Watches, Stories, & Gear: National Geographic’s Best Wildlife Photos of 2022, Field Testing the Nikonos V, & Eureka! A Breakthrough in Nuclear Fusion

“Watches, Stories, and Gear” is a roundup of our favorite content, watch or otherwise, from around the internet. Here, we support other creators, explore interesting content that inspires us, and put a spotlight on causes we believe in. Oh, and any gear we happen to be digging on this week. We love gear. Share your story ideas or interesting finds with us by emailing our Managing Editor at [email protected].

Header Image: Via National Geographic

Presented by

This week’s WSG is sponsored by Whatnot. Whatnot is a live stream shopping platform that allows collectors and enthusiasts to connect with their community to buy and sell verified products on a safe and secure platform. Founded in 2019 by Grant Lafontaine and Logan Head, Whatnot has become the biggest live stream shopping platform in the US by purchase and has quickly become the go-to meeting place for enthusiasts, collectors, and shoppers alike. 

Whatnot’s live stream shopping platform captures the excitement of the in-person collector experience, allowing communities and fandoms to connect in real-time. Auctions on the platform have included a wide ranging list of collectibles including the likes of comic books, popular trading cards, and more recently, watches, straps and other accessories. With Whatnot, you have a chance to get deals on specially curated vintage items every day and get this, many auctions start at just $1. 

Whatnot is the future of shopping and the marketplace forum for the collecting community.

A Breakthrough In Nuclear Fusion

This week, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) reported an energy positive result in a fusion experiment for the first time ever. The team subjected a frozen Hydrogen pellet containing fusion fuel with x-rays from a heated Hohlraum, compressing the pellet enough to fuse deuterium and tritium into helium, releasing 3.15 MJ of energy. This is more than the 2.05MJ of energy that was available to it (though not more than the total energy spent on the system), resulting in a net gain of energy. A pretty big deal.

There are of course laundry lists of caveats that come along with this announcement, spanning from energy recovery concerns, to system efficiency, to the substantial costs associated, but this is a big step forward nonetheless. What about tokamaks, you ask? Well, that’s probably still where the smart money is placed when it comes to energy generation of the future, as they provide a clearer pathway to building an infrastructure around energy production, but this headline has certainly garnered the attention needed to provide a helpful push to clear some of the substantial hurdles that still exist. Here’s hoping.

National Geographic’s Best Wildlife Photos of 2022

Photographing wildlife in their natural habitat is one of the most difficult things to do with a camera. So many variables come into play before you would even get the chance to frame the animal and press the shutter button. Not only does gear preparation, weather, and cultural practices factor into the shoot, but the animals themselves are unpredictable. So when you do see a successful photograph, best to appreciate not only the shot, but the story behind it to get the shot. National Geographic recently released their best wildlife photos of 2022 and some of them are just jaw-dropping. From microscopic fungi filaments and a school of triggerfish, to a polar bear napping in the weeds, the list has it all. Check it out here.

Field Mag’s Review Of The Nikonos V

In Field Mag’s latest gear review, Christie Fitzpatrick, a film photographer and writer based out of Whistler, BC, puts her thoughts together on the Nikonos V film camera. Known for its robust orange body and rugged nature, the Nikonos V was the go-to film camera for the adventurous minded in the 60’s and 70’s. It wasn’t until 1983, two decades after the camera was first released, the Nikonos reached its final form with the Nikonos V. The fifth-generation camera came equipped with through-the-lens metering, aperture priority and an array of attachment lenses.

Fast forward to today, the Nikonos V is as relevant as ever when it comes to dependable outdoor film cameras. The Nikonos V has a water resistance rating of 5 ATM and was specifically designed for SCUBA diving. Fun fact, the camera was actually the brainchild of explorer, oceanographer, and Doxa wearing Jacques Cousteau. In her review, Fitzpatrick breaks down the camera by its operation, build and performance. There’s a lot of good nuggets in the review and the photos that accompany her words put the camera’s diversity on display. The Nikonos V is a tool-film camera (if that’s even a thing) if we’ve ever seen one. It’s tough looking and would look great on a desk or on a shelf, but would look even better out in the field.

Algorithmic Artists Flip The Puzzle Game Upside Down

Jessica Rosenkrantz and Jesse Louis-Rosenberg do not make your run-of-the-mill puzzles. In fact, they’re something entirely different, and one might even argue that their newest creation isn’t even a puzzle to begin with. Let’s backtrack a little here. Rosenkrantz and Rosenberg make up Nervous System, a design studio based in Palenville, N.Y. It’s there where the husband and wife duo produce mind-bending laser-cut jigsaw puzzles inspired by shapes and forms that occur in nature. Their signature puzzle cuts include the likes of the dendrite, amoeba, and wave. But their latest offering comes in the form of the Infinity Puzzle, where the puzzle itself can literally go in any direction. These puzzles are weird and fun, or frustrating, depending if you’re a puzzle progressive or purist. Any which way, we appreciate when something unique is being done. Check out the full New York Times spread on Rosenkrantz, Rosenberg and the Nervous System design studio here.