Data + Design Project
Steven Shoppman

About Steven Shoppman



Steven Shoppman is a contributor to The Visual News and an avid explorer. In 2009 he received the honor of "Adventurer of the Year" by National Geographic Adventure Magazine for his expedition driving two trucks around the world. The expedition was named "The World by Road" He continues to plan new adventures and you can visit his personal website to learn more about him at www.stevenshoppman.com.

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There Are Still Places to Pioneer – Just Not Very Many

Friday 05.04.2012 , Posted by

:THE INCREDIBLE HUMAN SERIES: click here to see more from the series

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Humans have made it to the north pole, the south pole, to the moon, to the bottom of the sea, to the top of Mt. Everest — it would seem that there are not too many places left to be pioneered. The Grand Canyon, being one of the most well known monuments on the planet, would be the last place you might imagine unexplored canyons. Most of the Grand Canyon is associated with seeing the incredible views of its grandeur, but it is the narrow slot canyons that make up the intricate pathways of the water making its way into the giant canyon and river below. The final line in the trailer below suggests that John Wesley Powell first discovered the Grand Canyon 142 years ago, but there are still places there where no human has ever been. [Read more...]

Interactive: Learn Good French Wines Like a Pro

Friday 05.04.2012 , Posted by

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Have you ever been at a fancy hobb-nobbing party and said something like:

“Today most wines are fully mature. It has proved to be a delicious vintage but perhaps just short of the density, complexity and ultimate longevity for greatness. The whites were probably under-rated because they appeared, on tasting, to have little acidity. In fact it was there, but masked by the tannins from thick skins. This phenomenon, curiously enough, was repeated in both 1995 and 2005. Even so, 1985 whites will now be past their best.”

Ok… neither have I, but if you have ever wanted to sound like a fancy-shmancy wine snob, there has never been an easier time. [Read more...]

Taking the Barrios to the Galleries: Henrique Oliveira

Thursday 05.03.2012 , Posted by

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Hailing from Sao Paulo, Henrique Oliveira makes wild installation art using materials from the streets of Brazil. Initially he would take pealing pieces from the plywood barriers around the city, falling apart and changing color in the weather. He used the pieces as canvas for his paintings, but later realized that the flexible nature of the medium could be used to make incredible installations. He starts with a skeleton of purchased plywood, and then uses the pieces of plywood that he finds to give texture and color to the structure. [Read more...]

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The Power of Wind: Bicycle Drafting a Truck at 55mph

Monday 04.30.2012 , Posted by

:THE INCREDIBLE HUMAN SERIES: click here to see more from the series

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A few days ago this video came across my radar. It is a man drafting behind a semi truck at 55 mph. That is right, on a bike, keeping up with a truck on the highway at 55 mph! It is insane to watch how the bicyclist hardly has to work to stay in the draft behind the truck. That is the power of wind, and with the tornadoes and hurricanes that have devastated the United States in the last handful of years it is a force that we often underestimate. [Read more...]

Richard Simmons at 30,000ft

Sunday 04.29.2012 , Posted by

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The Kiwis have been getting more and more attention over the years. Lord of the Rings was filmed on their island, the Flight of the Concords enlightened us to the nuances of New Zealand culture, and over the years the islands to the South have continued as one of the top tourist destinations in the world. So for those considering a flight down to explore the islands, Air New Zealand has made the experience lighthearted like much of their culture is. The new safety videos for the planes have been reworked to give passengers a laugh instead of a snooze when watching the required safety briefing before the flight.

[Read more...]

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Art Island: Artistic Video Postcards

Tuesday 04.17.2012 , Posted by

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Andrew Melikov is a wedding photographer by trade, but he is no ordinary wedding photographer. While capturing the big day for couples pays the bills, his work goes far beyond the white dresses and engagement rings. With many of the weddings in exotic locales around the globe he has taken to making video postcards that capture the destinations in an incredibly artistic way. With music backgrounds these video shorts leave you with a sense of wanderlust that will have you searching your favorite airfare sites for the latest cheap flight to somewhere exotic. [Read more...]

Nature’s Art in the Ice

Tuesday 04.17.2012 , Posted by

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Over the course of thousands of years and incredible pressure, glaciers manage to press the air out of the ice that forms them. In Iceland, caves showcase the art of mother nature with crystal like ice forming incredible caverns that allow light to shine inside like natural prisms. For the brave photographers that make their way inside these caves, the sounds of ice cracking and moving is a constant sign that these beautiful formations could collapse at any minute… a sobering reminder that some photographers have died trying to capture these phenomena. [Read more...]

Japan’s Real life Jurassic Park

Monday 04.16.2012 , Posted by

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A couple of hundred miles to the south of Tokyo in the Philippine Sea lies the island of Aogashima. Administered by Tokyo and part of the Izu Archipelago, the island’s 205 inhabitants (2009) enjoy a type of solitude that many will never experience. This island is known for having a volcanic caldera within a larger caldera, which makes the island’s unique shape resemble a tropical scene from the set of Jurassic Park or Lost. Only accessible by boat or helicopter, one could end up trapped here pretty easily if the seas get rough or a tropical storm makes its way in. [Read more...]

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Watch out Cameron, Virgin’s Sub is right behind you.

Sunday 04.15.2012 , Posted by

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A few weeks ago James Cameron made a record breaking submarine descent to the bottom of the Challenger Deep—the deepest point of the ocean here on planet earth.  His sub collected samples and filmed video, a first for any dive to those depths. Nipping at his heels is billionaire Richard Branson with his Virgin Oceanic project.  Since Cameron is quickly on his way to the billionaires club with recent revenues from Avatar and the re-release of Titanic, it seems only proper that Branson give Cameron a run for his money. [Read more...]

Go Camping, Ewok Style

Tuesday 04.03.2012 , Posted by

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For many kids, a treehouse is a time honored tradition of growing up. Making rules as to who is allowed up in the tree perch is just one part of the fantasy land where they get to live… a land like the cartoons or movies, full of magical imaginations running wild. Even as adults, the idea of a peaceful getaway in the canopy of a lush forest is an appealing departure from the concrete that surrounds life in towns and cities. This unusual tent-like treehouse, looking a lot like something friendly Ewoks would have relaxed in during Return of the Jedi, is the perfect example of one of these magical, childlike places. [Read more...]

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