Articles

I’m part adventurer and part renaissance man with some dabbler and jack of all trades thrown in. These articles are part of my exploration of life.

How much oxygen a human breathes in one day. Infographic. This illustrates shows the surprising volume of oxygen used by a human. It compares the volume 551 liters of pure oxygen to the size of 8300 liters of air.

How much oxygen does a human breathe per day?

We often take breathing for granted, but our bodies process 8,300 liters of air every day to get the oxygen we need to survive. In this article, I show the math and compare this amount to how much a tree produces, and how much a car burns. This is part of my Global Oxygen Depletion series.
Phytoplankton bloom in the Barents Sea

The looming crisis of aquatic deoxygenation

Aquatic deoxygenation is accelerating worldwide, prompting scientists to propose it as a new planetary boundary. But the ocean’s 2% oxygen loss reveals an even bigger, overlooked threat: most of that oxygen outgasses into the atmosphere, masking the true rate of atmospheric decline. This article breaks down the science, the math, and why these hidden feedbacks may push Earth closer to an additional tipping point no one is talking about.
Monarch butterfly about to land on a tree full of more monarch butterflies.

The unexpected benefits of travel

Travel offers far more than beautiful views. In this article, I explore the unexpected benefits of travel—from surprises and life “lessens” to memories, emotions, and inspiring people. These are the deeper rewards that continue paying dividends long after the journey is over.
Venn diagrams of all two-input Boolean operations.

How to assign blame 

Did you know that given one problem, there are 16 different possibilities of who or what to blame? I didn't, and it has changed how I view life. I outline a process to identify a problem. (It's more fun to blame things.) But, you can use it as a creative process to identify a new area of opportunity. Also download the free PDF worksheet.
A pile of coins from different countries, like England, France, Germany, Canada and more.

Scott’s travel budget calculator

The goal of a travel budget is NOT to spend as little as possible. The goal IS to spend intentionally on what matters most to you. I've distilled decades of travel experience into a practical tool that helps you calculate what your journey will really cost.
The sphinx asking a riddle: "If you could do anything, what would you do?"

My quick advice on how to live an amazing life

I believe life is an adventure and that we are here to explore and be amazed by ourselves. I distill decades of experience into this simple yet profound advice on how to turn dreams into reality with these simple steps: dream, plan, do, grow.
An infographic showing what participation or exploring means. On one side is a cloud representing our dreams. On the other side is a box that represents turning our dreams into reality. In the middle, are footsteps that represent the literal and figurative steps or journey we must take to reach our goal.

How to turn dreams into reality

An introduction to how to turn dreams into reality. We’ll walk you through the whole process in this beautiful infographic: Get inspired, Plan your adventure, Go explore, Grow!
Before and after Scott's Do-Nothing Diet.

The Do-Nothing Diet grand finale

Calling this my weight loss journey is a cliché — and it is not the type of adventure I long for — but it is chock-full of life lessons. How I lost 45 pounds of fat, gained 5 pounds of muscle, and surprisingly, took a big dent out of my depression.
Wispy tendrils of hot dust and gas glow brightly in this ultraviolet image of the Cygnus Loop Nebula, taken by NASA’s Galaxy Evolution Explorer.

Where does oxygen come from and where does it go?

Like me, you may surprised to learn that there will never be more oxygen on the Earth (or in our solar system) than there is right now. And when it comes to the breathable kind, there will be less and less oxygen until it is gone, though, luckily, that could take billions of years.
A painting that shows Jason having slayed the dragon and taking the Golden Fleece out of the tree.

What is the hero’s prize?

If you are like me, you see yourself as a hero, or at least the starring character of your own story. Your life has a grand purpose, yet the path is strewn with obstacles. If only you could reach your goals, everything would be okay. We see this scenario play out in most stories. The hero sets forth on an impossible quest. They must overcome all odds to win the prize and save the day. The hero's prize, whether that be a million dollars or the Holy Grail, is merely a symbol with a much greater meaning.
A vibrant Jamaican sunset

Acceptance — a new rule

Did I miss the most obvious rule on my Do-Nothing Diet? Maybe I don’t even need to diet. Perhaps I need to accept myself the way I am.
The Mona Lisa painting looking three times as wide with an extended background.

Is blogging dead?

Will artificial intelligence be the end of authors and artists? Or will it foster a new era of creativity? Humans have been copying my work for decades. Now A.I. can do it better and faster. I share my thoughts and ask AI what it thinks.