In this episode of Life's Tough, Explorers are Tougher, host Richard Wiese sits down with photographer and filmmaker Karim Iliya to explore a life shaped by constant movement, curiosity, and deep observation. Having grown up across multiple continents, Karim reflects on how living between cultures taught him adaptability, empathy, and an appreciation for the unseen forces that shape human opportunity. His work focuses on revealing hidden worlds—from overlooked animals like gulls and pigeons to the lives of people dedicated to specialized crafts.

Karim also shares his extraordinary experience being selected as one of eight artists for the DearMoon Project, a planned civilian mission around the moon. He describes preparing for spaceflight, visiting SpaceX facilities, and immersing himself in the engineering-driven culture of space exploration—before the project was unexpectedly canceled. Despite the setback, the experience permanently shifted his perspective on exploration, storytelling, and humanity’s place in the universe.

The episode closes with a thoughtful discussion on the future of filmmaking, attention spans, vertical video, and AI-generated imagery. Karim explains why storytelling still matters—and how pulling people into a moment through detail, emotion, and patience remains timeless, even as technology rapidly changes.

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This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, host Richard Wiese sits down with renowned cultural anthropologist and explorer Wade Davis to explore storytelling, creativity, and the courage required to live a meaningful life. Wade reflects on his unconventional journey—from a chance encounter with anthropology at Harvard to decades spent giving voice to disappearing cultures and languages around the world.

Wade challenges the idea that creativity is something you either have or don’t, arguing instead that creativity is born from action. He shares deeply personal stories shaped by war, family history, and cultural division, illustrating how empathy, curiosity, and moral conviction guided his path. The conversation weaves through vocation, writing, exploration, and the responsibility storytellers carry to honor the people and cultures they encounter.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, Dr. Kenneth Lacovara joins Richard Wiese to discuss dinosaurs, discovery, and the lessons Earth’s history can teach about the future.

From uncovering the largest dinosaurs in Argentina to saving a fossil park behind a Lowe’s in New Jersey, Lacovara shares how chance, teamwork, and curiosity shaped his career. He describes the Edelman Fossil Park, where visitors can find their own 65-million-year-old fossils, and explains how the site may reveal the exact moment of the asteroid impact that ended the dinosaurs’ reign.

Their conversation explores how science can inspire wonder and responsibility. Lacovara’s reflections on luck, loss, and purpose show that history’s greatest lessons lie beneath our feet—and that preserving our planet begins with choosing hope.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, host Richard Wiese speaks with cave explorer, documentarian and author Chris Nicola, whose discovery in a Ukrainian cave unveiled one of the most extraordinary survival stories of World War II.

Chris shares how a lifetime of adventure — from law enforcement to cave diving — led him to stumble upon artifacts in a cave that revealed the hidden lives of 38 Jewish survivors. His investigation uncovered the story of families who evaded Nazi persecution by living underground for 511 days, surviving against all odds.

Through perseverance and empathy, Chris connected with the survivors’ descendants, helping bring their story to light through the documentary No Place on Earth and his book The Secret of Priest’s Grotto. This episode explores how courage, family, and the will to live can overcome even the darkest depths.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, planetary scientist Dr. Alan Stern shares his journey from childhood awe during Apollo 11 to leading NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto and beyond. Alan opens up about early failures — including flunking out of college — and how hard labor and reflection transformed his drive to succeed in science.

He revisits the tragedy of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion that changed his path from engineer to astrophysicist, setting the stage for his historic contributions to space exploration. Alan reveals how New Horizons’ success was built on small teams, smart automation, and storytelling that reconnected the public to wonder.

Today, Alan looks to the next horizon — the era of commercial spaceflight, where scientists can work in orbit rather than watch from the ground. From studying Pluto to preparing for flight himself, he embodies the persistence, curiosity, and humility that define true explorers.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, Dr. Stig Severinsen reveals the science and spirituality behind mastering your breath. Known for holding his breath for over 20 minutes and diving 202 meters on a single breath, Stig explains how breathing correctly through the nose can transform health, focus, and emotional control.

He walks listeners through the power of nasal breathing, the release of nitric oxide, and how “relaxation on demand” can reset the body’s stress response. From working with Navy SEALs to training ordinary people, Stig shares how breathwork can build resilience, balance, and awareness — accessible to anyone, anytime.

The episode closes with practical steps for breathing practice and a strong reminder: freediving is a metaphor for life itself — dive deep, but always stay connected to the surface.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this episode of Life’s Tough, Explorers are Tougher, host Richard Wiese welcomes Victor Vescovo—mountaineer, deep-sea explorer, naval intelligence officer, and the first person to reach the deepest points of all five oceans. Victor retraces his early beginnings rooted in a fascination with maps, geography, science fiction, and adventure stories. As he matured and gained resources, he pursued increasingly novel and extreme endeavors: mountaineering, skiing to the poles, and piloting a deep submersible to the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

Fresh from completing the first full ascent of Mauna Kea—from its submarine base using a deep-diving vessel, to canoeing 27 miles across unforgiving ocean and climbing to its summit—Victor shares the physical and mental demands required for such multi-discipline expeditions. He explains how curiosity and discipline, rather than a need to prove something; fuel his pursuits. He also opens up about failure, risk management, and why embracing adversity is essential for growth. Victor discusses how childhood reading, piloting experience, and methodical thinkers like Roald Amundsen shaped his mindset.

The conversation expands into themes of resilience, grit, and preparing new generations for a world that doesn’t bend to their will. Victor offers practical advice to aspiring explorers: start small, commit to a single action, and let momentum build confidence. He hints at an upcoming high-altitude expedition and shares why methodical execution—not drama—is the hallmark of great exploration.

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.

In this heartfelt episode, Peter Hillary joins Richard to explore the enduring legacy of adventure, humility, and service passed down from his father, Sir Edmund Hillary. Peter recounts the awe of standing atop Everest, the emotional radio call that connected two generations, and the values that kept their family grounded amid global fame.

He shares behind-the-scenes stories from his father’s knighthood, their joint North Pole expedition with Neil Armstrong and Steve Fossett, and the lessons learned about leadership, grace, and humanity from those experiences. Peter also discusses the Edmund Hillary clothing line — a heritage brand that supports Nepalese communities through the Himalayan Foundation — and reflects on the deeper purpose of exploration: making life better for others.

Learn more at: https://edmundhillary.com

This is Life's Tough, Explorers Are Tougher, with your host, Richard Weiss. Scratch the surface of an explorer and you'll find an adventure and a great story. This show is about their tales.

This podcast is a proud supporter of the Explorers Club and the EC50 Initiative. 50 people changing the world that the world needs to know about. For more information, go to explorers.org.