Earth Beat, 15 July 2011. We strip it all off to see if you experience the world around you differently, when naked. We speak to a naked hiker, a naked dancer, a naked anthropologist and find out why they do what they do. All in the best possible taste, of course.

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Hiking naked
Imagine stripping off and stepping out in the sunshine for a stroll. For many of us it’s a terrifying thought, but for others it’s the only way to connect with the environment.

Shane Steinkamp, pictured left, has been hiking in his birthday suit for more than 20 years and tells host Marnie Chesterton it’s the only way he can experience the wilderness. Because being naked means he can connect with the natural world (more photos at foot of page).

Link - Shane Steinkamp's Hiking Journal

Nude expert
Dr Ruth Barcan has spent seven years researching and writing about nudism for her book Nudism, a cultural anatomy. She has encountered many a bare body in her time, making her the perfect studio guest for this week’s programme. She helps us to untangle this thorny, and taboo topic. 

Nude photos
You’ve all had that dream when you’re walking down the street and suddenly realise you’re totally starkers, but imagine doing just that… for your art.

Photographer Miru Kim seeks out provocative places to pose for pictures, whether it’s in the sewers of Seoul or on Manhattan Bridge. And she does it without wearing any clothes (more photos at foot of page).

Link - Miru Kim - Naked City Spleen

Video - Miru photographed some rarely-visited ruins in and around Istanbul:

Clothes ban
What would happen if clothes were banned and everyone had to be naked? Would people venture out in public? Would there be a new craze in fashion paint? Writer and comedian Rose Heiney muses on the prospects of a naked world.

Baring all for ballet
Dancer and choreographer Javier de Frutos, pictured left, made his name performing naked, despite a long-standing fear of public nudity. He uses the human body as if it were a costume, because it enables him to add a new dimension to the dances he directs.

As nature didn’t intend it
The Nieuwe Meer is a large lake on the edge of Amsterdam. Over the decades an unofficial nudist section has developed, especially for single men. In attempting to eradicate this, the local council has introduced an unusual deterrent and as Chris Chambers writes, the ultimate loser is nature itself (photos at foot of page).

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