Geographical articles from October 2008

Geographical archives from October 2008

A global perspective.(FROM THE EDITOR)(Editorial)
October 1, 2008... One of geography's great strengths is its ability to bring together disparate strands of information to provide a deeper understanding of complex issues. This strength is mirrored in this month's Geographical, an unprecedented joint issue with...

Where in the World?(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Identify this country using the following clues: * It's among the world's top five consumers of copper, lead, nickel, zinc and aluminium * Its highest point is on its largest island * It has five of the...

Farmers encouraged to create sanctuaries for wildlife.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Farmers across England are to be encouraged to set aside small patches of their land for the benefit of wildlife, according to an announcement by environment secretary Hilary Benn. Following advice from an advisory group, Benn has agreed to...

World's first bumblebee sanctuary creates a buzz.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The cold, windswept shores of Loch Leven in Perth and Kinross might seem an unlikely place to find large numbers of bees, but thanks to a joint effort between the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BCT) and the Royal...

Northernmost 'black smokers' discovered inside Arctic Circle.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The most northerly submarine hydrothermal vents--or black smokers--have been discovered on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, well inside the Arctic Circle, following more than a decade of research by scientists from the universities of Washington, USA,...

Did continental collisions help to oxygenate the atmosphere?(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Scientists studying the formation of the Earth's crust have inadvertently discovered compelling evidence to suggest that the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere may have been triggered by the joining of the...

Atlantic salmon the latest targets for DNA fingerprinting.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The research arm of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization is to use DNA fingerprinting to investigate the lifecycle of the Atlantic salmon, numbers of which have declined dramatically in the wild over the past 40 years. The...

Top 10 Organic Cropland.(WORLDWATCH)(Table)
October 1, 2008... TOP 10 ORGANIC CROPLAND (PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL AGRICULTURAL LAND, 2003) 1 AUSTRIA 11.6 2 SWITZERLAND 10 3 ITALY 8 4 FINLAND 7 5 DENMARK ...

To mark the UN International Year of Planet Earth.(GLOBAL)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... To mark the UN International Year of Planet Earth, scientists from 79 nations have created the world's biggest online geological map resource, enabling users to discover what lies beneath their feet in much the same way as Google Maps shows us...

Mussel farmers in the Menai Strait.(UK)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Mussel farmers in the Menai Strait, which separates mainland Wales and Anglesey, have signed up to a code of practice to prevent invasive non-native species from being accidentally introduced to the local mussel industry. The farmers have...

The world's smallest snake has been discovered in a tiny patch of forest in the east of the Caribbean island of Barbados.(BARBADOS)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The world's smallest snake has been discovered in a tiny patch of forest in the east of the Caribbean island of Barbados. Measuring just ten centimetres in length, the tiny threadsnake is no wider than a strand of spaghetti. The discovery was...

The flag of Yorkshire, the UK's largest county, has been given official status by the Flag Institute following 50 years of being classed as advertising, requiring flag bearers to acquire planning permission before they can fly it.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The flag of Yorkshire, the UK's largest county, has been given official status by the Flag Institute following 50 years of being classed as advertising, requiring flag bearers to acquire planning permission before they can fly it. To celebrate,...

A live deep sea fish called a zoarcid has been recovered from a record depth of 2,300 metres.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... A live deep sea fish called a zoarcid has been recovered from a record depth of 2,300 metres, close to hot vents on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. A group of scientists from Universite Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris are hoping to devise a way of...

Desert kingdom to quench thirst through major water projects.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jordan's Ministry of Water and Irrigation is considering a range of large-scale projects in a bid to make the Middle Eastern nation, which is 92 per cent desert, self-sufficient in water. In addition to various...

Map shows arctic claims.(WORLDWATCH)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Scientists from the University of Durham have drawn up the first map detailing the individual claims being made on the Arctic sea bed in order to help inform politicians and policy makers. A team from the university's International...

Pristine forests are better storehouses.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The carbon storage capacity of untouched forests has been underestimated by the world's climate change experts, according to scientists at the Australian National University (ANU). An ANU study suggests that...

Typhoons helping to sink carbon.(CLIMATEWATCH)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Just one tropical storm in Taiwan buries as much carbon beneath the sea as the island's annual rains combined, according to research aimed at determining how much carbon is removed from the atmosphere as mountains are weathered. A team of...

Smog from Chinese industry may be helping to reduce global warming.(CHINA)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Smog from Chinese industry may be helping to reduce global warming. British scientists found that in a laboratory study where they mimicked the acid rain that results from heavy smog by adding sulphate to rice paddies, it reduced the production...

Environmental charity Earthwatch has opened a 'regional climate centre' in Wytham Woods near Oxford.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Environmental charity Earthwatch has opened a 'regional climate centre' in Wytham Woods near Oxford. The centre is one of five being set up around the world as part of the US$100million HSBC Climate Partnership and will feature a workforce made...

A team of scientists has attached sensors to the heads of 85 elephant seals in order to gather crucial data on ice formation.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... A team of scientists has attached sensors to the heads of 85 elephant seals in order to gather crucial data on ice formation, ocean currents and climate change in the Antarctic. The seals regularly dived to depths of up to two kilometres,...

Goods being manufactured for export are responsible for a third of China's greenhouse gas emissions, according to a recent report.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... CHINA Goods being manufactured for export are responsible for a third of China's greenhouse gas emissions, according to a recent report. Export production led to the release of around 1.7 billion tonnes of C[O.sub.2] in 2005, up from around 230...

The production of flat screen televisions is leading to the release of increasing amounts of nitrogen trifluoride.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... GLOBAL The production of flat screen televisions is leading to the release of increasing amounts of nitrogen trifluoride, an industrial chemical that is 17,000 times as potent a greenhouse gas as carbon dioxide, a leading atmospheric chemist...

Cloud of uncertainty dispelled.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The accuracy of climate models has received a significant boost thanks to new research into the relationship between clouds and aerosols. Until now, climate scientists have generally assumed that aerosols such as soot from forest fires and...

Puerto Rico.(right to self determination)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In June, the governor of Puerto Rico, Anibal Acevedo Vila, called on the UH Special Political and Decolonisation Committee to back the island's right to self-determination. The committee voted to support a motion put...

Isles of Scilly: despite suffering regular batterings by the Atlantic Ocean, the 200 or so low-lying granite islands and rocks that form the UK's smallest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and England's most westerly point are a haven for hundreds of unusual plant and animal species. But, as Natalie Hoare discovers, the threat of sea-level rise is a real cause for concern.
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Conversation among the few passengers aboard this small Twin Otter aircraft are brought to an abrupt end by the sound of its twin propellers coughing and spluttering into action. After the pilot casually leans one...

Inspiration for exploration.
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Brains, brawn or bravado--whether it's filling in blanks on the map in Africa, slogging to the South Pole, carving a trail through the Amazon jungle or reaching the summit of Mount Everest, possessing at least one of...

The Punjab: moving journeys.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The Society's latest exhibition, The Punjab: Moving Journeys, links London and Bradford to the borders of India and Pakistan. Through the Society's 19th-century photographs, maps and texts, the Punjab's history has been rediscovered and retold...

A selection of October's events.(Calendar)
October 1, 2008... For further information, please visit www.rgs.org/whatson, email events@rgs.org or call 020 7591 3100 9 October, 10am A2 Study Day (EDUCATION EVENT, LONDON) An exclusive study day for A2 students, where they will learn from...

The emperor of Abyssinia's locket: taken by the British Army when it invaded the country in 1868.
October 1, 2008... In 1857, the owner of this locket, Abyssinia's new emperor, Tewodros II, wrote to Queen Victoria suggesting their two countries should be friends. As head of Africa's 'one Christian nation' Tewodros was a Coptic Christian--he must have hoped...

Climate change: a global issue.(Cover story)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Around this time last year, representatives from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society approached the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) with a unique proposition. While they and other geographical societies...

The more things change.
October 1, 2008... As the last ice age gave way to a warmer period, Europe's landscapes were transformed: ice retreated into the mountains and seas flooded across previously dry land. Now, as these photographs from Footprint: Our Landscape in Flux, the new book...

The right to be cold: seal hunters who had never seen a musk ox, the Inuit who settled Grise Fiord were masters of adaptation; of survival. Now the changing climate is forcing Inuit to adapt once again.(Inuit of Grise Fiord)
October 1, 2008... 'You lean when I lean,' yells Marty Kuluguktuk over the engine's shrieking. We're careening sideways on a snowmobile around boulders and frozen tundra, approaching the foot of a glacier just east of Grise Fiord, Canada's most northerly...

Methode traditionnelle: at a conference earlier this year, some of the world's most respected winemakers were warned that without drastic measures to deal with the threat of climate change, their industry will be plunged into turmoil. Why, then, are European producers so resistant to adaptation?(Conference news)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 'My father once told me that if a winemaker could make one great vintage in his lifetime, he could die a happy man,' says Jean-Rene Matignon. 'I started making wine in 1985, and was fortunate enough to have a great...

Tuvalu: drowning or waving: the low-lying islands of the Pacific nation of have long been seen as the most likely first victims of global climate change. And already, several islands are experiencing regular episodes of flooding. But is there any truth behind the headline stories of an imminent exodus?
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At the back of his house in Funafuti, the capital of Tuvalu, Manoa Tehulu is husking coconuts. One after the other, he methodically splits their tough coats on a metal spike embedded in the ground then strips away...

Laughter in the face of adversity.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] One of humanity's enduring traits is undoubtedly our ability to find humour in the most bleak of circumstances. And so it is with the entries in this year's Ken Sprague International Political Cartoon Competition,...

The spoils of Kilimanjaro.
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 'This morning we discerned the Mountains of Jagga more distinctly than ever; and about ten o'clock I fancied I saw a dazzlingly white cloud. My guide called the white which I saw merely "Beredi" cold; it was...

All eyes on the ice: like a giant white scoresheet, the Antarctic Peninsula is daily recording changes in the environment. And change is occurring more rapidly there than almost anywhere else on Earth.
October 1, 2008... The black-hoods, the Adelie gang, are leaving the neighbourhood. It's not that they're unhappy with the real estate on Petermann Island, on the Antarctic Peninsula's west coast. Rocky nesting sites spread up the gently sloping hill from...

That moment.(COMPETITION)
October 1, 2008... From the icy expanses of the poles to the chaotic depths of the equatorial rainforests, the world offers a wealth of wonderful experiences for us to enjoy. But every on in a while, we're lucky enough to encounter something truly extraordinary...

Faraway islands.(Geographical archive)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The 18 Faroe Islands lie in the Atlantic Ocean, at the midpoint between Iceland, Scotland and Norway. Formed by volcanic activity more than 50 million years ago, they were colonised during the sixth century by Irish monks, who brought with them...

Change now ... or pay later.(Seven Years to Save the Planet: The Questions... and Answers)(Book review)
October 1, 2008... Seven Years to Save the Planet: The Questions... and Answers Bill McGuire Weidenfeld and Nicolson, pb, pp287, 9.99 [pounds sterling] A third of the way through his new, bleak book, Bill McGuire offers a dystopian vision of what...

China: Portrait of a Country.(Brief article)(Book review)
October 1, 2008... China: Portrait of a Country edited by Liu Heung Shing Taschen, hb, pp424, 29.00 [pounds sterling] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's difficult to get excited about yet another photo book on China, but this one really is different....

Ice Captain: The Life of JR Stenhouse.(Book review)
October 1, 2008... Ice Captain: The Life of JR Stenhouse by Stephen Haddelsey The History Press, hb, pp238, 20 [pounds sterling] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Tracking down interesting people from the Heroic Age of Polar Exploration who haven't...

Top 10 writer's reads.
October 1, 2008... Dervla Murphy was born in Ireland in 1931. She has written numerous non-fiction and travel books and her latest, The Island That Dared: Journeys in Cuba, is out this month 1. In the Kingdom of Gorillas by Will Weber and Amy Vedder (Simon &...

A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World.(Brief article)(Book review)
October 1, 2008... A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World by Tony Horwitz The History Press, hb, pp238, 20 [pounds sterling] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The famous 'special relationship' between Britain and the USA is based on...

Bandit Roads: Into the Lawless Heart of Mexico.(Book review)
October 1, 2008... Bandit Roads: Into the Lawless Heart of Mexico by Richard Grant Little, Brown, hb, pp290, 16.99 [pounds sterling] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 'If I had half a goddamn brain, I wouldn't be here in the first place; Richard Grant...

Britain and Ireland's Best Wild Places: 500 Ways to Discover the Wild.(Brief article)(Book review)
October 1, 2008... Britain and Ireland's Best Wild Places: 500 Ways to Discover the Wild by Christopher Somerville Allen Lane, hb, pp544, 25 [pounds sterling] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 'Wild', as Christopher Somerville discovered, is in the heart...

Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons.(Book review)
October 1, 2008... Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons by Gerald Durrell First published in 1977. Most recent edition published by Summersdale, pb, pp160, 7.99 [pounds sterling] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A quarter of a century ago, Gerald Durrell was...

Reins on the plains: saddling up and riding a mighty steed across a vast open steppe like the marauding Mongols of yore--such expeditions come with their own unique set of problems, as much today as 1,000 years ago. Tim Cope looks back at the equipment he used on his intrepid journey across Eurasia on horseback.
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It only took seconds to leap from the tent and rush barefoot into the darkness, but I was already too late. The sound of galloping horses faded beyond camp and I fell to my knees clutching the only remaining evidence...

Ten of the best.(ESSENTIAL GEAR)(Buyers guide)
October 1, 2008... General horseriding requires gear such as a good saddle and sturdy boots, but for long riding through remote terrain, you'll need to add several items of hard-wearing survival equipment to this inventory--but don't overload your ride [1]...

Think tank: fishkeeping is one of the world's most popular pursuits: in the UK alone, as many as 3.5 million households have an aquarium or a garden pond, with the number of ornamental fish kept as pets dwarfing that of other animals. But how does the demand for ever more exotic species affect the fish in the wild? And can the aquarist's hobby ever be ethical? Victoria Lambert finds out.
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There's a bittersweet moment in the animated children's film Finding Nemo, when a group of tropical marine fish in a dentist's waiting-room tank discuss where they come from. Instead of referring to the world's...

Season of colour: summer's end marks the beginning of a fruitful period for photographers, as autumn ushers in an ever-changing tableau of red and gold, lit by warm, low light. But it pays to be prepared.
October 1, 2008... Autumn is, without question, the most colourful and atmospheric of the four seasons, and a favourite time of year for many photographers. The diminishing daylight hours mean the sun sweeps lower across the sky, shadows creep further along the...

Low-cost option: remote release.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Every make of digital SLR camera has a compatible remote release, sold as an optional extra. These are well worth the money and are essential to making full use of the creative possibilities that using a tripod brings to your camera. With...

Accessory option: reflector.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... One of the most effective ways of controlling available light outdoors is to use a reflector. Pieces of white card or kitchen foil stretched over board can be effective home-made options, but they aren't as durable or portable as custom-made...

Outdoor option: weatherproof jacket.(Equipment selections)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Autumn weather is usually unpredictable, but you can guarantee cold winds and rain won't be far away. An ideal outer layer for this time of year is a water-resistant and weatherproof fleece to keep the elements at bay while providing added...

Bring them back.(LETTER OF THE MONTH)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Like Paul Lister and your editor, I'm firmly in favour of reintroducing animals that have become locally extinct (Bringing the wilderness back; Editor's letter, August 2008), and it seems to me that the UK is well...

Society filling the gap.(MAIL BAG)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We were pleased to see such extensive coverage of the gap year industry in August's Geographical (The credibility gap). Readers may be interested to know that the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) is working to...

What does it all mean?(MAILBAG)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Your interesting article on Silbury Hill (Holy hills and sacred stones, July 2008) refers to 'scholarly disciplines not normally associated with conventional archaeology'. The discipline it leaves out is linguistics....

Rocks in our heads.(MAILBAG)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2008... In the August issue of Geographical, in a Worldwatch story entitled 'Peak District under threat from limestone quarrying', there is a reference to a mineral called 'bayerites'. I assume that this mineral is actually baryte or barite (the latter...

Stuart Franklin.(I'M A GEOGRAPHER)
October 1, 2008... The president of the Magnum Photos agency, Stuart Franklin spent more then a decade travelling the world as a freelance photographer before returning to university to study geography. As a photojournalist, he covered subjects ranging from Sri...