ENVIRONMENT Kerry Supports Creation of Antarctic MPA Calling himself a “child of the ocean,” U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry voiced his strong support for the creation of a marine protected area (MPA) in Antarctica’s Ross Sea. Kerry emphasized the environmental and economic value of the Ross Sea and all the world’s oceans. “We call this beautiful planet Earth, but it could well have been … Continue reading Kerry Supports Creation of Antarctic MPA
GEOGRAPHY Garden Globe Makes the World a Succulent Sphere One of the world’s “largest living globes” will make its official debut at the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show this week. The geographic features of the enormous globe (4.3-meters (14-foot) tall, 9.5 meters (31 feet) in circumference) are rendered entirely in plants, such as sphagnum moss, echeverias, sedums, and crassulas. The succulent globe is just … Continue reading Creative Materials Bring Maps to Life
WORLD Obama Plans ‘Listening Tour’ of Israel When U.S. President Barack Obama arrives in Israel on Wednesday, he will not be carrying detailed plans for a Middle East peace process. Instead, Obama has planned a “listening tour,” where he looks forward to hearing both Israeli and Palestinian proposals for increased diplomacy. National Geographic Emerging Explorer Aziz Abu Sarah is a cultural educator working to build … Continue reading Obama Plans ‘Listening Tour’ of Israel
GEOGRAPHY Women’s Political Rights Around the World This interactive map displays three sets of data focused on the history of women’s political rights around the world. Using a timeline, the map charts women’s right to vote (suffrage), right to stand for election, and the date of the nation’s first woman elected to office. The map is also clickable, displaying more information on issues that impact women’s political … Continue reading Mapping Women’s Political Rights
BUSINESS Frustration and failure fuel Dyson’s success In this terrific interview, Sir James Dyson explains how his innovative designs—the bagless vacuum cleaner made him a billionaire—only succeeded because of his past failures. Discussion ideas: Watch this short video (“Turning Failure into Nobel Gold“), in which chemist Martin Chalfie describes “the real way science is done.” Chalfie’s colleague Osamu Shimomura conducted experiment after experiment where “Nothing worked!” … Continue reading Failure is the Best Medicine
