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Why Earthquakes Are Devastating Nepal

The May 12 7.3 magnitude aftershock was one of many that followed the April 25 earthquake that shook Nepal. Why is this part of the world such a hotbed of tectonic activity?

Source: video.nationalgeographic.com

This video is in a series by National Geographic designed to show the geography behind the current events–especially geared towards understanding the physical geography. Check out more videos in the ‘101 videos‘ series here.

Tags: physical, National Geographic, tectonics, disasters, video.

May 13, 2015 0

Digging In: Land Reclamation and Defenses in the South China Sea

The U.S. Department of Defense’s latest assessment of the Chinese military provided new detail on China’s land reclamation efforts on several of the islets that it occupies in the South China Sea. These include Fiery Cross Reef, Gaven Reef, Johnson South Reef, Mischief Reef, and Subi Reef in the Spratly archipelago. By December 2014, the report estimated that China had reclaimed as much as 500 acres of new land, creating full-fledged islands where only coral reefs or sand spits existed before. Since then, China has only accelerated its efforts, expanding the total land area that it has reclaimed to 2,000 acres and building military facilities, ports, and at least one airstrip on the islands.

Source: www.fpri.org

We’ve heard in the news recently that China is reclaiming land from the South China see to presumably construct an air strip to strengthen their claims in the region. China is not alone in this…

Tags: borders, political, confl ict, water, China, East Asia.

May 12, 2015 0

A City For Abandoned Mothers In India

Thousands of widows have been making their way to the holy city of Vrindavan in northern India to spend the rest of their lonely lives. Cast out by their families, or simply alone in the world, some travel hundreds of miles to get there.

Tags: gender, India, SouthAsia, culture.

Source: www.youtube.com

May 11, 2015 0

Vertical villages are changing the concept of neighborhood

Multifamily dwellings in high-density areas are changing the concept of neighborhood.

Tags: housing, urban, place, neighborhood, spatial, density.

Source: www.startribune.com

May 11, 2015 0

Mapping Migration in the United States

An interactive map showing nationwide migration patterns in the United States since 1900.

Source: www.nytimes.com

An oldie, but goodie. This incredible series of interactive charts from the New York Times show where the residents of every U.S. state were born and how that data has changed over time (update: now available as an interactive map). This graph of Florida shows that around 1900, most people living in Florida were from the South. Around the middle of the 20th century more people from other parts of the U.S. and from outside the U.S. started moving in. What changes in U.S. society led to these demographic shifts? How has demographics of your state changes over the last 114 years?

On the flip side, many people have been leaving California and this article charts the demographic impact of Californians on other states.

Tags: migration, USA, visualization, census, unit 2 population.

May 11, 2015 0

Living in the Age of Airplanes

“LIVING IN THE AGE OF AIRPLANES is a story about how the airplane has changed the world. Filmed in 18 countries across all 7 continents, it renews our appreciation for one of the most extraordinary and awe-inspiring aspects of the modern world.” airplanesmovie.com

Source: vimeo.com

I was absolutely delighted to see this film on the big screen…it was as visually stunning as any film I’d ever seen. I and my young children were mesmerized. So much of the modern world that we take for granted is absolutely revolutionary. This is a great teacher’s guide to teaching with this film.

Tags: transportation, globalization, diffusion, industry, economic, video, National Geographic, visualization.

May 10, 2015 0

Giving the Poor Easy Access to Healthy Food Doesn’t Mean They’ll Buy It

Those living in areas without fresh produce tend not to eat well. But just putting in a supermarket is not a panacea, it turns out.

Tags: food distribution, food, economic, poverty, place, socioeconomic, neighborhood.

Source: www.nytimes.com

May 9, 2015 0

Motion of Tectonic Plates

“This video is from the BBC documentary film Earth: The Power Of The Planet. The clip is also embedded in this story map that tells the tale of Earth’s tectonic plates, their secret conspiracies, awe-inspiring exhibitions and subtle impacts on the maps and geospatial information we so often take for granted as unambiguous.”

Tags: physical, tectonics, disasters, mapping, geospatial, mapping, video, ESRI.

Source: www.youtube.com

May 9, 2015 0

Rare Look Inside Antarctic Explorers’ Huts

After 10 years of conservation efforts, the huts that once housed the likes of Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton are ready for a new generation.

Tags: Antarctica, National Geographic.

Source: www.youtube.com

May 8, 2015 0