Geographical articles from January 2006

Geographical archives from January 2006

A short walk into history.(A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush)(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... By the time Eric Newby set off in 1956 on an expedition across Central Asia that was to be immortalised in his book A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, he was already on the road to literary fame. His earlier book, The Great Grain Race, had met...

The UN says that the international community needs to define, recognise and extend support to a new category of 'refugee' in light of recent natural disasters.(United Nations)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The UN says that the international community needs to define, recognise and extend support to a new category of 'refugee' in light of recent natural disasters. It has been predicted that by 2010, as many as 50 million people will be displaced...

The Margaret Mee Foundation is seeking original watercolours by the late botanical illustrator with a view to organising a complete catalogue of her works, which will lead to publication of a definitive book.(BRAZIL)
January 1, 2006... The Margaret Mee Foundation is seeking original watercolours by the late botanical illustrator with a view to organising a complete catalogue of her works, which will lead to publication of a definitive book. If you have, or know the...

Pluto appears to have two more moons, say scientists studying the planet using the Hubble Space Telescope.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Pluto appears to have two more moons, say scientists studying the planet using the Hubble Space Telescope. Pluto already has one moon, Charon, discovered in 1978, which is 1,200 kilometres in diameter. The newly discovered satellites are around...

Two American Museum of Natural History biologists have overturned conventional thinking by suggesting that islands can be sources of biodiversity rather than just the destination of species moving from continents.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Two American Museum of Natural History biologists have overturned conventional thinking by suggesting that islands can be sources of biodiversity rather than just the destination of species moving from continents. The scientists cite evidence...

Global greenhouse gas emissions will rise by 52 per cent by 2030 unless steps are taken to reduce energy consumption, says the latest annual World Energy Outlook report from the International Energy Agency.(GLOBAL)
January 1, 2006... Global greenhouse gas emissions will rise by 52 per cent by 2030 unless steps are taken to reduce energy consumption, says the latest annual World Energy Outlook report from the International Energy Agency. Demand for Oil will rise by a similar...

Supermarkets may sink fish stocks.(Worldwatch)
January 1, 2006... Some of the UK's largest seafood retailers are wilfully ignorant of the damage being done to fish stocks, according to a recent Greenpeace report. Many British supermarkets, which sell 90 per cent offish in the UK, buy fish "with little...

Earth's wobbles drove human evolution.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... A cruelly fickle climate in East Africa two million years ago could have triggered the rapid development of the human race, according to Dr Mark Maslin, a palaeoclimatologist at University College, London. "The old story is that East Africa...

Welsh forest becomes latest Geopark.(Brecon Beacons National Park becomes member of European Geoparks Network)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The western region of Brecon Beacons National Park in South Wales, known as Fforest Fawr (or Great Forest), has become the latest member of the prestigious European Geoparks Network. The designation, which is reviewed every three years,...

Little Ice Age 'is still with us'.(University of Aberdeen's Alastair Dawson on global warming)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Measurements of chemicals in the North Atlantic Ocean have led a team of scientists to conclude that, despite today's warming climate, Europe has yet to leave behind the Little Ice Age, which began in mediaeval times. Presenting his...

Nile expedition halted by killing.(Keith Steve Willis killed in attack)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... A British and New Zealand expedition attempting to complete the first non-stop ascent of the Nile was halted in November after an attack by rebel soldiers in Uganda left a Briton dead. Keith Steve Willis, who had lived and worked in Uganda...

Top 10 busiest airports.(Statistical table)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Busiest airports TOP Total passengers 10 per year (millions) 1 Atlanta, Hartsfield 83.6 2 Chicago, O'Hare 75.5 3 London, Heathrow 67.3 4 Tokyo, Haneda 62.3 ...

Fiji reef gains protection.(marine protected areas )(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Fiji has launched its first network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) on the Great Sea Reef, the world's third-longest barrier reef. Permanent 'tabu' zones, where no fishing or other harvesting can take place, have been set up as part of Fiji's...

Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002): Norwegian explorer who drifted across the Pacific on a raft to test theories of human migration.(Biography)
January 1, 2006... What was his background? Thor Heyerdahl, born in Larvik, Norway, on 6 October 1914, was a nature enthusiast from his earliest days, running a one-room zoological museum from his home while still in primary school. Inspired by his mother,...

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has become the first World Heritage site to be awarded ISO 14001 certification, the international standard for Environmental Management Systems.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, has become the first World Heritage site to be awarded ISO 14001 certification, the international standard for Environmental Management Systems. This means that it meets stringent standards regarding the...

The ruling military junta of the country formerly known as Burma is moving the ministries of government from the capital city of Yangon in the south to jungle-bound Pyinmana.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The ruling military junta of the country formerly known as Burma is moving the ministries of government from the capital city of Yangon in the south to jungle-bound Pyinmana, some 600 kilometres north.

Nestle has launched a Fairtrade-approved coffee brand. Last year, the company, which buys 750,000 tonnes of coffee beans a year, was named the world's least responsible.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Nestle has launched a Fairtrade-approved coffee brand. Last year, the company, which buys 750,000 tonnes of coffee beans a year, was named the world's least responsible. Critics have accused Nestle of a cynical attempt to improve its reputation...

A great white shark named Nicole (after shark-loving actress Nicole Kidman) by researchers swam more than 19,000 kilometres--from South Africa to Australia and back--in under nine months.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... A great white shark named Nicole (after shark-loving actress Nicole Kidman) by researchers swam more than 19,000 kilometres-from South Africa to Australia and back--in under nine months. It's the first time a shark has been known to cross an...

Clavell Tower in Dorset is closer to being saved from falling into the sea thanks to a 436,700 [pounds sterling] Heritage Lottery Fund grant.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Clavell Tower in Dorset is closer to being saved from falling into the sea thanks to a 436,700 [pounds sterling] Heritage Lottery Fund grant. The LandmarkTrust plans to move the building, which was built in 1830 and is also known as Tower of...

Geographical contributor Peter Mallet received an Award of Excellence at the 46th Annual Photography Exhibition of the Journal of Creative Excellence, Communicative Arts for his photo-essay of contemporary Mexico, Of pyramids and progress.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Geographical contributor Peter Mallet received an Award of Excellence at the 46th Annual Photography Exhibition of the Journal of Creative Excellence, Communicative Arts for his photo-essay of contemporary Mexico, Of pyramids and progress,...

Driving south: hot weather forecast for Sahara rally.
January 1, 2006... The Paris-Dakar rally, in which competitors in cars and on motorbikes race across the inhospitable Sahara Desert, is held this month. So what sort of conditions can the competitors expect and what is the climate there like during the rest of...

50 years ago today Geographical January 1956.(Telford Hindley spots California condor)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The first issue of Geographical for 1956 carried an article about the California condor. First described in 1797, the largest of the vultures was once found on both North American coasts: between British Columbia in Canada and Baja California...

Tools for Self Reliance (TFSR).(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... When and how was TFSR founded? Glynn Roberts first conceived of TFSR in 1979 when he was living in Tanzania. He realised that although people had the will and drive to make better lives for themselves, they lacked the tools or training to...

Geographical flags of the world: Philippines.(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Description: The Philippine flag has two equally sized horizontal bands of red and blue and a white equilateral triangle on the hoist side. In the centre of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight rays and three five-pointed stars--one in each...

Q&A: you wanted to know about tornadoes, the UK's population of 100-year-olds, the origins of our oceans, an African border dispute, England's nation status and alien invasions. Chris Edwards has the answers.
January 1, 2006... We only seem to hear about tornadoes in the USA and the UK. Do they occur elsewhere? B Lee, Sheffield Tornadoes have been observed on all of the world's continents except Antarctica. However, certain climates are more prone to tornadoes...

Annual conference 2006.(Royal Geographical Society with Institute of British Geographers)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Professor Linda McDowell of the University of Oxford will chair this year's RGS-IBG annual conference, to be held in London between 30 August and 1 September. Sessions, papers and other forms of presentation are being invited under the...

New geography website.(Royal Geographical Society's new site)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... In spring, the Society will launch its new website. Currently undergoing a complete facelift, the site will be easier to navigate and will feature a members' only section that will offer online events booking and special content. Up-to-date...

Recognition for the society's collections.(Museums Libraries and Archives Council)
January 1, 2006... EDITORIAL: The Society has always been well known in geographical circles for its collection of maps, photographs, books and documents. Recently, however, our collection was given official recognition when the Museums Libraries and Archives...

Lecture of the month: the golden land of Myanmar.(In Society: A round-up of news, views and recent and forthcoming events at the RGS-IBG)(Margaret Goodwin )(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... 26 January, 7.30pm (LECTURE, CHESTER) Margaret Goodwin is a photographer with a passion for culture, tribal groups and mountain landscapes. This passion has taken her deep into the Himalayan kingdoms of Bhutan and Tibet and through Laos and...

A selection of January's other Society events.(In Society: A round-up of news, views and recent and forthcoming events at the RGS-IBG)
January 1, 2006... For details, please contact the Events Office on 020 7591 3100 16 January, 6.30pm A sense of place: why Turkey matters (LECTURE, LONDON) In a timely talk, Chris Morris, BBC correspondent and author of the book The New Turkey,...

New exhibition.(Royal Geographical Society's photographic exhibition)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The beginning of the new year will see the opening of the Society's latest photographic exhibition. Lost Landscapes will explore man-made and natural changes to rural and urban landscapes in Britain and around the world. The background and...

Royal Geographical Society with IBG: advancing geography and geographical learning.(Royal Geographical Society with Institute of British Geographers)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Patron Her Majesty The Queen Honorary President HRH The Duke of Kent The Council President Sir Neil Cossons OBE Vice Presidents Elspeth Insch OBE, Professor Keith Richards, Professor David Thomas Honorary...

The railway that never was: plan of the Direct London and Sydenham Railway (1856-57).(Royal Geographical Society)(Plan)
January 1, 2006... This loose sheet 'Plan of the Direct London and Sydenham Railway' by civil engineer William Bull carries his autograph and an inscription to Dr H Norton Shaw, secretary of the Royal Geographical Society between 1849 and 1863. The map represents...

Hidden treasure of the dessert.(Michael Freeman on Sudan in his book, 'Sudan: The land and the People')(Cover story)
January 1, 2006... SUDAN For two years, photographer Michael Freeman travelled all over Africa's largest country, visiting every major town and village, including some areas that no Westerner had seen for decades. The resulting images, featured in his book Sudan:...

The tsunami one year on: rebuilding lives in Aceh: the Boxing Day 2004 tsunami wiped much of Aceh off the map. In the disaster's aftermath, the Acehnese have banded together to rebuild devastated communities. Alina Paul, a relief worker for the International Medical Corps, reports on the recovery process.
January 1, 2006... We stop where the road disappears beneath the water--a new channel created when the tsunami brought the ocean inland. Seeing Samidan's reddened eyes, I avert my gaze. In the silence, it feels as if I'm intruding upon memories that are still...

Slave routes across the Sahara: although historians have tended to focus on the Atlantic slave trade in African people, the numbers transported northwards across the desert are truly staggering. Justin Marozzi travels through the Libyan Sahara in search of the legacy of this lamentable traffic.
January 1, 2006... When Englishman James Richardson set out for the Libyan Sahara in 1845, his motives weren't those of the average Saharan explorer. His mission, he wrote, was to excite "an abhorrence of the slave trade" in the hearts of his fellow countrymen....

Aids crisis: 25 years on: forget bird flu. The world is already gripped by a health crisis of catastrophic proportions. Twenty five years since the discovery of AIDS, HIV is now the most serious threat to humankind since the black death and we're not even close to controlling it.
January 1, 2006... Thursday 3 October 2002, just another autumn day in Washington DC. But for those meeting at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), it was anything but normal. That morning, more than 40 representatives of the UN, the World...

HIV and 'crystal' in the USA: gay and bisexual men in the USA are using the drug crystal methamphetamine to initiate, enhance and prolong sexual encounters. Professor Perry Haltikis, director of the Center for Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention Studies at New York University, explains how 'crystal' is exacerbating the HIV/AIDS epidemic among this community.
January 1, 2006... "Although it has been used recreationally for more than 30 years, crystal has become known as the ultimate sex drug during the past ten years. Like ecstacy, it stimulates the release of dopamine in the brain--a hormone associated with pleasure...

Testing prevention: in 2004, Botswana became the first country in the world to offer routine HIV testing. Tsetsele Fantan of Botswana NGO African Comprehensive AIDS Partnerships explains how the offer of testing and treatment is also helping with prevention.
January 1, 2006... "We in Botswana inherited a stringent approach towards testing from the West, which said that in order to perform an HIV test you needed the individual's permission after a long counselling session. But we found that very few people were...

HIV and the golden quadrilateral highway: in six Indian states, prevalence rates are more than one percent in the general population and even higher among high-risk groups. Dr Smarajit Jana explains how CARE International is working to control the epidemic among long-distance truck drivers and sex workers.
January 1, 2006... "In recent years, the Indian government has been developing a huge national ring road in an effort to improve the country's transport links. The Golden Quadrilateral Highway will eventually cover almost 6,000 kilometres and connect Delhi,...

Eric Newby: 50 years after this short walk: in 1956, young travel writer Eric Newby and his friend Hugh Carless set out on an expedition to Central Asia, later immortalised in Newby's brilliant comic tale A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush. Half a century later, he reminisces with Robin Hanbury-Tenison.(Interview)(Biography)
January 1, 2006... Eric Newby is a chameleon. His prolific autobiographical writings cover a life of infinite variety. A man of many parts, he is far more than just a travel writer. Brave, observant, erudite and, above all, funny, he brings his own...

Going for the guilt-free option: now in their second year, the Responsible Tourism Awards shine the spotlight on excellence in the field of sustainable tourism. Tom Chesshyre looks at what makes a winner.(Tribes Travel's Guy Marks, Amanda Marks)
January 1, 2006... During the 1980s, Guy Marks was a wheeler-dealer commodity broker. His wife, Amanda, was a high-flying advertising executive, handling clients such as ICI and Prudential. Independently, (at the time they didn't know each other) they gave up...

Mongolia: steppe back in time.(Royal Geographical Society)(Image)
January 1, 2006... During the 13th century, Genghis Khan created Mongolia by unifying the nomadic tribes of the Gobi Desert. Under his rule, the country built the largest land empire in history. Eventually absorbed into the ManChu Quing empire, Mongolia then...

A 20-year love affair with Ethiopia.(The Chains of Heaven: An Ethiopian Romance )(Book review)
January 1, 2006... The Chains of Heaven: An Ethiopian Romance by Philip Marsden HarperCollins, hb, pp320, 14.99 [pounds sterling] The first thing I wanted to do after reading this wonderful book was buy a ticket to Addis Ababa and head north. Such is the...

This is no tourist trip.(The Road to Timbuktu)(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... The Road to Timbuktu by Tom Fremantle Constable, pb, pp288, 7.99 [pounds sterling] What began as a conversation around the Christmas table became reality for Tom Fremantle when he set off to visit the fabled Timbuktu and follow in the...

An unconventional view of a revered river.(The Ganges: Along Sacred Waters)(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... by Aldo Pavan Thames & Hudson, hb, pp336, 29.95 [pounds sterling] Italian photographer travels the length of the Ganges, takes lots of great photos and Thames & Hudson package it all up in their much-copied coffee-table style. And that...

Bound for Botany Bay: British Convict Voyages to Australia.(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... Bound for Botany Bay: British Convict Voyages to Australia by Alan Brooke and David Brandon The National Archives, hb, pp272, 19.99 [pounds sterling] The standard image of transportation is a Dickensian one: petty thieves subjected to the...

Brutality, starvation and cannibalism, I presume.(The Last Expedition: Stanley's Fatal Journey Through the Congo)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... The Last Expedition: Stanley's Fatal Journey through the Congo by Daniel Liebowitz and Charlie Pearson Portrait, hb, pp356, 17.99 [pounds sterling] The murder of General Gordon and the fall of Khartoum to the Mahdists--Islamist radicals on...

A Silver Legend: The Story of the Marie Theresa Thaler.(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... A Silver Legend: The Story of the Marie Theresa Thaler by Clara Semple, Barzan, hb, pp166, 19.95 [pounds sterling] Wilfred Thesiger famously carried 2,000 of them across the Empty Quarter during the late 1940s; in 1868, Sir Samuel Barker...

Top 10 writer's reads.(Philip Marsden)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Philip Marsden Philip Marsden is the award-winning author of The Crossing Place, A Journey among the Armenians, The Bronski House and The Main Cages, among others. His latest book is The Chains of Heaven: An Ethiopian Romance Collected...

Our Fragile World.(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... Our Fragile World by Troth Wells and Caspar Henderson Thames & Hudson, hb, pp192, 24.95 Our Fragile World This lavish photography book, conceived, written and produced by the staff of New Internotionalist magazine, is intended as both a...

Paperback round-up.(By the Seat of My Pants)(Road to Katmandu)(Foreign Babes in Beijing )(Book review)
January 1, 2006... The peculiarity of being a stranger in a foreign land unites this month's paperbacks, with all three providing first-hand accounts of life abroad. By the Seat of My Pants, the result of a Lonely Planet competition, includes more than 30...

Geographical classic #26.(A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush)(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush by Eric Newby First published 1958 by Secker & Warburg. Most recent edition published by Picador, pb, pp256, 7.99 [pounds sterling] A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush is one of the best known and best loved...

An atlas that reaches for the stars.(Universal Atlas of the World Philip's)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... Universal Atlas of the World Philip's, hb, pp560, 90 [pounds sterling] It might sound strange, but as atlases become more comprehensive it's easier than ever to get lost--in their glossy, colourful pages, that is. Over time, atlases...

A looking glass into the past.(The Map Book)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... The Map Book edited by Peter Barber Weidenfeld & Nicolson, hb, pp360, 25 [pounds sterling] To many, a map is "just an ephemeral item of passing need", as editor Peter Barber, head of map collections at the British Library, readily admits...

Fencing Paradise: Reflections on the Myths of Eden.(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2006... Fencing Paradise: Reflections on the Myths of Eden by Richard Mabey Eden Project Books, hb, pp230, 15.99 [pounds sterling] In 2004, three years after the Eden Project's official opening, British naturalist Richard Mabey was invited to write...

Outdoor technology: essential gear: expeditioners are increasingly employing high-tech equipment to stay safe and keep in touch with the outside world, says Paul Deegan.
January 1, 2006... During the autumn of 1988, co led a 47 strong expedition to Nepal. The aim was to clean up the 35 years' worth of mountaineers' rubbish that had accumulated at the foot of Mount Everest. We ran into our first major snag in Kathmandu when we...

Ten of the best: gadgets ahoy! Once more we've scoured the high street, pored over endless catalogues and surfed the web to find the pick of the latest offerings from the world of kit.(ESSENTIAL GEAR)
January 1, 2006... 1 Satellite telephone Iridium 9505A* 900 [pounds sterling]/375 grams Iridium remains the only handheld phone that works at all latitudes. This handset includes a low cost texting facility. Pay-as-you-go voice options start at US$1.30...

Sister sledge.
January 1, 2006... Hamax's new fold-away sledge solves the problem of storing the traditionally cumbersome contraptions until the next snowfall. Made from hinged panels of laminated plywood, it folds flat to about eight centimetres thick and comes in two lengths:...

Water friend.
January 1, 2006... The handy Hydropal filtration bottle (14.99 [pounds sterling]) will remove 99.9 per cent of Giardia cysts and Crytosporidium oocysts from (un-iced over) natural water sources and will perform up to 250 refills. Stockists: 020 8847 4422

New blue.
January 1, 2006... Cotswold Outdoor has launched its own brand of equipment and clothing called Blue Mountain. Info: 0870 442 7744; www.cotswoldoutdoor.com

Rohan's new shoes.
January 1, 2006... Rohan has launched a new range of men's footwear. The nine different styles cover all types of travel, from urban escapades to off-the-beaten-track adventures. They are available in all Rohan stores. Prices range from a reasonable 50 [pounds...

A seamless combination.(Ajungilak introduces seamless sleeping bag)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... March sees the launch of the world's first seamless sleeping bag. The Ajungilak Future features two layers of synthetic insulation, which are spot-laminated to the sleeping bag lining to prevent cold spots, which can occur when insulation is...

Berghaus offers a (warm) hand.(introduces new battery powered gloves)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... This winter, you'll be able to keep the cold at bay thanks to Berghaus's new battery-powered gloves. The Heatcell Mitt distributes warmth at the flick of a switch for up to three hours via a conductive yarn that's been knitted into the glove's...

Schistosomiasis (Bilhartziasis): medical advice from Jason Gibbs, head pharmacist at Nomad Travel stores and health clinics.(Editorial)
January 1, 2006... This disease is most common in sub-Saharan Africa in particular Lake Nyasa--but areas of Brazil, China and other parts of Asia are also affected. It's mainly caused by three species of fluke--Schistoma haematobia, S.japonicum and S. mansoni....

Explorer's essentials: Hugh Thompson, Bristol-based explorer, filmmaker and author.(Editorial)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Black synthetic canoe sacks Not that I ever go near a canoe. They may look more like body bags than luggage, but they're great for gear storage and seem to be completely rip-proof, even when carried on the back of mules that seem...

The Geographical Good Guide guide.(Luxe City Guides)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... Helping you choose that vitally important, but often rather confusing, item of kit: the guidebook Luxe City Guides A BIT OF HISTORY Published in Hong Kong since 2002, there are now 14 titles in this Australasian series. WHAT ARE...

Time and tide: the UK's wild and dramatic coastline offers endless photographic possibilities. But you'll need more than just a camera and an artistic eye.(United Kingdom)
January 1, 2006... The sight of the ocean stretching from the shore to the horizon has a powerful effect on our senses and imagination. Photographically, there is an enormous range of possibilities wherever land meets sea, depending on the local geology. But...

Still researching the world: with the publication of the latest annual round-up of the RGS-IBG grants programme, grants officer Greg Dow reflects on 12 months of inspiring and important project.(Royal Geographical Society with Institute of British Geographers)
January 1, 2006... For 175 years, The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) has been offering funding and support for geographical research, fieldwork and teaching. At the beginning of the new year, we're looking forward to...

Forthcoming grants.(Royal Geographical Society donations to undergraduate teams)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... If you're looking for funding for fieldwork and expeditions planned for this summer, it's time to get moving, as the RGS-IBG's main grants deadlines are in January. Our primary grants for undergraduate teams, the Geographical Fieldwork Grants,...

Forthcoming deadlines.
January 1, 2006... 31 DECEMBER 2005: Small Research Grants: grants of up to 3,000 [pounds sterling] for desk- or field-based postdoctoral research 31 DECEMBER 2005: EPSRC Geographical Research Grants: grants of up to 3,000 [pounds sterling] available for...

Black beer blues.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... Thank you for a really interesting article on mountaineer Alan Hinkes (8,000 metre mountain man, December 2005). I think it's great that you're drawing attention to the amazing and prolonged feat of endurance and skill that Hinkes has achieved...

Spurious cachet.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... In your November issue (which I enjoyed reading), the meaning of the word 'explorer' is discussed (From the editor). Its application in magazines and newspapers to latter-day adventurers tends to equate these people in the public mind with the...

Charity challenge fatigue.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... At the risk of inducing charity challenge fatigue, I have to take issue with Adrian Lucas (Mailbag, November 2005). First, although Mr Lucas is correct in saying that you can give money directly to a charity, how many of us do so without some...

Another black leopard spotted.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... I greatly enjoyed Christopher Ondaatje's article on the black leopard (The riddle of Lewa Downs, November 2005). I saw one once--and once only--during my years in Kenya. It was around 1962 during a drive with a friend across the Aberdare...

A Norwegian mystery is solved.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... I refer to the excellent pictures selected by Pen Hadow from the Royal Geographical Society archive (History's ultimate explorer, November 2005). On page 76, there is a caption regarding an unknown event that took place on 17 May 1895. As even...

Spirit of the age.(LETTERS)(Cartoon)
January 1, 2006... OF COURSE IT'S BLACK-IT'S GOT FROSTBITE! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Best boot forward.(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2006... I was fascinated to read that during the successful 1953 ascent of Mount Everest, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay used different climbing boots based on different technology (Essential gear, December 2005). This is exactly the sort of...

Lost in the post.(most colourful shellfish)(Brief article)
January 1, 2006... The world's most colourful shellfish, this abalone is black with an interior of swirling rainbow colours, mainly blues and greens. Its shell has been used in jewellery in the stamp's country of origin for many years, but increased demand has...

Jo Sargent in conversation with ... Rebecca Stephens.(Women mountaineer)(Interview)
January 1, 2006... Rebecca Stephens Was the first British woman to climb Mount Everest and the first to climb the seven summits: the highest peaks on the seven continents. Since then, she has been a motivational speaker and recently published The Seven Summits of...