Preparedness + Bushcraft = True(?)
5 februari 2024
From doomsday dismissals to a preparedness revolution – the new frontier isn't just about gadgets, but the ancient wisdom of survival skills.
Bikepacking: Adventures on two wheels
25 januari 2024
Going bikepacking on adventures into the wild is a great way to experience nature. Different bikes shines in different environments!
Camping chairs, hammocks and squatting like a slav during breaks
22 januari 2024
Sit back, relax, and enjoy nature on a comfy chair, hammock or a foam mattress! What is your perfect outdoor seating?
In short
When wolves became man’s best friend
I think we can all agree on that man’s best friend - the dog - can trace its ancestry back to the wolves. How this came to be is a completely different story that researchers haven’t entirely come to agree on. Was it hum
Using AI to talk to whales
Recently OpenAI released a much improved version of their LLM, called ChatGPT-4o. The main focus seem to have been on language and conversation, where it answers significantly faster, in any language, and with more "huma
Birbs are stealing anti-bird spikes and building nests from them
Birbs are becoming ungovernable! They’re using our own weapons agains us, building their own gated communities.
Bookshelf
Reading is good for you! We recommend that you always have a book with you in your backpack. Get a fire going, make some coffee and sit yourself down comfortably.
Elsewhere in the digital forest
Bushcraft
- Mysterious 30 cm long piece of mammoth tusk ‘Magic Wand’ with drilled holes into it, from 14,000-year-old grave in Poland finally explained as the oldest music instrument ever found, similar to a flute or whistle, symbolises the importance of music for the people of the ice age, researchers suggest
- Temperature is not the only thing that makes a place feel warmer or colder, our perception is affected humidity, wind, altitude, clothing, our bodies, which regulate heat by adjusting blood flow, sweating and shivering, and our perception of temperature, which is influenced by factors such as expectations, memories, emotions and social cues, and can easily be tricked by illusion
- Relying on skills one does not yet possess is not a valid, albeit common, way to prepare for emergencies, like farming, survival and bushcrafting, author argues, recommending stockpiling for the vast majority
Gear
- Hammocks are a popular choice for camping, but generally don’t perform as well in colder climates, something the author claims can be remedied with proper bottom insulation, which keeps the cold air and wind off the sleeper’s back, suggestion insulation in the form of foam sleeping pads, insulated inflated pads, or an insulated quilt that hangs outside the hammock, creating a protective barrier against the elements for colder conditions
- Luke from the Outdoor Gear Review have finally struck gold and found the best sleeping ever, combining comfort, packability, weight and warmth in a way that no other sleeping pad can rival after 10 years of testing
- Recommendations on ferro rods are given by world renowned bushcrafter Paul Kirtley, who draws on extensive field experience and testing
Skills
- Winter backpacking offers benefits such as solitude, beauty and freedom, but poses challenges like cold, wet and heavy gear, having good gear, skills and strategy is essential for having a good time in the Arctic areas of northern Europe
- Wildlife tracking is a great way to connect with nature and learn to understand animal behaviour, explaining the basics of identifying and interpreting tracks, scat and other sign left by different species to help the reader learn more about this ancient art
- Starting a warming fire in wintertime is more difficult and unreliable, hikers should first and foremost prepare with other heat sources and insulation, argues author, who shares his own experience trying to, and failing, to get a fire going in snowy conditions
Nature
- Researchers at Scripps Research have made a significant stride towards creating a universal antivenom that can neutralize venom from any snake species, using an engineered a lab-made antibody, named 95Mat5, which effectively blocks the venom's harmful effects, unlike traditional antivenoms which are species-specific and often come with severe side-effects
- Starboard, an orca living outside the coast of South Africa, was observed in a remarkable event preying on a great white shark, normally a fierce predator itself, showing the orca’s ability to incapacitate and consume the shark within two minutes, specifically targeting the shark’s liver, a behaviour that have been observed in orcas since 2015, helping us to a greater understanding of the marine food chain
- Teamwork is crucial for survival and being able to thrive in the wild, something both bees and chimpanzees have taken to heart, learning from each other what they cannot learn alone, suggesting they possess a form of culture, challenging the belief of human exceptionalism and that the roots of culture and complex learning goes deeper in the evolutionary tree than previously assumed
History
- Eating our own is a practice that have haunted us for at least 1.45 million years, according to new study, which noted cut marks on old tibia or shin-bone, suggesting our ancient ancestors might have consumed each other for sustenance
- New research suggest that the civilisations of the ancient Mayas collapsed due to complex combination of factors such as a change of climate, overpopulation and human-made large-scale landscape alterations, which led to the abandonment of many Mayan cities
- Bizarre prehistoric predator fish breathed air, had fangs and four ‘limbs’ was recently found in fossils from the Devonian period about 400 million years ago, revealing insights into the diversity and evolution of complete bony fish, of which the Harajicadectes zhumini was one of the first known
Survival Cannibalism: Navigating the Depths of Desperation
Discover the extreme measures people take when faced with life-threatening situations and the risks associated with survival cannibalism.
Lampor för friluftsliv: Ditt ljus i mörkret
Det finns många olika typer av belysning för campinglivet och bushcraft. Här listar vi några vanliga och ovanliga lyktor och lampor!
Kustnära Bushcraft: Bland segelbåtar och polynesiska katamaraner
Kustnära bushcraft är inte som bushcraft för landkrabbor! På havet behöver man andra typer av kunskaper men ges även andra möjligheter!
Winter Jackets for Different Climates
In winter you need to stay warm and dry. There’s a winter jacket out there for every type of climate and situation!
Knife safety and Children
There's a first time for everything, especially when it comes to wielding the wild's most trusted tool. Learn how to safely introduce the art of knife handling to the next generation of adventurers.
Hydrate or Die! Hydration Bladders vs. Bottles
A silent war rages between outdoor enthusiasts, as a 34-year-old bike race set the stage for the Bottles vs. Bladders debate. Are you on the winning side?
Never trust a thought that comes to you indoors.
— Friedrich W. Nietzsche
Being able to relate to your environment is an essential part of Bushcraft, be it identifying plants or different methods for catching fish and small game.
Flora
Flora contains all of the plants you find in nature — trees, bushes, herbs, down to the smallest summer flower. Learning to identify and use edible plants is a core bushcraft skill.
Fauna
Fauna covers the animal kingdom in the forest ecosystem. Understanding animal behaviour, tracks, and habitat helps you move, hunt, and coexist in the wild.
Fungi
Fungi includes mushrooms, lichens, slime moulds and more — a fascinating group that provides food, medicine, and fire-starting material for the bushcrafter.