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Read the Digital IssueSeptember/October 2021
Best Towns of 2021, the Big Idea, 20 ϳԹ Hubs Where the Future Is Bright
Stories
POSTs
The Twitter famous saurologist and cofounder of Black AF in STEM is helping to build a more inclusive scientific community—and spotting some very sneaky lizards along the way
W. Kamau Bell, the host of ‘United Shades of America,’ sits down with fellow comedian and activist Baratunde Thurston for a lively conversation on what we learn about this country when we engage with communities very different than our own
The past year showed us all that having access to the outdoors is essential for our health and well-being. It also magnified the inequities inherent in that access. For 2021’s Best Towns package, we chose 13 of the country’s most diverse places and evaluated them according to the factors that matter today: sustainability, affordability, and outdoor equity. Here are the cities of tomorrow.
The stunning, adventure-filled road parallels the eastern Sierra Nevada and has ample stops for hot springs, hikes, and backcountry skiing
If you get lost or injured in the woods these days, aid might come from above—in the form of small-propeller drones that are revolutionizing SAR and saving lives
Oregon voters have opened the door to treating mental illness with substances like ketamine and psilocybin. In a peek at the future, our seeker attends a backwoods retreat where patients get help from a powerful combination of drugs and the outdoors.
A new app called NatureQuant harnesses the latest research to track and rate your time outside. Next up: determining how much you need.
Features
Congrats, You Just Earned Three Leaves! A new app called NatureQuant harnesses the latest nature-is-medicine research to track and rate your time outside. Next up: determining the right dose. —Alex Hutchinson
Camping with Ketamine: Oregon voters have opened the door to therapeutic use of psychedelics. In a peek at the future, David Kushner attends a backwoods retreat where patients with serious psychological issues get help from a powerful hallucinatory substance. —David Kushner
Flight of the Cosmic Arrows: At a bold and stylish new brewery in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Missy Begay and Shyla Sheppard are using traditional Native American ingredients to produce delicious craft creations, part of a growing movement that’s changing the face of domestic beer. —Lois Ellen Frank
The Sweetest Irritating Buzz You’ll Ever Hear: If you get lost or injured in the mountains these days, aid might come from above—in the form of small-propeller drones that are revolutionizing search and rescue, and saving lives. —Dan Schwartz
Dispatches
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Earyn McGee: The Twitter-famous saurologist is building a more inclusive scientific community—and spotting some sneaky lizards along the way.
Gear
Road Bikes: A new generation of steeds for pavement and beyond.
Trail Runners: Shoes to suit every stride.
Car Camping: Items that make any site pop.
Fall Hiking: Just the kit to turn your jaunts into all-day affairs.
Upland Hunting: Time in the bush requires hard-wearing essentials.
Fitness
Health: Can a new device save us from our smartphones?
Tools: Five gua sha products to jump-start your path to pain relief.
Fuel: A Native American recipe for all that wild game you harvested during the pandemic.
Moves: Calm your body and mind with these six gentle stretches.
Exposure
Portfolio: Bhutan’s rugged and remote Snowman Trek proves worth the toil for Frédéric Lagrange.
Travel
Cities of the Future: Outdoor access is essential for our well-being—but inequities inherent to that access still exist. We chose 13 metropolitan meccas with high marks for sustainability, affordability, and outdoor equity. Plus: TV hosts and comedians W. Kamau Bell and Baratunde Thurston discuss the state of American cities and towns today.