy or various affiliated organizations that like to come to the events when we screen it. And they're very welcome to. But here's a point that I want to get across. Chinese officials and people related to China on these issues are generally uniformly unwilling to participate. And I think that's a poor decision on their part because I think there's a lot they could say to defend themselves. They could say, hey, you guys do this too. They could say, we're providing infrastructure to critical parts of the world. They could said, hey we're way ahead of you guys, but it's not because we did anything wrong. We just saw this was important before you did and built the network. There are many ways they could defend themselves. But rather than do that, they're extremely tight-lipped about what they're doing. And that can, if you're not, and we try our best, you know, we have certain experts from China that when they'll talk, we'll interview them. But that kind of tight-lip approach almost makes it seem like something even more suspicious is happening. Cause you just have to guess what the mindset must be cause they won't explain themselves. And I think Chinese representatives could do far more and it's not just about you know my documentary I understand they have bigger fish to fry but I feel like they fry the fish the same way when they're dealing with bigger entities I think it's to their detriment that they're not more open in engaging a global conversation because look China is gonna be an incredibly impactful part of world dynamics moving forward and they need to be, they need to engage on what they're doing. I think, and I do think they have a story they can tell to defend themselves, and it's unfortunate that they very much don't do it.Andrew Keen: In our DC event, you also had a woman who'd worked within the Biden administration. Has there been a big shift between Biden policy on recycling, recyclable energy and Trump 2.0? It's still the early days of the new administration.Samuel George: Right. And we're trying to get a grip on that of what the difference is going to be. I can tell you this, the Biden approach was very much the historic approach of the United States of America, which is to try to go to a country like Congo and say, look, we're not going to give you money without transparency. We're not gonna give you this big, you know, beautiful deal. We're going to the cheapest to build this or the cheapest build that. But what we can compete with you is on quality and sustainability and improved work conditions. This used to be the United States pitch. And as we've seen in places like Serbia, that's not always the greatest pitch in the world. Oftentimes these countries are more interested in the money without questions being asked. But the United states under the Biden administration tried to compete on quality. Now we will have to see if that continues with the Trump administration, if that continuous to be their pitch. What we've see in the early days is this sort of hardball tactic. I mean, what else can you refer to what's happening with Ukraine, where they say, look, if you want continued military support, we want those minerals. And other countries say, well, maybe that could work for us too. I mean that's sort of, as I understand it, the DRC, which is under, you know, there's new competition there for power that the existing government is saying, hey, United States, if you could please help us, we'll be sure to give you this heaping of minerals. We can say this, the new administration does seem to be taking the need for critical minerals seriously, which I think was an open question because we see so much of the kind of green environmentalism being rolled back. It does still seem to be a priority with the new administration and there does seem to be clarity that the United States is going to have to improve its position regarding these minerals.Andrew Keen: Yeah, I'm guessing Elon Musk sees this as well as anyone, and I'm sure he's quite influential. Finally, Sam, in contrast with a book, which gets distributed and put in bookstores, doing a movie is much more challenging. What's the goal with the movie? You've done a number of launches around the world, screenings in Berlin, Munich, London, Washington D.C. you did run in San Francisco last week. What's the business model, so to speak here? Are you trying to get distribution or do you wanna work with schools or other authorities to show the film?Samuel George: Right, I mean, I appreciate that question. The business model is simple. We just want you to watch. You know, our content is always free. Our films are always free, you can go to bfnadox.org for our catalog. This film is not online yet. You don't need a password, you don't a username, you can just watch our movies, that's what we want. And of course, we're always on the lookout for increased opportunities to spread these. And so we worked on a number of films. We've got PBS to syndicate them nationally. We got one you can check your local listings about a four-month steel workers strike in western Pennsylvania. It's called Local 1196. That just started its national syndication on PBS. So check out for that one. But look, our goal is for folks to watch these. We're looking for the most exposure as we can and we're giving it away for free.Andrew Keen: Just to repeat, if people are interested, that's bfna.docs.org to find more movies. And finally, Sam, for people who are interested perhaps in doing a showing of the film, I know you've worked with a number of universities and interest groups. What would be the best way to approach you.Samuel George: Well, like you say, we're a small team here. You can always feel free to reach out to me. And I don't know if I should pitch my email.Andrew Keen: Yeah, picture email. Give it out. The Chinese will be getting it too. You'll be getting lots of invitations from China probably to show the film.Samuel George: We'd love to come talk about it. That's all we want to do. And we try, but we'd love to talk about it. I think it's fundamental to have that conversation. So the email is just Samuel.George, just as you see it written there, at BFN as in boy, F as in Frank, N as in Nancy, A. Let's make it clearer - Samuel.George@bfna.org. We work with all sorts of organizations on screenings.Andrew Keen: And what about the aspiring filmmakers, as you're the head of documentaries there? Do you work with aspiring documentary filmmakers?Samuel George: Yes, yes, we do often on projects. So if I'm working on a project. So you mentioned that I work by myself, and that is how I learned this industry, you know, is doing it by myself. But increasingly, we're bringing in other skilled people on projects that we're working on. So we don't necessarily outsource entire projects. But we're always looking for opportunities to collaborate. We're looking to bring in talent. And we're looking to make the best products we can on issues that we think are fundamental importance to the Atlantic community. So we love being in touch with filmmakers. We have internship programs. We're open for nonprofit business, I guess you could say.Andrew Keen: Well, that's good stuff. The new movie is called Lithium Rising, The Race for Critical Minerals. I moderated a panel after the North American premiere at the end of February. It's a really interesting, beautifully made film, very compelling. It is only 60 minutes. I strongly advise anyone who has the opportunity to watch it and to contact Sam if they want to put it on their school, a university or other institution. Congratulations Sam on the movie. What's the next project?Samuel George: Next project, we've started working on a project about Southern Louisiana. And in there, we're really looking at the impact of land loss on the bayous and the local shrimpers and crabbers and Cajun community, as well as of course This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

As Season 12 reaches its climax we continue our globetrotting continues. This week we're joined by Mexican ultra-marathon tour de force, Tania Carmona. She's been on an incredible adventure this last 12 months and she's here to tell us all.Hailing from Mexico City Tania finds herself now based in Dubai, a destination she reached via Glasgow, a city she called home for 4 years.Tania hates running. Let's get that straight, she just isn't a fan. However, we find out that running brings her much joy and she embraces new experiences, mental challenges and broadening horizons.Tania is about to leave for Chile's Atacama Desert, finishing her year-long Grand Slam of Deserts PLUS quest. This thrilling expedition has taken her to some of the most challenging and diverse deserts around the world, including the Sahara, Gobi, Antarctic and Namib deserts.Each location has tested her endurance and skills, and now she faces the final stretch in the arid and expansive Atacama Desert, known for its stark landscapes, ancient geoglyphs, and unique wildlife!Such far flung adventures seems far off as we find out from Tania how she got bitten by the ultra-marathon bug during her time spent in Scotland, entranced by the beauty and remoteness of the landscapes. Who knew the Gobi dessert was just like a humid Pentlands?Tania, who hosts her own podcast, Ultra Happy Podcast, provides valuable insights into her planning and execution of stage races she has completed. She discusses various aspects including training, logistics, motivation, and nutrition.We had such a great chat with Tania about her unique ultra-marathoning approach, and we're sure you'll love it too!Tania Carmona InstagramLeodhais Macpherson VideoLeodhais Macpherson Fundraiser

Interview with Andrew Cox, President & CEO, and Alex Black, Executive Chairman, of Rio2 Ltd.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/erdene-rio2-tsxerd-tsxvrio-two-gold-juniors-battle-market-skepticism-on-path-to-production-6552Recording date: 20th March 2025Rio2 Limited is making significant progress on its Phoenix Gold Project in Chile's Atacama Desert, one of the few substantial new gold production developments in an industry dominated by mergers rather than new supply. With 5 million ounces of measured and indicated gold resources, the project is fully funded and on track for first gold pour in January 2026.Located at elevations approaching 5,000 meters, construction officially began in October 2024 after pre-construction activities were initiated in 2022 with early financing from Wheaton Precious Metals. Currently, approximately 1,130 workers are on site, approaching the expected construction peak of 1,200 workers.The project features favorable economics with a relatively low capital expenditure of approximately $120 million for 2025. Its simple open-pit mining operation benefits from low strip ratios (0.85:1 initially, 1.2:1 in expansion phase) and minimal pre-stripping requirements, as mineralization outcrops at surface across extinct volcanic peaks.Initial production will target 1.7 million ounces of the total 5 million ounce resource, with output expected to reach around 70,000 ounces in 2026, ramping up to 100,000 ounces annually by 2027. The company is already planning an expansion to triple production to approximately 300,000 ounces per year.Current challenges include managing winter construction timelines and water logistics. Initially, Phoenix Gold will operate using trucked water from Copiapó, while evaluating three desalination plant options for the longer term. The company is working collaboratively with Kinross to develop a shared water solution.After previously facing regulatory delays when a new government came to power in Chile, Rio2 has successfully navigated these hurdles and received its environmental approval with additional monitoring conditions.Management views the current market valuation (approximately $250 million USD) as substantially undervaluing the project given its scale and near-term production status. They draw comparisons to other recent producers that have grown to multi-billion dollar valuations once reaching production.The project's remote location minimizes typical environmental and community impact concerns, with no nearby population centers, no surface water to be affected, and limited flora and fauna. Executive Chair Alex Black emphasizes the project's simplicity: "We're confident, I mean this is simple... it's all about simplicity here and it's an earthmoving exercise."View Rio2's company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/rio2-limitedSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

In this episode of The 10Adventures Podcast, we explore one of the most fascinating and extreme landscapes on Earth—the Atacama Desert. We're joined by journalist and author Mark Johansen, whose latest book, Mars on Earth, is both a travel memoir and a deep dive into Chile's culture, history, and the experience of being an outsider in a foreign land.   Mark shares his journey from New Zealand to Chile, where he has lived for over a decade, and how his desire to better understand the country led him north to the Atacama. We discuss Chile's complex history, including the 1973 coup and the social uprisings of recent years, and how these events continue to shape life in the country. Mark also paints a vivid picture of the Atacama's harsh yet captivating landscape, its indigenous communities, and the economic forces—like lithium mining—that are transforming the region.   Join us for an insightful conversation about travel, identity, and the pull of remote places. Be sure to check out Mark's book and follow him on social media. And if this conversation sparks your wanderlust, visit 10Adventures.com to browse our curated tours and start planning your next great adventure!   Check out Mark's website: https://markjohanson.com/ Find his book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Mars-Earth-Wanderings-Worlds-Driest/dp/1771606762 Connect with Mark on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/markonthemap/     About Us

On this episode of The Do Epic Shit Today Podcast I chat with Manika, an inspiring human who has set out with the goal of accomplishing a 155 Mile Ultra Marathon Grand Slam. These four races take place all over the world; Namibia, Mongolia, the Atacama Desert in Chile and Antarctica. Currently Manika is half way through with her goal, as she's completed two  (Namibia & Mongolia) out of the four. Manika and I chat about what she's looking forward to in her next race and her reasons behind setting such a massive goal and all of the logistics required for just her next race alone - like mandatory gear, the actual journey itself to get to get to her race destination and so much more! In addition, Manika recently transitioned from living the “comfortable” apartment life, to life on the road. She and I discussed and recorded the podcast whilst she sat with the most amazing background - just her radiating positive energy, basking in nature and living life to the fullest. Instagram: manikarunsSupport the showConnect with Hannah & Stay in Touch! Follow the Podcast on Instagram Watch the episodes on Youtube

People should have access to around 50 to 100 litres of clean water per day, according to the UN. But this is not always the case, especially in countries with desert areas or affected by droughts. There's a technique called fog catching that's been used on a small scale for decades. Nets are used to trap fog and water is channelled into pipes and storage tanks. But now, in the Atacama Desert in Chile, researchers want to scale it up massively and meet the entire water demand of Alto Hospicio, which is in one of the world's driest regions.How much water can fog catching provide? And is it clean? The BBC's Science Correspondent Victoria Gill runs us through how it all works. And we hear from two organisations working on improving access to water across Africa and Latin America. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Nadia Gyane, Josh Jenkins and Maria Clara Montoya Editor: Emily Horler

Interview withAlex Black, Executive Chairman of Rio2 Ltd.Peter Akerley, President & CEO of Erdene Resource Development Corp.Recording date: 13th January 2025Two junior gold companies are approaching a significant transition from developers to producers, marking a rare success in the challenging mining sector. Erdene Resource Development and Rio2 Limited are both fully funded and on track to begin gold production, with their projects in Mongolia and Chile respectively.Erdene Resource Development is advancing its Bayan Khundii project in southwestern Mongolia, with first gold expected in Q3 2025. The company has partnered with Mongolian Mining Corporation to fund and develop what CEO Peter Akerley describes as a "multi-million ounce camp." With an after-tax NPV of US$170 million at $1,800 gold, the project shows strong economics despite Erdene's current market cap of around US$146 million.In Chile's Atacama Desert, Rio2 Limited is developing its Fenix Gold Mine, backed by Wheaton Precious Metals through a comprehensive funding package that includes $25 million in stream money, $100 million in pre-pay financing, $45 million cash in bank, and a $20 million cost overrun facility. The project hosts a substantial 5 million ounce gold reserve, with clear expansion potential.Both companies face similar market challenges despite their progress. Rio2's Executive Chairman Alex Black notes that despite their project's NPV of about $800 million at current gold prices, the company's market value remains under $200 million. However, Erdene has seen some market recognition, with its share price doubling since September 2024.Several factors support a positive outlook for gold mining development. Geopolitical instability, including Russia-Ukraine conflict and China-Taiwan tensions, reinforces gold's safe-haven status. Rising inflation and currency risks make gold an attractive hedge, while operating in countries with weaker currencies provides margin benefits for miners.The sector also faces supply constraints as miners struggle with depleting reserves and limited new discoveries. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) pressures add another layer of complexity, as evidenced by Rio2's experience with environmental permitting in Chile.Both companies have positioned themselves for success through strategic partnerships and experienced management teams. While risks such as cost overruns, delays, and permitting challenges remain, their projects are largely derisked and fully funded. As they transition to producer status, both companies could see significant share price appreciation, though management emphasizes the importance of taking a longer-term view on these investments.Sign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Let's start off 2025 with someone who had a breakout 2024, and like the final episode of last year with Mary Denholm, in which there is a lot of great information from which to learn. I met the impressive Kat Edwards while on a mountain-climbing adventure with Tyler Andrews' Chaski Endurance Collective in Chile's Atacama Desert. This was the now-25-year-old's first trip outside of the U.S., and in fact, she had barely even left the Eastern time zone before. It was part of a year in which she not only got out of her comfort zone, but she walked right up to the ledge and jumped off. Kat grew up in an athletic family and was always very active herself, and dabbled in high school and college running, but didn't take it seriously until 2021. Kat has always had a lot of drive, both for herself as well as for the athletes she coaches, so down in Chile she set FKTs for the ascent and roundtrip on Nevado San Francisco, the highest peak we climbed, which tops out at more than 6000 meters, or just under 20,000 feet. Without a ton of ultramarathon racing experience under her belt, Kat soon after experienced some hard lessons competing in the Petzl Trail Plus 80k in Ecuador that probably added to her arsenal when she won the Sedona Canyons 125 this past spring in 30:21:16. In October, she took third-place in her first 200-mile effort, the Moab 240, where she battled the heat, sleep deprivation, and very tough foot issues. In between, Kat married her long-time partner and fellow endurance junkie, Jason Anderson, who has now been enlisted as Kat's forever crew leader. As young adventure-seekers without big endorsement dollars at this point, you'll hear about how they engineered the logistics to get to Moab in the first place, which was not always assured, and how their strong faith in God helped them overcome the many obstacles it took for Kat to score such an incredible achievement. Kat also generously shares many of the techniques she has employed to see such amazing early success in her career, including her devotion to strength training. There's lots to gain listening to this Kat chat. I think also that if you are a young, aspiring endurance athlete, you might do very well to connect with Kat as a coach at the Chaski Endurance Collective at chaski.runKat Edwardskatedwardspt.comInstagram @kat.elizabeth_For coaching inquiries: www.chaski.runBill Stahlsilly_billy@msn.comFacebook Bill StahlInstagram and Threads @stahlor and @coachstahlYouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Fluent Fiction - Spanish: Chasing Starry Dreams: A Night in the Atacama Desert Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/es/episode/2025-01-01-08-38-20-es Story Transcript:Es: El sol ardiente del verano chileno se ocultaba lentamente detrás del horizonte del desierto de Atacama.En: The burning sun of the Chilean summer slowly hid behind the horizon of the Atacama desert.Es: Isidora y Javier, llenos de emoción, se preparaban para una noche mágica.En: Isidora and Javier, filled with excitement, prepared for a magical night.Es: La excursión escolar tenía un objetivo claro: observar el cielo nocturno y, con suerte, presenciar un evento celestial raro.En: The school trip had a clear objective: to observe the night sky and, hopefully, witness a rare celestial event.Es: Isidora, con su libreta en mano, revisaba sus notas una vez más.En: Isidora, with her notebook in hand, reviewed her notes once more.Es: Soñaba con ser astrónoma y no podía perderse esta oportunidad.En: She dreamed of becoming an astronomer and could not miss this opportunity.Es: Javier, su mejor amigo, ya tenía su cámara lista.En: Javier, her best friend, already had his camera ready.Es: Le apasionaba la fotografía y estaba decidido a capturar imágenes únicas del cielo estrellado.En: He was passionate about photography and was determined to capture unique images of the starry sky.Es: Sin embargo, el clima comenzó a cambiar.En: However, the weather began to change.Es: Un fenómeno inesperado para el desierto.En: An unexpected phenomenon for the desert.Es: Pesadas nubes cubrían el cielo, amenazando con arruinar sus planes.En: Heavy clouds covered the sky, threatening to ruin their plans.Es: La decepción se hizo presente en el campamento.En: Disappointment spread through the camp.Es: Muchos estudiantes se resignaron, pero no Isidora.En: Many students resigned themselves, but not Isidora.Es: "Necesitamos cambiar de lugar", sugirió, mirando a Javier con determinación.En: "We need to change location," she suggested, looking at Javier with determination.Es: Él, confiando en su amiga, asintió.En: He, trusting his friend, nodded.Es: "Vamos más adentro del desierto".En: "Let's go further into the desert."Es: El trayecto fue desafiante.En: The journey was challenging.Es: El calor del día aún se notaba bajo sus pies, y el terreno era rocoso.En: The heat of the day was still noticeable under their feet, and the terrain was rocky.Es: Pero la determinación de Isidora era más fuerte que cualquier obstáculo.En: But Isidora's determination was stronger than any obstacle.Es: Tras caminar lo que parecieron horas, llegaron a un punto más alto.En: After walking what seemed like hours, they reached a higher point.Es: El viento sopló, dispersando las nubes lentamente.En: The wind blew, slowly dispersing the clouds.Es: Se abrió una pequeña ventana en el cielo.En: A small window opened in the sky.Es: Las estrellas comenzaron a brillar más intensamente.En: The stars began to shine more intensely.Es: Y ahí estaba, el evento celestial que tanto habían esperado.En: And there it was, the celestial event they had been waiting for.Es: Javier, con agilidad y precisión, empezó a tomar fotografías.En: Javier, with agility and precision, began to take photographs.Es: Isidora, emocionada, anotaba cada detalle que veía a través de su telescopio portátil.En: Isidora, excited, noted every detail she saw through her portable telescope.Es: La noche pasaba, y la adrenalina mantenía sus ojos despiertos.En: The night went on, and the adrenaline kept their eyes awake.Es: "Mira, Javier, mira cómo brillan", decía Isidora, con la voz llena de asombro.En: "Look, Javier, look how they shine," said Isidora, her voice filled with wonder.Es: Sus esfuerzos habían valido la pena.En: Their efforts had been worth it.Es: Al regresar al campamento, el cansancio se transformó en alegría.En: Upon returning to the camp, fatigue transformed into joy.Es: Los datos de Isidora y las fotografías de Javier formaron un conjunto perfecto para su presentación del concurso de ciencias.En: Isidora's data and Javier's photographs formed a perfect combination for their science contest presentation.Es: Semanas después, la noticia les llegó: habían ganado el concurso.En: Weeks later, the news arrived: they had won the contest.Es: Isidora no solo había demostrado su talento, sino también su capacidad de resolver problemas.En: Isidora had not only demonstrated her talent but also her ability to solve problems.Es: Javier, por su parte, había capturado momentos que narraban una historia desde el inconmensurable cielo hasta la conexión más terrenal de la amistad.En: Javier, for his part, had captured moments that told a story from the boundless sky to the most earthly connection of friendship.Es: Aquella noche en el desierto no solo fue un triunfo académico.En: That night in the desert was not just an academic triumph.Es: Isidora y Javier regresaron a casa con la confianza renovada, sabiendo que, con empeño y colaboración, podían superar cualquier nube que se cruzara en su camino.En: Isidora and Javier returned home with renewed confidence, knowing that with effort and collaboration, they could overcome any cloud that crossed their path. Vocabulary Words:the horizon: el horizontethe notebook: la libretathe astronomer: el/la astrónomo/athe camera: la cámaracelestial: celestialthe phenomenon: el fenómenounexpected: inesperado/aheavy: pesado/ato resign oneself: resignarsethe determination: la determinaciónto trust: confiarthe terrain: el terrenorocky: rocoso/athe obstacle: el obstáculoto disperse: dispersarthe window: la ventanaintensely: intensamenteagility: la agilidadprecision: la precisiónto capture: capturarexcited: emocionado/aportable: portátilthe telescope: el telescopioto shine: brillarthe fatigue: el cansancioto transform: transformarthe data: los datosthe contest: el concursoto solve: resolverboundless: inconmensurable

Today we look at the iconic resort of Jackson Hole, find out how Saas Fee are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Wham!'s ‘Last Christmas' and learn about ‘The Last Ride' film project. We also have snow reports from Verbier, Les 2 Alpes and La Plagne, an update on the latest ski racing action from Matt Garcka and your feedback. Host Iain Martin was joined by Jess McMillan from Jackson Hole and Jon Moy from ‘The Last Ride' project. Intersport Ski Hire Discount Code If you're heading to the Alps this winter, then you can save money on your ski hire by using the code ‘SKIPODCAST' at intersportrent.com, or simply take this link for your discount to be automatically applied at the checkout.  SHOW NOTES Jon was skiing on sand dunes in the Atacama Desert in Chile (2:00) Iain will be in Tignes for Christmas (3:00) He will be travelling in a luxury minibus from Vans For Bands (3:15) Jen Tsang from That's La Plagne reported from La Plagne (4:00) Dave from SnoPros Ski School was in Verbier (6:40) Alexandra Armand from TipTop Snow Coaching in Les 2 Alpes (8:45) Find out more about the new Jandri 3S gondola (9:15) Matt Garcka is host of from the ‘Skiing is Believing' podcast (10:00) It is the 40th anniversary of Wham!'s ‘Last Christmas' (12:30) ‘Last Christmas' by Wham! is #1 in the UK charts right now Laila Zurbriggen is from the Saas Fee Tourist Office The Capra offers a special ‘Last Christmas' package for CHF 1170 (16:00) Email ‘Whamtastic!' to reservation@capra.ch Catherine Murphy had just done the WhamWalk (17:30) Did you meet your partner on a ski holiday or doing a ski season, and do you fancy sharing your story? Drop me an email to theskipodcast@gmail.com (21:00) Jess McMillan is Director of Events & Partnerships at Jackson Hole (21:30) Jackson is located in the Grand Teton National Park Find out more about the Mountain Collective pass (28:45) Corbets' Couloir is perhaps the most famous couloir in the world (25:00) Check out Doug Combs taking it on Jackson Hole has a limit on ski ticket sales (26:45) The Golden Ticket means that if you have a season pass you get a 50% discount (27:30) Jackson has featured in ‘Yellowstone' and ‘The Last of Us' (28:45) Jackson Hole recent broke the world record for the most skiers in jeans (29:30) Our Twitter poll was NOT in favour of ‘double denim on the mountain' (30:15) Jon Moy is the Director of ‘The Last Ride' project (32:30) The team have climbed and skied Mt Elbrus, Denali, Aconcagua & Mt McKinley (33:00) Listen to Iain's interview with Arnie Wilson (35:45) Next on the list is Puncak Jaya in Western Papua (36:00) Has altitude sickness been an issue? (37:30) How to keep camera equipment working at low temperatures (39:00) ‘The Last Ride' are using offsetting to counter the carbon footprint of the project (40:15) Louise Paley is a co-founder of the ‘Piste X Code' (44:30) Feedback (43:00) I enjoy all feedback about the show, so please do contact me on social @theskipodcast or by email theskipodcast@gmail.com  Jane Michotte: "Love the podcast, the range of topics and different types of people interviewed. My 12-year-old son (just getting into racing) really enjoys the updates from the Carrick-Smiths."  Sean Burton: "Thank you Iain for your amazing podcast. I only got back into skiing last January after a 35-year gap! and I cannot get enough of it. Your equipment specials are particularly informative.”  Andrea Dalton: “Just listened to this week's episode and loved it as always.” There are now 240 episodes of The Ski Podcast to catch up with. Just go to theskipodcast.com and search around the tags and categories: you're bound to find something of interest.  If you like the podcast, there are three things you can do to help:    1) Follow us. Just take a look for that button and press it now  2) Give us a review or just leave a comment on Apple Podcasts or Spotify  3) Book your ski hire with Intersport Rent using the code ‘SKIPODCAST' or take this link You can follow me @skipedia and the podcast @theskipodcast

For episode 75, I recorded an adventure banger of a show with fan favorite, Victor Martinez, at Kenneth Hahn State Park in Los Angeles. Victor is a SoCal based trekker, trail runner, backpacker, solo world traveler, Highlander Adventure ambassador, Merrell ambassador, community leader, and is the founder of the LA Trail Killers. Victor was also our EP 37 and EP 55 guest on the show! I caught up with Victor and we chatted about all his unforgettable adventures from trail running Rim to Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon, summiting Half Dome in Yosemite on his birthday, the LA Trail Killers Philippines group trip, Highlander Adventure Costa Rica & France, and running 350 miles through the Atacama Desert in Chile for the notorious race entitled "The Speed Project." This episode is part of the Trek Talks series where I record on trail conversations with fellow outdoor enthusiasts. It is more raw and candid perspective of our guest's outdoor adventures as these conversations are more unscripted and in the moment. You can even hear the sounds of nature in the background as we are recording out on the trails. **VIDEO VERSION ONLY AVAILABLE ON SPOTIFY APP + YOUTUBE CHANNEL , all other streaming platforms are audio versions** Follow Victor Martinez on https://www.instagram.com/vic_of_earth/ Follow LA Trail Killers on https://www.instagram.com/latrailkillers Follow Just Trek on https://www.instagram.com/just.trek/ Support Just Trek on Patreon ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/justtrek⁠⁠ Shop Just Trek merch on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net/shop⁠⁠ Listen to more podcast episodes on ⁠⁠https://www.justtrek.net⁠⁠ Want to send me a message? Email me at ⁠⁠justtrekofficial@gmail.com⁠⁠ or DM on Instagram @just.trek

In northern Chile, a stretch of Atacama Desert has become known as the fashion industry's biggest dumpster. Discarded clothing enters the country in bales through the tax-free zone in Iquique. What can't be sold by merchants gets transported to neighboring Alto Hospicio and illegally dumped into its surrounding dunes. These illegal landfills come with a host of environmental and human-health issues, including greenhouse gas emissions and fires that spew toxic fumes. Most stories about this region are filled with bleakness. But a community of activists, educators and artists are turning the fashion industry's trash into seeds for change and building the foundation for a different narrative. “Built from Scrap” read by Alex Perry and written by Franco Calderón. This episode of Patagonia Stories was produced by Patagonia and Cosmic Standard. See more at https://pat.ag/PataStories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode Stephanie talks to award-winning garden designer Jinny Blom about her fantasy garden. Jinny chooses the plants, places and people that would make up her dream garden, from her experiences exploring Hidcote in the 1960s to why she'd have to include a piece of the Atacama Desert.  We learn why a fountain in Italy inspired her so much she's recreating it in her own garden as a space for birds to enjoy and how she chopped down one of her neighbour's retirement presents. Learn why Jinny would love to have a begonia house in her fantasy space, and why she'd never allow bad art into her garden.  Talking Gardens is created by the team at Gardens Illustrated magazine. Find lots more garden inspiration and planting ideas at www.gardensillustrated.com  Enjoyed this episode? Tell a friend, make sure to leave a review, or a comment to let us know who you would like to hear talking about their dream garden next time. Follow now so you never miss an episode. AD // Niwaki are offering Talking Gardens listeners the opportunity to save 10% at niwaki.com, until the 28th February 2025 using the code TALK10. This discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount codes and excludes delivery costs. Please visit the Niwaki website for any further Terms & Conditions that might apply at https://www.niwaki.com/about/terms/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fluent Fiction - Spanish: Uncovering the Hidden Bloom in Atacama's Arid Expanse Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.com/es/episode/2024-11-25-23-34-02-es Story Transcript:Es: El sol del desierto iluminaba el camino mientras Isabel y Javier manejaban por la extensa y árida belleza del Desierto de Atacama.En: The desert sun illuminated the path as Isabel and Javier drove through the vast and arid beauty of the Atacama Desert.Es: Alrededor de ellos, cáctus solitarios se erguían como guardianes del secreto mejor guardado del desierto.En: Around them, solitary cacti stood like guardians of the desert's best-kept secret.Es: Isabel, con sus ojos llenos de determinación, estaba resuelta a encontrar una rara flor que solo florece cada primavera, cuando las condiciones son perfectas.En: Isabel, with her eyes full of determination, was resolved to find a rare flower that only blooms each spring when conditions are perfect.Es: "¿Estás segura de que existe, Isa?"En: "Are you sure it exists, Isa?"Es: preguntó Javier, ajustándose el sombrero para protegerse del sol ardiente.En: asked Javier, adjusting his hat to shield himself from the scorching sun.Es: "He leído que puede ser un mito."En: "I've read it might be a myth."Es: Isabel sonrió, medio para animarlo y medio para convencerse a sí misma.En: Isabel smiled, partly to encourage him and partly to convince herself.Es: "Lo encontraré, Jav.En: "I will find it, Jav.Es: Sé que está aquí, escondido entre las rocas y la tierra."En: I know it's here, hidden among the rocks and dirt."Es: El GPS del auto comenzó a fallar, parpadeando erráticamente, como si también se hubiera perdido en la vastedad del desierto.En: The car's GPS began to fail, blinking erratically as if it too had become lost in the vastness of the desert.Es: "Genial," murmuró Javier, deteniendo el coche al borde del camino polvoriento.En: "Great," muttered Javier, stopping the car at the edge of the dusty road.Es: "Ahora, ¿qué hacemos?"En: "Now, what do we do?"Es: Isabel miró al horizonte, donde el cielo se encontraba con el desierto en una línea difusa.En: Isabel looked at the horizon, where the sky met the desert in a blurred line.Es: Tomó un mapa desgastado del asiento trasero.En: She took a worn-out map from the back seat.Es: "Podemos usar esto.En: "We can use this.Es: Podemos intentar recuperar el rumbo."En: We can try to get back on track."Es: Seguían avanzando, a pesar de las dificultades.En: They kept going despite the difficulties.Es: El calor se volvía más intenso, y el agua en sus botellas disminuía rápidamente.En: The heat intensified, and the water in their bottles quickly diminished.Es: A veces, Isabel sentía que la esperanza de encontrar la flor se desvanecía, como los espejismos que bailaban sobre la carretera.En: Sometimes, Isabel felt that the hope of finding the flower was fading, like the mirages dancing on the highway.Es: Al caer la tarde, decidieron descansar bajo la sombra escasa de una gran roca.En: By late afternoon, they decided to rest under the scant shade of a large rock.Es: "Quizás deberíamos regresar," sugirió Javier con suavidad.En: "Maybe we should go back," suggested Javier gently.Es: "No quiero que te sientas decepcionada."En: "I don't want you to feel disappointed."Es: Isabel, con el mapa en sus manos sudorosas, dudó.En: Isabel, with the map in her sweaty hands, hesitated.Es: Pero entonces, algo brilló en la esquina de su ojo.En: But then, something glimmered in the corner of her eye.Es: Un tenue destello de color entre los tonos marrones del desierto.En: A faint flash of color among the desert's brown hues.Es: "¡Javier, mira!"En: "Javier, look!"Es: exclamó con emoción.En: she exclaimed excitedly.Es: A pocos metros de ellos, la flor rara florecía, sus pétalos brillando con un rosa vibrante bajo los últimos rayos del sol.En: A few meters from them, the rare flower bloomed, its petals glowing with a vibrant pink under the last rays of the sun.Es: Era un pequeño milagro en medio de la aridez.En: It was a small miracle in the midst of the aridness.Es: Con renovado entusiasmo, Isabel y Javier se acercaron.En: With renewed enthusiasm, Isabel and Javier approached.Es: Isabel documentó la flor, fotografiando cada ángulo, anotando cada detalle.En: Isabel documented the flower, photographing every angle, noting every detail.Es: Había triunfado en su búsqueda, y Javier, observando la belleza del momento, comprendió el verdadero valor de la perseverancia.En: She had succeeded in her quest, and Javier, observing the beauty of the moment, understood the true value of perseverance.Es: Al volver al coche, Isabel sonreía con más confianza.En: As they returned to the car, Isabel smiled with more confidence.Es: Y Javier, que había comenzado el viaje con escepticismo, entendía ahora la belleza de descubrir lo escondido, lo raro y lo asombroso.En: And Javier, who had begun the journey with skepticism, now understood the beauty of discovering the hidden, the rare, and the amazing.Es: El desierto, a pesar de sus desafíos, les había regalado una nueva amistad y una lección imperecedera: a veces, los tesoros más hermosos solo se revelan a quienes se atreven a buscar.En: The desert, despite its challenges, had given them a new friendship and an everlasting lesson: sometimes, the most beautiful treasures only reveal themselves to those who dare to seek. Vocabulary Words:the desert: el desiertoto drive: manejarthe vastness: la vastedadsolitary: solitarioguardian: el guardiándetermination: la determinaciónto resolve: resolverto bloom: florecerto adjust: ajustarscorching: ardientethe myth: el mitothe secret: el secretoto encourage: animarthe car: el cocheerratic: erráticothe road: el caminothe horizon: el horizonteblurred: difusointensified: intensificarseto diminish: disminuirthe mirage: el espejismoto hesitate: dudarthe shade: la sombrascant: escasogently: con suavidadthe quest: la búsquedato document: documentarthe detail: el detalleto succeed: triunfarperseverance: la perseverancia

Why should people care about fundamental questions of existence or try to understand the principles of our universe? Because we may be the only sentient beings in existence who can! At least, that's what returning guest Dr. Kelsey Johnson, past president of the AAS and the ASP, and author of “Into the Unknown – The Quest to Understand the Mysteries of the Cosmos, tells Dr. Charles Liu and co-host Allen Liu as our interview resumes. And then we're off and running! Kelsey explains where her passion for astrophysics comes from, and why it's our responsibility to explore the reality in which we live. You'll hear about how really big our universe is and why we need to get comfortable with the unknown – with an assist from Rainer Maria Rilke's “Letters To A Young Poet.” Our first question comes from Violetta, who asks, “What was the most interesting thing that got you into astrophysics?” Kelsey describes how, long before she knew anything about astronomy, she fell in love with Vega while staring at it from the middle of a giant potato field. She talks about what it's like to discover something through a telescope that no one on Earth has ever seen before. Charles shares a memory about hunting for – and discovering – quasars around the Hubble Deep Field (North) when he was a post-doc using the MMT Telescope in Arizona. Kelsey talks about seeing the unbelievable night sky while visiting the site of the ALMA Observatory in the Atacama Desert in Chile. We end the episode with Chuck and Kelsey talking about how hard it can be for parents to get their kids to follow in their footsteps, at least when those footsteps lead to a telescope! If you'd like to know more about Kelsey, you can visit her website and follow her on Twitter (X) and Instagram at @ProfKelsey, We hope you enjoy this episode of The LIUniverse, and, if you do, please support us on Patreon. Credits for Images Used in this Episode: The Hubble Deep Field (north) – NASA, Public Domain Inside the MMT observatory – Bill85704 on Flickr, CC BY 2.0 Two of ALMA's radio antennae – Iztok Bončina/ESO, CC BY 4.0 Vega – Stephen Rahn, public domain (CC0) #TheLIUniverse #CharlesLiu #AllenLiu #SciencePodcast #AstronomyPodcast  #KelseyJohnson #AAS #ASP #IntotheUnknown #RainerMariaRilke #LettersToAYoungPoet #ALMAObservatory #AtacamaDesert #Vega #MMTObservatory #HubbleDeepField

This week my guest on Dark Matters Radio is Kamran Pasha, a Hollywood screenwriter, producer, director and novelist. Kamran has worked in Hollywood for over 20 years, working on shows like SLEEPER CELL, NIKITA, and ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO. Kamran has had a lifelong fascination with the paranormal, even working for a period as an amateur paranormal researcher. But, in July of 2019, he had a close encounter of the first kind while in the Atacama Desert, in Chile. Join us as we have a conversation with Mr. Pasha. DMR starts at 4 PM Pacific, 7 PM Eastern. Be there or be square!  

In this episode, we are joined by Kerry Dolan, an Assistant Managing Editor at Forbes where she examines the world's wealthiest people and their philanthropic legacies. As part of her work, she oversees Forbes' annual list of America's Richest Self-Made Women and the list of America's Biggest Givers. Her coverage has ranged from a rare interview with Mark Zuckerberg last year on the eve of Meta's 20th birthday to a recent story about how the next-gen think about their philanthropic endeavors. An award-winning journalist, Kerry has been reporting for over two decades, making her privy to the companies, trends, and people changing the giving landscape. Her reporting has taken her to many corners of the globe – 17 countries on four continents, from the streets of Manila to palaces in Saudi Arabia to Chile's Atacama Desert, giving her a unique vantage point. In this episode, we discuss: The role of tax benefits in American philanthropy How Forbes defines a philanthropic contribution and scores philanthropists on their generosity Trends in next-gen, billionaire, and ultra-wealthy charitable giving

I met Chaiwen Chou on the trip I took in March to the Atacama Desert of Chile that was led by Tyler Andrews of Chaski Endurance Collective. Two things immediately stood out about Chaiwen: one was her gorgeous purple hair, and the second was the boot on her foot. As you know, this was no tourist cruise, we were going to be climbing several very tall summits, the highest at almost 20,000 feet, on steep, loose terrain. You see, Chaiwen had broken her ankle a few weeks before the trip, and her doctor and physical therapist told her that the trip was out of the question. Undeterred, she came on the trip, at first thinking she would just walk around the beautiful landscape while the rest of us took on epic challenges. That thinking didn't last long. Chaiwen not only conquered all of the climbs in her boot, but she crushed them! Despite those achievements, when she got home to NYC, those professionals still told her no running for several more weeks. Which was a problem because this veteran of epic races like the Formosa Trail 104k in Taiwan and the Tahoe 200 was registered for her dream race, the UTMB, in August. Chaiwen talks here about her long injury recovery, her crash training regimen which totally blows me away, and her experience running in the “Super Bowl” of 100-mile races. So, so impressive! She is tremendously fun, so I think you'll get a kick out of this chat as much as I did.Chaiwen ChouInstagram @aehrwynBill Stahlsilly_billy@msn.comFacebook Bill StahlInstagram and Threads @stahlor and @coachstahlYouTube We Are Superman Podcast

fWotD Episode 2711: Markham's storm petrel Welcome to Featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia’s finest articles.The featured article for Sunday, 6 October 2024 is Markham's storm petrel.Markham's storm petrel (Hydrobates markhami) is a seabird native to the Pacific Ocean around Peru, Chile, and Ecuador. The species is named after British explorer Albert Hastings Markham, who collected the specimen on which the scientific description was based. It is a large and slender storm petrel, with a wingspan between 49 and 54 cm (19 and 21 in). Its plumage is black to sooty brown with a grayish bar that runs diagonally across the upper side of the wings. A member of the family Hydrobatidae, the northern storm petrels, the species is similar to the black storm petrel (Hydrobates melania), from which it can be difficult to distinguish.A colonial breeder, the species nests in natural cavities in salt crusts in northern Chile and Peru; ninety-five percent of the known colonies are found in the Atacama Desert. The first colony was only reported in 1993, and it is expected that more colonies are yet to be discovered. Pairs produce one egg per season, which is laid on bare ground without any nesting material. Parents will attend their brood only at night, returning to the sea before dawn. The timing of the breeding season significantly varies both within and in-between colonies, for unknown reasons. The diet of Markham's storm petrel consists of fish, cephalopods such as octopuses, and crustaceans; about ten percent of stomach contents is traceable to scavenging.The species is listed as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Despite their relatively large population, which was estimated at between 150,000 and 180,000 individuals in 2019, the species is in decline. Primary threats are habitat destruction due to mining of the salt crusts the birds rely on for breeding, and light pollution by mines and cities near the colonies. Light pollution can attract or disorient fledglings that make their first flight to the sea, and has been estimated to be responsible for the death of around 20,000 fledglings each year, which might amount to one third of all fledglings.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:35 UTC on Sunday, 6 October 2024.For the full current version of the article, see Markham's storm petrel on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Emma.

In this episode, we explore the Nitrate War (1879-1884), a critical conflict between Chile, Bolivia, and Peru driven by competition for valuable nitrate deposits in the Atacama Desert. The war reshaped borders, led to Bolivia losing its coastline, and allowed Chile to dominate the nitrate industry, significantly influencing economic and political dynamics in South America. Its legacy highlights the lasting impact of resource-driven conflicts in the region.

Explore the serene beauty of the Atacama Desert in Chile, with its surreal landscapes and otherworldly colors. Discover the iconic Giant Hand sculpture, visit the vibrant sand dunes, then witness the desert transform under the setting sun. The 2-to-1 breathing technique will relax your nervous system and calm your mind as you prepare for sleep under the starry Milky Way, serenaded by desert breezes and distant insects. For more from OpenMind, follow us on Instagram @openmindstudios Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of The Do Epic Shit Today Podcast I chat with Manika, an inspiring human who has set out with the goal of accomplishing a 155 Mile Ultra Marathon Grand Slam - in ONE calendar year. These four races take place all over the world; Namibia, Mongolia, the Atacama Desert in Chile and Antarctica. Currently Manika is half way through with her goal, she's completed two (Namibia & Mongolia) out of the four. Her next race will take place later this year in Antarctica and Manika and I chat about what she's looking forward to, her reasons to set such a massive goal and all of the logistics required for just her next race alone - like mandatory gear, the actual journey itself to get to Antarctica and some of the amazing components that makes this race so amazing. In addition, Manika recently transitioned from living the “comfortable” apartment life, to life on the road. She and I discussed and recorded the podcast whilst she sat with the most amazing background - just her radiating positive energy, basking in nature and living life to the fullest. Instagram: manikarunsSupport the showSave 10% on Do Epic Shit Today Merch Discount Code: TALLISH10https://www.tallishx.com/

In this episode, Clara guides you on a soothing journey to a hidden oasis in the Atacama Desert of South America, one of the most serene and awe-inspiring landscapes on Earth. As you travel through the expansive desert, Clara's gentle narration helps you connect with the stillness of the surroundings, allowing you to release any stress or anxiety. The vivid imagery and tranquil pace will ease your mind as you explore the peaceful beauty of the desert oasis. Through this guided visualization, Clara invites you to let go of the day's worries and prepare for a night of deep, restorative sleep. Surrounded by the quiet beauty of the Atacama, you'll be led into a state of calm, where you can fully relax and embrace the peaceful energy of this extraordinary landscape. Guided visualization is a relaxation technique in which individuals are led through a calming and sensory-rich narrative. By imagining peaceful and serene settings, listeners can relieve stress and tension, promoting mental clarity and emotional well-being. Engaging the mind in this way can also help people achieve a deeper state of relaxation and improve their overall sleep quality. Your Sleep Guru Podcast is now available on a dedicated app! Download it from the app store to enjoy ad-free listening, exclusive courses, behind-the-scenes content, and more. REVIEWS “This put me to sleep within the first few minutes, it felt dreamlike and tranquil. There are lengthy, silent moments that lull your brain to sleep, but it is not boring, the mind stays engaged in a relaxing, drifting sort of way. I will be trying out more of these because it worked so well and is a nice change from the sleep meditations and music I usually use.“ Michael B., Audible "One of the best. I listen every night to a "sleepy time " podcast. While my favorites are good, I admit I am getting a little bored with the same type episodes. I found this one by sampling several more . I love it and it is now my first choice! Voice is soothing, pace is perfect, background sounds are terrific and stories are great. Not just someone reading old classics. These stories are,as far as I can tell, unique." Gee, NM, Audible “Helps my kiddos fall asleep! My kids love the visualizations, and it always puts them to sleep. My son's only complaint is that he never remembers the end of the story... because he's asleep....“ Gwenny, Audible "Perfection! Love traveling around the world to fall asleep each night. Calming, relaxing and perfectly timed for a wonderfully deep nights sleep." hugoandiara, Apple Podcast "With gratitude and tears, I thank you for taking me to this place." Barbara R., Insight Timer "Your voice is perfectly paced and soothing allowing one to drift off during the delightful imagery and your writing is simply delicious!" Sarah H., Insight Timer "Very soothing. Little pauses made it easy for my mind to relax, perfect cadence." Linda, Insight Timer "Hi YSG Thank you for creating something so enthralling , i really enjoyed the joy that i got out of this creation Namaste." David H., South Africa, Insight Timer "This really helped me through some tough times so thank you SO SO MUCH!!" Caroline, Apple Podcasts    

Interview with Ben Pullinger, President & CEO of ATEX Resources Inc.Our previous interview: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/posts/atex-resources-tsxvatx-rapidly-advancing-new-copper-gold-discovery-5503Recording date: 12th September 2024ATEX Resources (TSXV:ATX) is rapidly emerging as a significant player in the copper exploration sector, advancing a potentially world-class copper-gold project in Chile's mineral-rich Atacama region. The company's flagship asset has already demonstrated substantial scale and continues to grow, offering investors exposure to one of the largest undeveloped copper resources globally.Current inferred resources stand at an impressive 1.5 billion tons at 0.7% copper, with a high-grade component that enhances the project's economic potential. Recent exploration success, particularly in the Phase 4 drilling program, has further bolstered the project's prospects. A new high-grade zone discovered in the final hole of Phase 4, featuring 100 meters at 2% copper equivalent, overlies the main porphyry system and could significantly impact future development scenarios.ATEX is poised to commence its largest drilling campaign to date with the upcoming Phase 5 program. This extensive drilling effort is expected to double the company's dataset, potentially expanding the resource and increasing confidence in grade and continuity. CEO Ben Pullinger emphasizes the company's exploration efficiency, noting their progress from "geological curiosity" to approaching a top 10 undeveloped copper project in just three to four years.Metallurgical performance is another strong point, with reported recoveries of 95% for copper and 94% for gold. These high recovery rates bode well for potential future economic viability. Additional large-scale metallurgical testing is underway to further validate these promising results.ATEX currently owns 49% of the project but has a clear path to 100% ownership with a final payment of $8 million due. This relatively modest payment for full ownership of a potentially world-class asset represents a significant value creation opportunity for shareholders.The macro environment for copper appears favorable, with demand expected to surge due to global electrification and renewable energy initiatives. This backdrop of rising demand against tightening supply could support higher long-term copper prices, potentially enhancing the economics of projects like ATEX's.While ATEX has demonstrated strong exploration capabilities, management is open to strategic partnerships to advance the project towards development. This pragmatic approach recognizes the significant capital requirements for large-scale copper projects and could provide a pathway to realizing the asset's full value.Investors should note that ATEX, as an exploration-stage company, carries risks typical of the junior mining sector. These include exploration risk, potential for dilution, and sensitivity to commodity prices. However, the project's scale, location in a premier mining jurisdiction, and continued exploration success mitigate some of these risks.ATEX's market capitalization may see significant re-rating as the project advances and derisks. Management draws parallels to other successful copper explorers that have seen substantial value appreciation based on exploration results.For investors seeking exposure to the copper sector with significant upside potential, ATEX Resources presents a compelling opportunity. The combination of a large-scale project in a top jurisdiction, ongoing exploration success, and favorable copper market fundamentals positions ATEX as an attractive option in the junior mining space. As always, investors should conduct their own due diligence and consider their risk tolerance when evaluating exploration-stage companies.View ATEX Resources' company profile: https://www.cruxinvestor.com/companies/atex-resources-incSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Fluent Fiction - Spanish: Chasing the Atacama Bloom: A Desert Adventure Unfolds Find the full episode transcript, vocabulary words, and more:fluentfiction.org/chasing-the-atacama-bloom-a-desert-adventure-unfolds Story Transcript:Es: El sol comenzaba a esconderse en el horizonte del desierto de Atacama cuando Manuel y Carmen avanzaban por el terreno árido.En: The sun began to hide on the horizon of the Atacama Desert as Manuel and Carmen made their way across the arid terrain.Es: El viento soplaba frío, recordándoles que, aunque era invierno, el desierto podía ser implacable.En: The wind blew cold, reminding them that, even though it was winter, the desert could be relentless.Es: Manuel, un botánico apasionado, lideraba la expedición con determinación.En: Manuel, a passionate botanist, led the expedition with determination.Es: Carmen, a su lado, compartía su entusiasmo aunque con un poco de preocupación.En: Beside him, Carmen shared his enthusiasm, though with a hint of concern.Es: Desde hace años, Manuel había escuchado historias sobre una flor legendaria que solo florecía en estos parajes inhóspitos.En: For years, Manuel had heard tales of a legendary flower that only bloomed in these inhospitable places.Es: Se decía que su color era tan vibrante que iluminaba el desierto con su presencia.En: It was said that its color was so vibrant it lit up the desert with its presence.Es: Pero Carmen dudaba de su existencia.En: But Carmen doubted its existence.Es: Sin embargo, su amistad con Manuel la empujaba a acompañarlo, queriendo asegurarse de que no se perdiera en su obsesión.En: However, her friendship with Manuel compelled her to accompany him, wanting to ensure he didn't get lost in his obsession.Es: Algunos días atrás, salieron del pequeño pueblo a la orilla del desierto.En: A few days earlier, they had left the small town on the edge of the desert.Es: Llevaban mapas, agua y algo de comida.En: They carried maps, water, and some food.Es: Pero mientras avanzaban, la vastedad del desierto hacía que las esperanzas de Carmen menguaran.En: But as they advanced, the vastness of the desert made Carmen's hopes dwindle.Es: La arena interminable y las rocas afiladas eran su única compañía.En: The endless sand and sharp rocks were their only companions.Es: "Manuel, tal vez deberíamos considerar regresar", sugirió Carmen una tarde, cuando sus pies cansados pedían descanso.En: "Manuel, maybe we should consider going back," suggested Carmen one afternoon, when her tired feet begged for rest.Es: "Estamos cerca, lo siento", respondió Manuel, con confianza y un atisbo de terquedad.En: "We're close, I can feel it," Manuel replied confidently, with a hint of stubbornness.Es: Su deseo de hallar la flor era más fuerte que la fatiga.En: His desire to find the flower was stronger than fatigue.Es: Durante otro día largo de caminata, justo cuando Carmen estaba dispuesta a insistir en regresar, algo captó su atención.En: During another long day of walking, just as Carmen was ready to insist on turning back, something caught her attention.Es: "¡Mira allí!En: "Look there!"Es: ", exclamó excitada, señalando un pequeño destello de color entre las rocas.En: she exclaimed excitedly, pointing to a small burst of color among the rocks.Es: Sus ojos incrédulos se encontraron con una pincelada de colores vivaces que contrastaban con el entorno.En: Her incredulous eyes met a splash of vibrant colors that contrasted with the surroundings.Es: Aceleraron el paso, sus corazones latiendo con nueva energía.En: They quickened their pace, their hearts beating with renewed energy.Es: Allí, en un rincón del desierto, estaba la famosa flor.En: There, in a corner of the desert, was the famous flower.Es: Eran decenas de ellas, tan bellas como las leyendas contaban.En: There were dozens of them, as beautiful as the legends told.Es: Manuel se arrodilló emocionado, tomando fotografías y documentando el hallazgo.En: Manuel knelt down, excitedly taking photographs and documenting the discovery.Es: Carmen se dejó caer a su lado, sonriendo.En: Carmen sat down beside him, smiling.Es: No solo habían encontrado la flor, sino también un nuevo respeto y aprecio el uno por el otro.En: They had not only found the flower but also a newfound respect and appreciation for each other.Es: Con las pruebas necesarias para presentar a la comunidad científica, emprendieron el camino de regreso.En: With the necessary evidence to present to the scientific community, they began their journey back.Es: La vuelta fue más ligera, con un lazo fortalecido por la aventura compartida.En: The return was lighter, with a bond strengthened by the shared adventure.Es: Manuel entendió el valor de escuchar a Carmen, mientras ella aprendía a admirar la pasión de Manuel por su trabajo.En: Manuel understood the value of listening to Carmen, while she learned to admire Manuel's passion for his work.Es: El desierto de Atacama, con su terreno áspero y su cielo inmenso, había visto otra historia de éxito y compañerismo forjada en su vastedad.En: The Atacama Desert, with its rugged terrain and immense sky, had witnessed another story of success and companionship forged in its vastness.Es: Como caía la tarde, el sol se despedía, dejando un aire de promesa sobre el horizonte, mientras Manuel y Carmen seguían su camino a casa, enriquecidos por su experiencia compartida.En: As the afternoon waned, the sun bade farewell, leaving an air of promise over the horizon, as Manuel and Carmen continued their path home, enriched by their shared experience. Vocabulary Words:the horizon: el horizontethe wind: el vientocold: fríorelentless: implacablethe botanist: el botánicothe expedition: la expediciónthe enthusiasm: el entusiasmothe concern: la preocupaciónthe tales: las historiaslegendary: legendariainhospitable: inhóspitosthe obsession: la obsesiónthe town: el pueblothe edge: la orillathe water: el aguato dwindle: menguarthe sand: la arenasharp: afiladasthe fatigue: la fatigawith stubbornness: con terquedadthe burst: el destellothe splash: la pinceladato kneel: arrodillarseexcitedly: emocionadothe evidence: las pruebasthe bond: el lazothe companionship: el compañerismothe terrain: el terrenorugged: ásperothe promise: la promesa

We embark on the first part of a series by Jack Eidt who joined the artistic residency of Osceola Refetoff, a Canadian-American visual artist and photojournalist, in Antofagasta, Chile. Supported by SACO Cultural Corporation, this residency places a spotlight on the Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, and its rich yet troubled history with mining. We delve into the environmental and social impacts of mining in this region, the historical context of Latin American exploitation, and the legacy of colonialism and neoliberal policies. Featuring poignant quotes from local authors and music that reflects Chile's cultural heritage, this episode is a profound exploration of eco-justice, history, and art. **Historical Context and Colonial Legacy** The episode explores the economic motivations and political maneuverings that have led to the region's exploitation, including the devastating impact of colonialism and neoliberal policies. Eduardo Galeano's seminal work, "Open Veins of Latin America," serves as a guiding narrative, revealing the systematic stripping of the continent's resources and the resulting poverty and underdevelopment. **Interview with Don Victor Loyola** We interview Don Victor Loyola, a former miner who now works for the municipal museum in Maria Elena. His firsthand account provides invaluable insights into the history of mining in the Atacama and the devastating effects of the industry's boom-and-bust cycles. **Indigenous Presence and Geoglyphs** The Atacama Desert is also home to a rich indigenous history, evidenced by the thousands of geoglyphs that dot the landscape. These ancient works of art, created by the region's early inhabitants, offer a glimpse into the spiritual and practical lives of the people who once thrived in this harsh environment. The episode explores the significance of these geoglyphs and their role in the transportation networks that connected ancient South American civilizations. **A Call to Action** As we reflect on the Atacama's past and present, it becomes clear that the region's future depends on a commitment to eco-justice and sustainable development. This episode serves as a call to action, urging listeners to consider the long-term impacts of mining and the importance of protecting both communities and ecosystems. Music Featured Violeta Parra “Gracias a la Vida.” Victor Jara “The Right to Live in Peace.” Illapu “Raza Brava” For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio Victor Loyola has a thirty year history working in the mining industry in the Atacama Desert of Chile and presently works in tourism at the Municipal Museum in Maria Elena, Chile. Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs. Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats Episode 229 Photo credit: Osceola Refetoff

We've featured a lot of people who have taken on epic challenges, but this guest, Ray Zahab of Quebec, Canada, has done dozens and dozens of them. When we recorded this, Ray had just completed a couple of weeks before a crossing of Death Valley from north to south. I'm very familiar with the Badwater 135, which just completed, but that is run on roads. I didn't even know it was a thing there to run the shortest route between two points, completely off-road. The terrain is seriously rugged, and it's pretty hot, and Ray ran it with limited re-supplies in 53:35:21. In case you're wondering, he drank 75 liters of water. He's also run across the widest park of Death Valley west to east, crossing two mountain ranges, in 35 hours. He's run 7500 km across the Sahara Desert in 111 days, 1850 km across the Namib Desert in Africa, 1200 km across the Atacama Desert in Chile, and 2000 km across the Gobi Desert in Mongolia. That's the hot, dry stuff. He's crossed Baffin Island in northern Canada nine times in winter and trekked from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole on snowshoes pulling his supply sled. And I'm just scratching the surface. Here's the WASP comeback story angle: Ray did this last Death Valley project a little more than a year after completing six months of debilitating chemotherapy for a rare form of lymphoma. What's very cool about Ray is how he shares his projects with schoolchildren with live links, and he has been running his foundation, impossible2Possible, to introduce kids to the kind of adventuring he does and reach beyond their perceived limits. The foundation takes kids to wild places so they can challenge themselves, and it doesn't even charge them to be there! Yes, they're free! Ray and his wife have been raising two daughters who get to experience the outdoors unlike the way Ray was when he was younger and was an out-of-shape, pack-a-day smoker. So there's another comeback. His brother inspired him to get outdoors and Ray now encourages everyone to also do so, including with his expedition company, KapiK1, which leads trips to remote and beautiful places like Baffin Island, the Atacama Desert, and the Gobi Desert. Even though we had a fairly short conversation, you might still find yourself listening in amazement to all that Ray does and get pumped up by his incredible level of energy and excitement.Ray Zahabrayzahab.comimpossible2possible.comkapik1.comrzahab@impossible2possible.comFacebook and LinkedIn Ray ZahabInstagram and X @rayzahabYouTube @rayzahab1944Bill Stahlsilly_billy@msn.comFacebook Bill StahlInstagram and Threads @stahlor and @coachstahlYouTube We Are Superman Podcast

The We Are Superman Podcast has hit 300 episodes... we think. But thanks to David's impetus, inspirational WASP guests have touched millions of listeners around the world.  Or at least thousands. After a quick historical recap, I'm honored to bring you my recounting of my truly amazing trip to Chile and climbing peaks in the Andes as high as almost 20,000 feet in the driest and one of the most remote spots on Earth, the Atacama Desert. Our trip included many impressive elite athletes, surprising sights, spectacular scenery, jaw-dropping starry night skies, and consuming so many wraps that I still haven't eaten one since. The climbs were some of the toughest challenges I've ever undertaken, but the rewards of exploring my limits - as well as seeing the others doing so - were well worth it. I hope you enjoy following along with this awesome adventure (which you can do as well, see below).If you'd like to take the same amazing trip, contact Tyler Andrews at:Instagram @TylerCAndrewschaski.run/contactTo donate to Team Leadville and Warriors' Ascent, go to:https://give.classy.org/We-Are-SupermanThank you!Bill Stahlsilly_billy@msn.comFacebook Bill StahlInstagram @stahlor and @coachstahlYouTube We Are Superman Podcast

This past late winter I met a truly impressive group of athletes on a trip to the rugged and beautiful, high-elevation Atacama Desert of Chile. One of these is Kat Edwards of Richmond, Va. A relative newcomer to ultrarunning at 24 years old, and having never experienced performing at altitude, Kat crushed climbing peaks of 16,000 and 18,000 feet before tackling her first FKT attempt, on nearly 20,000-foot Nevado San Francisco on the border between Chile and Argentina. This same insanely difficult climb with 4400 feet in elevation gain over just 4.67 miles took me more than nine hours to the summit and back. Coached by Tyler Andrews, who led our trip, Kat quite impressively set the female FKT by reaching the peak in 3:37 and completing the roundtrip in 5:40. Kat has followed that up by taking on more scary challenges that have been more opportunities for growth. She raced for the first time on foreign soil in the Petzl Trail Plus 80K in Ecuador on a dastardly beast of a course that led to a DNF, but she also gleaned a ton of knowledge to apply to the future as she discusses here. She bounced back in a huge way in early May as the first woman finisher by nearly four hours – and fourth-place overall – in the Sedona Canyons 125 on the Cocodona course in Arizona. Kat comes from a varied athletic background in which she has also biked, rock climbed, and enthusiastically hit weight training. She may be young, but she is on the fast-track of seeking new ways to challenge herself, and she has now joined Tyler as a coach with the Chaski Endurance Collective, and she will take on the Moab 240 this fall. She also recently got engaged. One thing you'll notice is how meticulously Kat approaches her training and racing, which belies her easy-going personality. I certainly enjoyed getting to know and admire Kat while we were in Chile along with all of the incredible people on the trip.Kat Edwardskatedwardspt.comInstagram @kat.elizabeth_For coaching inquiries: www.chaski.runBill Stahlsilly_billy@msn.comFacebook Bill StahlInstagram @stahlor and @coachstahlYouTube We Are Superman Podcast

The Atacama Desert in Northern Chile is the driest desert on Earth. The only life there is microbial, and researchers study it to get an idea of what we might find on Mars.

Pre-Loved Podcast is a weekly vintage fashion interview show, with guests you'll want to go thrifting with! For more Pre-Loved Podcast, subscribe to our Patreon! On today's show, we're chatting with Pily, a Chilean researcher and journalist with over a decade of experience in the sustainable fashion space, working with Latin American magazines and work with sustainable brands and secondhand platforms internationally. María Pilar, who goes by Pily, is currently doing a Masters degree in the Netherlands, and is deeply involved in creating investigative journalistic articles centered around the theme of migration and clothing.  She shares her perspective on sustainable fashion and what she thinks is missing from the conversation. We discuss what it means that Chile is one of the biggest importers of secondhand clothing in South America and the impact it had on the local community, as well as her recent research on clothing and migration at the US-Mexico.  —  all this and more on today's show, so dive right into it!  DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE: [3:42] Growing up in Chile, Pily was never a huge fashion lover, but she has shopped secondhand most of her life.  [5:44] She started reporting on – what used to be called – “green lifestyles” in the early days of her journey.  [7:55] Pily's perspective on sustainable fashion and what she thinks is missing from the standard conversation.  [18:15] Chile is one of the biggest importers of secondhand clothing in South America, and this has had a major impact on the community in the north of the country, in the Atacama Desert.  [28:25] In her most recent research on clothing and migration, conducted at the US-Mexico border, Pily found the stories to be about human realities.  [37:13] The pre-loved clothes (and Chilean designers!) that Pily values. EPISODE MENTIONS:  @pily.uribe Fashion Revolution Chile Beatriz O'Brien Madrid at Fashion Revolution Chile Bastián Díaz Orellana Used clothing waste in the Atacama Desert Textile waste in Atacama Desert is visible from space United Nations study underway regarding regulation of these issues Lupe Gajardo Elisa De Cordova Francisca Gajardo LET'S CONNECT: 

Taylor tells Josie about the 2010 San José mine cave-in in the Atacama Desert near Copiapó, Chile, and the 33 miners whose rescue captivated viewers around the world. Plus: the fatal 2009 accident at Utah's Nutty Putty Cave.

An international figure in architecture and urban design, the architect Daniel Libeskind is renowned for his ability to evoke cultural memory and is informed by a deep commitment to music, philosophy, and literature. Mr. Libeskind aims to create architecture that is resonant, original, and sustainable. Born in Lód'z, Poland, in 1946, Mr. Libeskind immigrated to the United States as a teenager and with his family, settled in the Bronx. After studying music in New York and Israel on an American-Israel Cultural Foundation Scholarship, he developed into a musical virtuoso, before eventually leaving music to study architecture. He received his professional degree in architecture from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in 1970 and a postgraduate degree in the history and theory of architecture from the School of Comparative Studies at Essex University in England in 1972. Daniel Libeskind established his architectural studio in Berlin, Germany, in 1989 after winning the competition to build the Jewish Museum in Berlin. In February 2003, Studio Libeskind moved its headquarters from Berlin to New York City when Daniel Libeskind was selected as the master planner for the World Trade Center redevelopment. Daniel Libeskind's practice is involved in designing and realizing a diverse array of urban, cultural and commercial projects internationally. The Studio has completed buildings that range from museums and concert halls to convention centers, university buildings, hotels, shopping centers and residential towers. As Principal Design Architect for Studio Libeskind, Mr. Libeskind speaks widely on the art of architecture in universities and professional summits. His architecture and ideas have been the subject of many articles and exhibitions, influencing the field of architecture and the development of cities and culture. His new book Edge of Order, detailing his creative process, was published in 2018. Mr. Libeskind lives in New York City with his wife and business partner, Nina Libeskind. The Studio Libeskind office headquarters are in New York City. On this episode, Mr. Libeskind reveals his one way ticket destination to the Garden of Eden before there was a Tree of Knowledge and before Adam gave the apple to Eve. He shares why, what he would do there, whom he would take there, whom he would take with him, and what if anything he would want to build in this perfect state of nature. In the conversation, Mr. Libeskind also reflects on the role of an architect and the social responsibility he has. Plus, he showcases some of his completed work including his affordable housing projects in NYC, Maggie's Center at the Royal Free Hospital in London, and the Dresden Museum of Military History. He also shares projects now underway (he's working in 14 different countries at the moment!) such as the Einstein House at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, a museum in the Atacama Desert in Chile and more. Additionally, we covered what he thinks about each time he walks through Ground Zero (for which he created the master plan). And as a one-time virtuoso, Mr. Libeskind highlights what role music has played in his life and how music and architecture both rely on precision. 

#Bestof2021: #HotelMars: 2/2: The glass-strewn Atacama Desert twelve millennia after a comet bolide. Peter Schultz, @BrownUniversity, @BrownAlumniMag.  David Livingston, SpaceShow.com https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/comet-exploded-over-atacama-desert-revealed-by-glass 1900 Chile

#Bestof2021: #HotelMars: 1/2: The glass-strewn Atacama Desert twelve millennia after a comet bolide. Peter Schultz, @BrownUniversity, @BrownAlumniMag.  David Livingston, SpaceShow.com https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/comet-exploded-over-atacama-desert-revealed-by-glass 1903 Chile

PHOTO: 1945 Greenwich NO KNOWN RESTRICTIONS ON PUBLICATION. @BATCHELORSHOW #Bestof2021: #HotelMars: 1/2: The glass-strewn Atacama Desert twelve millennia after a comet bolide. Peter Schultz, @BrownUniversity, @BrownAlumniMag. David Livingston, SpaceShow.com (Originally posted November 16, 2021) https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/comet-exploded-over-atacama-desert-revealed-by-glass

PHOTO: 1910 Royal Observatory NO KNOWN RESTRICTIONS ON PUBLICATION. @BATCHELORSHOW #Bestof2021: #HotelMars: 2/2: The glass-strewn Atacama Desert twelve millennia after a comet bolide. Peter Schultz, @BrownUniversity, @BrownAlumniMag. David Livingston, SpaceShow.com (Originally posted November 16, 2021) https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/comet-exploded-over-atacama-desert-revealed-by-glass