UNITED STATES The US aviation regulator has announced the six states that will host sites for testing commercial use of drones. (BBC) Plot the test sites on our 1-Page Map of the United States. Use different markers for different tests, and guess where the (unannounced) tests on the West Coast will be. Discussion Ideas The test sites described in the BBC article are being tested … Continue reading US Announces Test Sites for Domestic Drones
SCIENCE Man’s best friends may have started off as European wolves, according to scientists whose research is challenging earlier thinking around how dogs became domestic animals. (National Geographic News, New York Times) Use our resources to better understand domestication and its discontents. Discussion Ideas The idea that dogs evolved from wolves or a common ancestor is hardly a new idea. In fact, dogs’ scientific name, … Continue reading First Dogs May Have Been European
GEOGRAPHY Maps and mongrels and metros, oh my! Researchers at an MIT lab have devised a way to determine how well commuters can comprehend a subway map—in a glance. (Fast Company, great article!) Use our resources to better understand public transportation, and how to map it. Discussion Ideas Look through our GeoStory “Public Transportation,” which provides maps for buses, trains, and metros. (Maps are not … Continue reading Building a Better Subway Map
SCIENCE A 1.8 million-year-old skull has rekindled debate over the identity of humanity’s ancient ancestors. (National Geographic News) Use our resources to better understand hominins and the human family tree. Discussion Ideas Read our terrific GeoStory “Hominin History,” which briefly outlines different hominin species, from S. tchadensis to H. sapiens sapiens. The authors of the new study profiled in the Nat Geo News article suggest that … Continue reading Scientists Debate Species of Ancient Humans Unearthed in Georgia
GEOGRAPHY The Saddest Tweeters Live in Texas Researchers analyzed ten million tweets to map happiness in the U.S. Congrats, Napa. Buck up, Beaumont. Discussion Ideas: In their academic study, researchers analyzed individual words used in tweets across the nation. Can students list some “positive” and “negative” words? How do those words match up with the words researchers analyzed? Most positive: laughter, happiness, love, happy, laughed, … Continue reading Geography of Happiness
