HELP! I'm totally stuck outside because a skunk is holding me hostage, and it's cold. [more inside]
posted by greta simone on Nov 3, 2009 - 34 answers

For a screenplay: what are some wilderness traps one could improvise to incapacitate another person? [more inside]
posted by thejrae on Oct 8, 2009 - 20 answers

What are some good official sources for post-catastrophe, post-accident, or post-emergency reporting? [more inside]
posted by ollyollyoxenfree on Sep 3, 2009 - 5 answers

Survival simulation video games (not horror)...help me find some. Looking for recommendations on survival games (like Lost in Blue, Sims Castaways, etc.) for the PC. [more inside]
posted by Elminster24 on Aug 11, 2009 - 7 answers

I've read and loved the histories of Sir Robert Falcon Scott, James Kim, George Mallory, S. A. Andrée, et cetera, and now I would like to be pointed towards more stories of men and women who -- either by way of adventure or by circumstance -- succumbed to the elements after a protracted attempt at survival... preferably leaving a rich and well-written-about story. [more inside]
posted by cadastral on Jun 5, 2009 - 14 answers

In what percentage of large passenger jet crashes are there any survivors? And on those occasions, what is the average survival rate?
posted by Joe Beese on Apr 5, 2009 - 9 answers

HypotheticalFilter: What would happen to a morbidly obese person if completely deprived of food? [more inside]
posted by leotrotsky on Mar 28, 2009 - 12 answers

Please recommend me a book about disaster/survival along the lines of Shackleton's 'South', Jon Krakauer's 'Into Thin Air' or 'Between a Rock and a Hard Place'. [more inside]
posted by dydecker on Mar 26, 2009 - 23 answers

if i were stranded on a desert island -- or to stray from the cliche, in a postapocalyptic abandoned mall -- how would i make booze? [more inside]
posted by yonation on Mar 18, 2009 - 27 answers

What are some good compendiums of subsistence-level skills/resources available online? [more inside]
posted by generalist on Mar 7, 2009 - 3 answers

Where can I find some tips&tricks for camping in the nature? [more inside]
posted by tseo on Feb 2, 2009 - 12 answers

How is daily life going to change over the next few years - because of the Slow Depression? [more inside]
posted by raikkohamilonso on Jan 29, 2009 - 47 answers

For those of you that have a 9-5 type job that you're not absolutely passionate about, how do you survive the daily grind? [more inside]
posted by mumbleitaliano on Dec 30, 2008 - 17 answers

Why isn't the process of waking up quick and pleasant for most? [more inside]
posted by wackybrit on Nov 24, 2008 - 33 answers

I am a college student, and my cafe likes to charge 7 bucks for a wrap, as such, I try to scrounge food from around the campus, you know, going to events here and there to try and pass up the obscenely large food bill. I carry everything in my bag, from a few extra pieces of clothes, to an emergency flashlight, to an emergency can of slim fast, to everyone of my notebooks and class textbooks. I also carry some of my books in my hands nowadays for space. As you can imagine, my bag is stuffed, I've actually noticed a rip along of of the zippers, so that sections not being used so much anymore, hah, to think, I've only had it for 3 months! I Was wondering what would be a good food that could withstand not getting mushed in my bag, and that if it exploded [happened] that it wouldn't be horrible. Any ideas? PS - as you might be able to tell, I'm a little rough with my bag.
posted by Nighthawk3729 on Nov 17, 2008 - 77 answers

How is paying attention to detail an extremely important skill in the military? I know "why", not doing so can get you or somone else killed, but I don't know "what" people are referring to. [more inside]
posted by sixcolors on Oct 23, 2008 - 20 answers

Someone sneaks up behind you and wraps a rope or belt around your neck to choke you. What is the best way to survive? [Yes, I watch too many violent movies] [more inside]
posted by hihowareyou on Oct 16, 2008 - 26 answers

what animals are terrible parents? [more inside]
posted by Rlocurto on Oct 13, 2008 - 27 answers

Surviving the Economic Crisis: What practical things can the "Average Joe" do to prepare for an economic meltdown? [more inside]
posted by boots77 on Sep 21, 2008 - 22 answers

Less obvious things to bring when going to live in the woods for a month or two? [more inside]
posted by assasinatdbeauty on Sep 5, 2008 - 31 answers

What vegetables, fruits, fish and animals would be recommended for a self-sufficient survival farm? [more inside]
posted by netbros on Jul 7, 2008 - 26 answers

I need help for coping with being a renter for a year. [more inside]
posted by Listener on May 12, 2008 - 25 answers

OutdoorSurvivalFilter: Why is it necessary to skin an animal before roasting over an open fire. [more inside]
posted by hungrysquirrels on Apr 18, 2008 - 22 answers

Best way to mitigate effects of potential peak oil and global warming issues without looking like a nutjob? CYOA in a realistic manner? [more inside]
posted by UMDirector on Mar 4, 2008 - 12 answers

Help me find literature written about life in prisons, work camps, concentration camps etc. [more inside]
posted by Telf on Feb 7, 2008 - 39 answers

Dan Simmons' amazing book, The Terror, has me now longing for more survival/failure to survive stories. What can you recommend? [more inside]
posted by TochterAusElysium on Dec 29, 2007 - 29 answers

I'm looking for a program (in NYC, ideally) that will help me survive the coming apocalypse. [more inside]
posted by incomple on Oct 11, 2007 - 37 answers

[family squabble filter]: My brother is convinced that a human could survive by consuming nothing but blood from other humans. I want to prove him wrong without actually testing his theory. [more inside]
posted by duckierose on Sep 10, 2007 - 21 answers

Would we get enough warning to get out of the way if a big asteroid is bound to hit Earth? How big does an asteroid have to be to be visible for an extended period before it enters atmosphere?
posted by spacefire on Aug 31, 2007 - 26 answers

Ok, so this is a long shot, but I am dying to find out: Looking for a magazine article about the "Top 10 Worst Survival Stories". [more inside]
posted by Hackworth on Jul 29, 2007 - 9 answers

I remember coming across a historical account of a Dutch slave ship being shipwrecked on a tiny island, and the survivors living for many years. Sound familiar? [more inside]
posted by nameless.k on Jul 10, 2007 - 5 answers

Would the internet survive Armageddon? [more inside]
posted by szechuan on Jul 1, 2007 - 37 answers

People drank from a rumen. Although no-one died, is it really okay? [more inside]
posted by tellurian on Jun 30, 2007 - 17 answers

Due to works in my flat I will not have a kitchen for the next couple of months. What can i keep in stock which is easy to prepare and can be stored without refrigeration? [more inside]
posted by jontyjago on Jun 19, 2007 - 11 answers

What survival tips for health and sanity would you give to someone going on an ad-hoc two-week road trip with five others on a tight budget and involving a lot of couch surfing? [more inside]
posted by Slam I Am on Jun 6, 2007 - 31 answers

Which books (or movies) have a similar survivalism theme as 'I am Legend' by Richard Matheson? The specific theme I'm looking for: one person, fighting to hold on to their sanity without the support of any other people. Not necessarily postapocalyptic, just a person struggling to maintain their humanity despite limited/no other human contact.
posted by philomathoholic on Mar 16, 2007 - 27 answers

What sort of gear would you recommend for someone who wants to try living out in the open air for 6-12 months? [more inside]
posted by longbaugh on Nov 30, 2006 - 20 answers

I'm making up a shelter/survival kit - Now that I've got the Laser Printer hooked up, can anybody reccomend web pages I should print out and pack along? [more inside]
posted by Orb2069 on Oct 9, 2006 - 6 answers

Where should I move in order to maximize my chances of surviving the apocalypse? [more inside]
posted by Telf on Sep 6, 2006 - 37 answers

How long can a reasonably healthy human survive without water? [more inside]
posted by Amizu on Jun 29, 2006 - 24 answers

What's the simplest, cheapest yet most complete diet available? [more inside]
posted by 6am on May 2, 2006 - 46 answers

Ways to maximize one's chances of survival, or even to regain some mere semblance of pre-disaster developed-world lifestyle, after an apocalyptic event? [more inside]
posted by cyrusdogstar on Mar 7, 2006 - 36 answers

I'm looking for wholesale water purification tablets online... for Canada... cheap... and with inexpensive shipping... [more inside]
posted by rinkjustice on Feb 18, 2006 - 2 answers

Why did consciousness evolve? [more inside]
posted by 0bvious on Jan 25, 2006 - 39 answers

What should I get for my son to take to Iraq [more inside]
posted by InkaLomax on Dec 13, 2005 - 12 answers

How to cope with unpleasant and not fully explainable longterm medical issues? [more inside]
posted by plinth on Dec 1, 2005 - 10 answers

Help me tie/strap/secure an IKEA box of furniture that we need to return to the store on the roof of my friend's 4 door sedan. [more inside]
posted by stavx on Nov 26, 2005 - 24 answers

Are there any animals that have evolved a use for radioactivity? If so, what ways is it used? If not, why has this not happened? [more inside]
posted by 0bvious on Nov 23, 2005 - 32 answers

Escaping the Big Apple if disaster struck. Suppose you live a quiet life in the Upper West Side filled with mathematical homework and reading Metafilter. Suppose this life was interrupted with CATASTROPHE! How would you escape the city on foot? [more inside]
posted by onalark on Nov 19, 2005 - 40 answers

Someone told me that there was a 9 in 10 chance of getting shot if one is held up at gunpoint. Is this true? [more inside]
posted by spiderskull on Oct 31, 2005 - 26 answers