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Explore Alaska's wilderness | Amazing camouflage bugs | Game-changing telescopes

Mother Nature Network Newsletters@mnn.com

In 1960, President Eisenhower set aside a great swath of Alaskan wilderness as a preserved area for wildlife, wilderness, and recreation. President Carter expanded the range to 19.6 million acres in 1980, cementing the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s reputation as the "Last Great Wilderness" of the United States. This distant corner of Alaska is one of the most remote refuges in the country, and also one of the most threatened due to gas and oil exploration. Earlier this summer, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune embarked on an eight-person rafting trip through the region. You can read all about it and see the stunning photos in this travel journal that chronicles their adventures and celebrates the extraordinary wilderness that hosted the group. Enjoy! And remember to visit www.mnn.com for more news you can use throughout the day. WHAT WE'RE READING NOW: • First man-made 'leaf' could produce oxygen for astronauts  • Could you be an unexpected genetic hero?  • And since it's summer: How to remove grass stains naturally Sponsored: When it comes to development, NEPA matters. Here's how the this 1969 law works.

OUr Favorite stories 11 amazing examples of insect camouflage Talk about blending in! These 11 masters of disguise have the most clever of defense mechanisms: Camouflage so convincing that the insects virtually disappear. Read the story ... Microcystin explained – and why you should care This harmful toxin is to blame for Ohio's recent municipal water shutdown, and the conditions that produce it are only expected to get worse. What's going on here?! Read the story ...  What is the alkaline diet? Eating to balance the body's pH may be all the rage among the celebrity set, but is it a scientifically sound diet? Here's the skinny. Read the story ...  6 new telescopes that will change the way we see space A new age of astronomy is dawning, thanks to an unprecedented building boom of big telescopes that are expected to shed light on the mysteries of the universe. Read the story...  On this day in history: In 1912, running as a third-party candidate, Theodore Roosevelt tells the Progressive Party Convention, "There can be no greater issue than that of conservation in this country." Find out more about August 6. Seeing this newsletter for the first time? Click here for your own free subscription to the MNN Daily.  Follow us at Twitter | Like us at Facebook | Follow us at Pinterest