The last Dak runner

Mountain mail men once connected remote Himalayan villages to the outside world. They cut through jungles and navigated rugged terrain in the service of strangers. Now a dying breed, this is the story of a disappearing clan of ultrarunners.

Our degrees don’t cost the same

About 10 years ago, I was awarded a master’s degree at TU Delft. Imprinted on matte paper in dark ink and wrapped in a cylindrical red tube, the degree was capable of opening doors that were otherwise not even visible to my next of kin.

A guide to writing scientific text

Scientific writing is a lifelong pursuit. Even though our varied reading habits predispose us to various styles of writing, it usually takes years to hone the skills needed for excerpts to read well.