GEOGRAPHY “I am chasing you like a drone/You have become al-Qaida/there’s no trace of you.” Trucks painted in vivid colors and lettered with poems are part of the cultural landscape along the dusty roads of Afghanistan. The short poems take the form of landays, a style native to Afghanistan and other Pashto regions. The verses are read by passers-by, discussed in homes and shops, and … Continue reading Afghanistan’s Poetry in Motion
FOOD Consider the cronut: With the looks of a doughnut and the inner workings of a croissant, this confectionary hybrid has become a near-global sensation since it debuted in New York City in May. (National Geographic News) Scroll down to VOTE for your favorite foodie mash-up! The cronut is a true geographic grocery treat, owing its culinary history to European bakers, Ottoman invaders, and an innate … Continue reading Crazy for Cronuts
ENVIRONMENT Ecuador OKs Oil Drilling in the Amazon “The world has failed us,” says Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa. In 2007, Correa and the United Nations Development Program proposed a plan that would prevent oil drilling in Yasuni National Park. Yasuni is part of the vast rain forest ecosystem of the Amazon basin—the so-called “lungs of the world.” Correa’s plan was to attract donations of at … Continue reading Ecuador OKs Oil Drilling in the Amazon
SCIENCE Voyager 1, a NASA spacecraft launched 36 years ago, is approaching the very edge of our solar system—a mysterious boundary called the heliosphere. (Nat Geo News) Read our short article and watch this three-minute video to learn a little about the Voyager missions and why this is such a tremendous moment in exploration. Discussion Ideas Watch our video on “Space Probes,” which describes the … Continue reading Now, Voyager: Spacecraft at Gateway to Galaxy
UNITED STATES America’s Most Endangered Historical Sites The National Trust for Historic Preservation announced its annual list of America’s “Most Endangered Historic Places”. All of the featured sites were nominated for their historical or architectural significance, their deteriorating conditions, and the viability of a solution to restore them. Discussion Ideas The National Trust for Historic Preservation gives brief accounts of all 11 the endangered historic … Continue reading America’s Most Endangered Historical Sites
