ENVIRONMENT A kayaking fisherman was Hawaii’s second shark attack fatality this year, following an August attack on a snorkeler. Prior to 2013 there hadn’t been a single fatal shark attack in Hawaii since 2004. Are shark attacks on the rise? (National Geographic News) Use our resources to better understand sharks and their behavior. The species of shark responsible for the death of the fisherman has … Continue reading Another Deadly Shark Attack in Hawaii
GEOGRAPHY There’s no easy way to track all of the world’s crops. What’s missing, among other things, is an accurate map showing where they are. But now, a game is turning people into citizen scientists to help identify cropland. (NPR) Use our MapMaker Interactive to understand cropland and other land cover. Discussion Ideas Why might agricultural ecologists and farmers be interested in more accurate maps … Continue reading Spot the Crop
BUSINESS Publishers have long bemoaned Africa’s lack of a “book culture,” but some hope that the widespread use of smartphones and the Internet could help change this. (BBC) Use our resources to understand how one explorer is using mobile technology to help Africa’s educators and entrepreneurs help themselves. In this video, teachers explain how e-readers are helping their students—and the entire community. Discussion Ideas Why … Continue reading Beyond Books
ENVIRONMENT There is good news and bad news from the world’s leading scientists who study endangered species. Such ups and downs are among the findings of the latest update to the Red List, a guide to the world’s rarest species maintained by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). (National Geographic News) Use our resources to understand how the IUCN evaluates a species … Continue reading ‘Red List’ Offers Updates on Endangered Species
GEOGRAPHY AWARENESS WEEK! BUSINESS Business leaders and environmentalists say putting an economic value on nature could be the best way to save it. One conservation organization views it as “The Great Nature Sale.” (BBC) Join the Great Nature Project to invest in nature without spending a dime. Discussion Ideas Read the BBC article. What factors are business leaders considering when assessing an area’s “natural capital”? … Continue reading Great Nature Sale
