July 2009 Archives

Well guys, as the month comes to an end, so does my internship here at National Geographic. It's been a blast and I have learned a lot, both about blog writing and about what an incredible institution NGS is. I thought I would share with you what have been five of my favorite things (not necessarily in order) this summer as my last blog entry and final Five for Friday:

 

1. The NGS Cafeteria

I will miss you, National Geographic cafeteria! Thank you for keeping me well fed through out the summer. The egg and cheese sandwiches I devoured early mornings after difficult, sweaty bike-rides into work cannot be forgotten, and I wanted to give a special shout out to my man behind the grill who knows just how I like them. The occasional afternoon fro-yo will also be missed!

2. This blog

It has been an amazing opportunity and a whole lot of fun writing for the MWW blog this summer. I have to admit: I have totally and completely drunk the My Wonderful World kool-aid. Working for the MWW campaign to expand geographic learning has been a great experience, and through my writing and brainstorming on blog topics, and researching for the monthly newsletter, it has given me a whole new, geographic perspective. I am hoping to incorporate more geography courses into my studies when I return to Virginia Tech this fall.

3. The people

Not only does National Geographic have incredible programs, magazines, and shows; it has great people. On my first day at NGS I was shown to my desk in the "intern bullpen." In reality, however, the "bullpen" turned out to be four other female interns for the summer. It's been a whole lot of estrogen but a whole lot of fun. To all my fellow education interns: thanks for keeping things interesting! And a special thanks to my boss, Sarah Jane, who made this internship such an enjoyable learning experience. I hope in my future endeavors I can be as well spoken (and as well written) as you are, Sarah; you make us redheads proud!

What is a pirate?  In today's society, there are two distinct answers:  the glamorous and sneaky pirate embodied by Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean and the feared, but distant, pirates of East Africa.  These pirates, Somali men mostly between the ages of 20 and 35, are pirates, feared just like the real pirates of the Caribbean during the 17th and 18th centuries.  Who are they and what drives them to hold the 13 cargo-ships currently within their seizure ransom?  

First, a brief history lesson: It is hard to say when piracy truly began, perhaps because it emerged almost as soon as civilizations became sea-faring.  In ancient times, the Greeks and Romans were terrorized by rovers from the Middle East on the Mediterranean who mixed naval warfare with thievery.  In addition to these pirates, Phoenicians also threatened the safety of the Sea by combining piracy with legitimate business, and, to the North, the Vikings created a lifestyle based largely on pillaging costal towns.  After the voyages of Columbus charted the way for Spanish domination of the Caribbean, other European nations endorsed sailors to fight, raid and harass the Spanish on the seas.  These men, called privateers, split their acquisitions equally and then gave the remaining half to the commissioning government.  The "Golden Age of Piracy" during the 17th and 18th centuries saw the emergence of legendary pirates like Edward Teach (Black Beard), "Black Bart" Roberts and Captain William Kidd.  As naval forces grew in the Caribbean, piracy slowly declined in the Western Hemisphere, but is still a very real problem in some parts of the world today.

Since the collapsing of the Somali central government in 1991, the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean off the Horn of Africa have become the most dangerous shipping lanes in the world.  In 2008, more than 120 attacks occurred by Somali pirates, bringing in revenue of over $100 million  The world turned to these attacks in February, 2009, when $3.2 million in ransom, dropped via parachute, was surrendered for a Ukrainian freighter.

From July 11-16, students from around the world put their geo-literacy to the test at the 9th National Geographic World Championship in Mexico City.  For five days, the students faced each other and answered questions read by host Alec Trebek, with Canada coming out on top for the second time since the championship began in 1993.

The first international geography contest was organized by NGS in 1993 and was held at the Royal Geographical Society in London.  Since then, competitions have been held at a diverse range of locations around the world.  Teams are determined through regional and national competitions in participating countries. In the United States, representatives are chosen from among the finalists of the National Geographic Bee, a competition held each year for students grades 4-8 with a capstone $25,000 scholarship award.  

This year, the United States, Poland and Canada competed in the final round on July 15.  The Canadian winners were Chris Chiavatti of British Columbia, Peter Brandt of Manatoba and Graham Tompkins of Nova Scotia.  The Americans, Kenji Golimlim, Milan Sandhu and Eric Yang, took the silver.  According to president of NGS John Fahey, the competition "was a great way for talented young geographers around the world to match wits against each other and to enjoy a rewarding cross-cultural exchange."  

So what kinds of questions are these students asked?  The variety is nothing short of the questions Trebek would ask of participants of his Jeopardy!.  In 2007, winner Caitlin Snaring of Washington was asked to name the Vietnamese city that is divided by a river and was the imperial capitol for over one hundred years.  Think you have what it takes to be a geography champion?  Try National Geographic's GeoBee Challenge.  Interested in competing?  Check out the rules and regulations for the GeoBee, and, if you don't qualify, there are plenty of national geography competitions out there.  Geography is fun, interesting and addictive!

Still curious?  Check out this video of the United States GeoBee's winning round.

Melissa for My Wonderful World

At My Wonderful World, our mission is to give students the power of global knowledge. We emphasize that "we are not alone," a slogan backed up by statistics from the Roper Survey showing that half of young Americans can't find India or Japan on a map, or that 8 out of 10 students can't locate Iraq.  Although we feel strongly that students need to know world geography, what about Americans' knowledge of our own country?

In a Spring 2009 Arc News article, Vice President for Education at NGS, Daniel Edelson, described our goal of advancing geo-literacy by 2025.  In this article, Edelson pointed out that half of Americans ages 18-24 can't find New York on a map--let alone anywhere else in the world--and even fewer (4 out of 10) can find Ohio.

Many surveys show that Americans just don't know the geography of their own country.  Of those surveyed, one-third couldn't calculate American time zones and two-thirds couldn't locate Louisiana (in a post-Katrina world)!  It's time for this to change, so this week, I'll be sharing five great (non-political) things about my home state--Vermont!

1.    Mountains
Vermont isn't called the Green Mountain State for nothing.  A part of the Appalachian Range, Vermont's mountains are the most prominent feature in its topography, with the tallest, Mount Mansfield, at 4,393 feet. In the summer, it's hard not to find a hiking trail (I can find at least three closer than the nearest grocery store), and in the winter, Vermont boasts over 20 places to ski and snowboard! 

 

Previously, I have described my epiphany in France and getting my students to think about why we want to frequent businesses that sell locally grown produce or other foodstuffs. In this post, I will continue my evolution from hapless consumer to backyard gardener.

I know that my parents were growing veggies in the backyard before I was seven, but the first garden I really remember was the large, organic patch we had in our Livermore, CA yard. We had tomatoes, green beans, squash, asparagus, carrots, and much more. I remember encouraging the family dog to eat the tomato worms and helping to set out pie tins filled with beer to attract the slugs that were eating our crop. As I grew, my family continued to grow gardens that supplemented trips to the grocery store. Once I got out on my own, however, I never seemed to have the time or the space for gardening.

Over the past few years, my husband and I have grown tomatoes and a few herbs but with the downturn in the economy we decided it was time to become more ambitious and expand our garden. We've learned a lot over the past few months about gardening in small spaces, composting, and how far we can go to change our shopping habits.

While conventionally started tomato seedlings and basil plants from Trader Joe's are fun and easy to grow, we wanted more. But how, we wondered, would this happen? We live in a townhouse with a postage stamp-sized backyard in a San Francisco Bay Area suburb. The back yard is covered in brick which we really had no desire to remove. Our answer? Containers!

It seems more so than ever that children have been spending an unprecedented amount of time with electronics and less with the more traditional play-time activities: arts and crafts, role-playing and exploring the outdoors.

An organization we recently stumbled upon here at My Wonderful World shows us, however, that it isn't difficult to get kids off their PS3s and engaged and excited about other activities that can teach, enrich and entertain. Nature Rocks is a nation-wide program that works to inspire families to play and explore in nature. By providing supportive resources, Nature Rocks makes it much easier to have fun in the environment and to start connecting with others who want to do the same A visit to their website shows a wonderful interactive map, where you can enter your zip code and receive - a clickable list of several places in your area to "get your nature on." The map is also connects you to a multitude of fun activities at each destination, such as hiking, canoeing, camping and horse back riding. 

Supported by partners such as REI, The Nature Conservancy, and the Children and Nature Network, Nature Rocks wants to show America just how much nature truly "rocks," and why you should get outside and explore it. We love what NatureRocks has got going on! So, for this week's Five for Friday, we've excerpted their "Five reasons nature rocks" to show you all why you should really get out and experience your surroundings today:

1. Happier Children and Families: Nature turns frowns upside down. Studies indicate that children who play and explore outdoors are less stressed and may further benefit by learning confidence and social skills.

2. Healthier children and families: Get out with the bugs to prevent getting a bug. Nothing's better at keeping away the bugs we don't want than staying active.  And nothing keeps kids active more than fun and interesting things to explore and do.   Studies indicate that even as little as 30 minutes of activity a day will keep you healthy.

"Where is that mile marker?!"--I was hot, sweaty, and suffering from quarter-sized blisters at each heel. Just the day before, my boyfriend and I had embarked on an impromptu backcountry camping trip and were now, after a fun weekend, returning to our car--a six-mile-long up-hill trek. Getting lost in the Shenandoah National Park did not sound like an appealing end to our adventure.

Fortunately, with the help of a map, and a relatively well-marked trail, all mile markers were eventually accounted for, and we were able to navigate our way to and from our campsite -- MUCH to my relief.  Perhaps I am worrisome by nature, but my sense of direction has gotten me in trouble a few more times than I'd like!

However, according to behavioral neuroscientist, Colin Ellard of the University of Waterloo, Ontario, my "spatial intelligence shortcomings" are actually nothing to be embarrassed about, and totally human. Dr. Ellard was recently interviewed on the radio talk show, NPR, concerning his new book:  You Are Here: Why we can Find our Way to the Moon, but Get Lost in the Mall.

Read the July 2009 Newsletter "Become a "Citizen Scientist""

 Inside
Geofeature: Project Burst, "Can Plants Reveal Climate Change?"
Geography in the news: Apollo turns 40
Blog: How to find a Fossa 

Plus:

    Does it feel as though food is getting pricier at your local store? Everyone, from rice farmers in Indonesia to shoppers at New York's Dean & Deluca, is seeing their food bills go up. Recent studies show that global food prices have skyrocketed, putting 36 countries into crisis according to the United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization.

Since February, deadly clashes over high prices have occurred in Mexico City, Senegal and Egypt, to name only a few. The recent rise in prices isn't the result of just one event, but is rather the result of an increasingly global economy. In a potent geographical mix of cultural demands and physical changes, growth in demand in China and India, increasing oil prices, and bizarre weather patterns all contribute to this trend-one that doesn't seem to be slowing anytime soon.

    While food prices reached an all time high during June 2008, the rise in commodities costs had begun climbing as early as 2001. With rising oil prices, the European Union and the United States have seen sharp climbs in the demand for biofuels--fuels  produced from renewable resources--, including ethanol. This year, a quarter of the U.S. corn production went to production of biofuels, rather than into people's stomachs. Less supply means higher costs and, in staples like corn, wheat and rice, that means higher prices for just about everything else made from them, such as pasta
n Italy, croissants in France or pork dumplings in China.

   

We were first introduced to conservation ecologist and National Geographic Emerging Explorer Luke Dollar's work a month ago during his engaging presentation at the 2009 National Geographic Explorers Symposium. It was impossible to not be entirely absorbed by his story and experiences on the African island of Madagascar.

Years ago, Luke began his work in Madagascar as a student tracking lemurs, but his target of interest quickly turned elsewhere when one of his animal subjects went missing, and was found later to have been devoured by the locally-infamous carnivore, the Fossa.

Since that time Luke's efforts have been solely focused on this new scope of study: examining the natural history and ecological role of the Fossa, Madagascar's largest endemic (exclusively native) predator. The fossa's importance as a keystone species is growing as Madagascar faces increasingly serious conservation issues - particularly deforestation.

Dollar is one scientist making a distinct difference in Madagascar's future, and he has taken a leading role in citizen science by working with the Earthwatch organization to engage the public in his research overseas.

Luke was generous enough to talk with us about his research and his work with citizen scientists. Check out our short but inspiring interview with this intriguing explorer:

MWW: When did you first know you wanted to be a scientist?

Luke:  As a child, I was always sure I wanted to be either a doctor or a scientist. The summer after my freshman year at Duke University, I went to Los Angeles and worked as an ambulance-based EMT and ER technician.  It was an invaluable, hands-on experience. However when I returned to my childhood home in Alabama that summer, I visited my grandparents farm and took a walk through the woods I grew up in. I came across a large newly clear-cut forest, where I had once sat for hundreds of hours alone as a kid thinking and dreaming. It was then that I developed a concern and love of the outdoors and interest in nature conservation. I found the motives behind this destructive logging superficial and heartbreaking, and I realized that most people had enough help but nature didn't.

As a young, rural, southern boy, I had often gone fishing hunting and hiking in the forest behind my grandparents' home. I had particularly enjoyed the beauty of the area, where I would hike up old wagon trails and look out on the wide majestic valleys. Returning after such a short period of time, and experiencing this drastic change was as traumatic as losing a loved one to an avoidable accident.

We want to know: What are the top five reasons to participate in citizen science?
Take our July ""MicroSurvey" to cast your vote for one of the following choices:

Getting outside

Spending time with family

Having the opportunity to contribute to real science

Seeing how my findings compare with others around the world

Using technology to analyze data

Learning how to identify features of the natural environment

Protecting animals and environments

It's fun

Results of the survey will be revealed in our August My Wonderful World newsletter, which mails Tuesday, August 11.
Sign up today if you are not already a registered campaign member.

At National Geographic Education, we're kind of obsessed with citizen science. We love the notion of pairing kids and members of the public with real scientists to conduct research--in and out of school--which is why we participate in programs like the BioBlitz and develop new tools like Fieldscope. What better way to engage students in authentic, inquiry-based learning? Citizen science is fun and motivating, and it helps students develop skills in data collection and analysis, collaborative teamwork, and technology literacy, to name a few areas. In most cases, it has the added benefit of getting kids outside!

While citizen science is a relatively new term emerging over the last few decades, the concept is old. For centuries, humans have been making observations about Earth and the cosmos and passing this knowledge down across generations. Many of history's most renowned thinkers began their careers jotting field notes about the world around them as youngsters.

To learn more about the value of citizen science, its history, and future directions I spoke with Dr. Sandra Henderson, Director for Project Budburst and Associate Director of Education and Outreach for the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a consortium of research universities supported by the National Science Foundation. Sandra has a long track record of working with citizen science programs; before developing Budburst she was involved with GLOBE at Night and the Great World Wide Star Count. Below is a summary of our conversation.

Keep reading about citizen science, and then be sure to take our July MicroSurvey. We want to know: "What's the best part about participating in citizen science?"

Tell us a little about the history of citizen science.
Citizen science as it is known today began in earnest with the Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count in 1900. Prior to that, citizen observations of weather and meteorology had been incorporated into editions of the Farmers' Almanac (check this fact with Sandra). The last 20-25 years have seen substantial growth in citizen science participation, with Cornell University's Ornithology Lab at the leading edge in developing programs like FeederWatch and new urban bird projects like PigeonWatch.

What types of research questions are best suited for citizen science?

Have you ever witnessed the crocuses blooming a little earlier than usual or noticed a new species at your birdfeeder, and thought, "I wonder if others in my community are seeing the same things?" Wouldn't it be neat if your backyard observations could be included in real scientific investigations? With citizen science, they can be!

Through citizen science, professionals collaborate with members of the public to conduct scientific studies. Citizen science is a fun, family-friendly way to get outside, explore the distribution of species (biogeography) of your local area, fine-tune your observation and analysis skills, and contribute to real science and conservation efforts.

Recent reports have even indicated that participation in citizen science projects has positive impacts on children's cognitive and psychological development and their attitudes toward nature as adults. "Nature is not merely an amenity; it is critical to healthy human development and functioning," says Nancy Wells, Cornell University assistant professor of design and environmental analysis.

This July, we're challenging My Wonderful World campaign members to sign up to participate in at least one citizen science program. Below, we provide brief descriptions of a sampling of available projects.
 
Cornell Ornithology Lab's
1.    Birds in Forested Landscapes
BFL is a study of birds and the habitats that they live in. Participants record types of trees, sizes, ages, elevations and latitudes.  Then, they observe the birds and habitats at three levels:  the survey point, the study site and the surrounding landscape.

2.    Celebrate Urban Birds
This activity is designed for even the most inexperienced citizen scientists.  Participants receive an activity kit with a poster and information on urban greening and bird identification. They learn how to identify 16 types of birds and then make observations at specific 10 minute time intervals.

3.    Priority Migrant eBird
In an attempt to create conservation strategies for long-distance migratory species that have been experiencing population decline, this activity collects data across the Americas.  Contributors submit records and observations for five species: the Cerulean Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler, Blue-winged Warbler, Canada Warbler, and the Olive-sided Flycatcher.

In our June 17 blog entry, My Wonderful World addressed Palau's acceptance of the Uighur Guantánamo Bay detainees. In recent days, international newspapers have been focusing on the bloody clash between the ethnic Han Chinese and the Muslim Uighurs in China's Xinjiang Province, namely in its capitol city of Urumqi.  The tension between the two groups in Xinjiang, where the majority Uighurs are ruled by the minority (but majority population of China) Han, is not new, but since the new wave erupted on June 30, at least 156 people have died.

This clash between ethnicities in Xinjiang can be traced back to the 18th century, when the Manchu Qing dynasty began conquest of the Uighur region.  In this area, the inhabitants were of Turkic Muslim, not ethnic Han, descent,--like their neighbors in nearby Kazakstan, Kirghistan and Uzbekistan-- and they did not speak the Chinese Language.  In the 1940s, there was an independent Eastern Turkestan Republic in part of Xinjiang, but in 1949, the entire region was declared part of the newly formed People's Chinese Republic.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Apollo's landing on the moon!  NASA is celebrating this event that changed science and history forever with a host of new materials on their website.  In an effort to help our readers navigate through all the great resources offered, we checked out the site and came up with a list of our favorites.

Our Top Picks
 1) Apollo in Your Own Words
This series of short (approximately 1-3 minute) interviews shows first person testimony and reaction to the lunar landing. It is a great resource for anyone who wants to know not just what happened, but how it affected everyday Americans in different ways.

2) Apollo 10 the Adventures of Snoopy and Charlie Brown
This animated comic is valuable for both students and adults.  Starting with the take off and ending with the landing, the cartoon-like video is both entertaining and informative.  

3) Lunar Exploration Chronology
This online chronology follows the exploration of the moon from the Pioneer 1 mission in 1958 to the launch of the Lunar Prospector in 1998.  It includes not only NASA missions, but missions from all nations to the moon. Unlike a lot of other sites, the time line describes the purpose of all the attempts--even the failed ones.

In addition to these resources from NASA, check out Popular Mechanics for an in-depth account of the first lunar landing from the 100+ year-old science and technology magazine.

Melissa for My Wonderful World

The Fourth of July is quite easily my favorite holiday. Not only does it celebrate all things American, but it falls in deep summer, a time when the fruit is juicy, the days are long, the grass is high (Dad: please don't make me mow the lawn this weekend!) and the kids are off school -- everyone's ready to let loose.

The beloved national holiday is always a great excuse for a party, a parade, an afternoon at the pool and dressing in the most outrageous Uncle Sam, red-white-and-blue get-up you own. It's a chance to rekindle your patriotic spirit and enjoy an extended, long weekend off from work.

So even though gas prices are on the rise again, the stock market's failing, global warming is dooming us, and this recession has just got us all down in general, we still can't forget to be grateful for how lucky we are to be living in a free country.  Independence Day is a time to remember how blessed we are for our freedoms and appreciate exactly what our forefathers meant when they scribed "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!" It's time to celebrate the liberties we often take for granted.

So how are you going to commemorate the birth of America? This week's "Five for the Fourth" I thought I'd share with you a few different ways to take part in the stars-and-stripes festivities, and, of course, a couple traditions of my own.

1.    Will Smith's Independence Day:  The 1996 science fiction drama by all means demands 2-3 hours of your Fourth of July weekend. It's become my own personal tradition to watch the movie in the days prior to the Fourth of July --although I must admit, half of that tradition pays homage to the fact that the film is almost unavoidable (it plays almost non-stop on USA and TBS days before the Fourth!) However there's nothing like Will Smith and company fighting aliens and saving the world to get you in the Hoo-Rah patriotic spirit!!

2.    Travel: Three-day, four-day weekend? It's a great time to get out of town, and possibly have a more "authentic" Independence Day experience. You might want to try out a few of these landmarks that are venerated for their national and historical significance:

1. Philadelphia. Philly is a great place to start when it comes to appreciating our Founding Fathers. It's home to the Liberty Bell and is claimed to be one of the best spots for fireworks (seen over the Delaware river). Philadelphia also hosts a plethora of concerts and performances to keep your attention.
2. Boston. The city where the famous "Tea Party" protests and legendary battles occurred years ago is filled with historical goodies and the Boston Harborfest, which kicks off in late June and is said to be a fantastic time. On the fourth, the renowned "Pops" orchestra joins artists including Neil Diamond for their annual "Fireworks Spectacular" on the Charles River Esplanade.
3. Mount Rushmore. No better place to pay tribute to some great American presidents!
4. Washington, D.C... My hometown is a great place to celebrate the Fourth, The nation's capital is the site of many celebrations, parades and a wonderful fireworks display over the National Mall.
   

Greenland, the largest non-continental island in the world, is culturally and politically unknown to most foreigners, but on June 21, that began to change.  Following a vote in which 76% voted in favor of self-rule, Greenlandic citizens, along with diplomatic representatives from 17 countries, met at the harbor in capital city Nuuk to declare Greenland's first step in gaining its independence from Denmark and achieving world recognition as the new nation of Naalakkersuisut, its Inuit name.    

Home to one of the harshest environments in the world--85% of the landmass is covered by glacier--Greenland has a long history as part of Scandinavia, dating back to 982 A.D. when Viking explorer Erik the Red discovered the island and established a settlement on its eastern coast, after having been exiled from Iceland.  Erik's son, Leif, used the eastern settlement as a base for exploration to lands west, and in 1000 A.D. he became the first European to set foot on North America.  Before the 12th century, Greenland thrived as a trading post for rare goods like walrus tusk and polar bear fur and was an established Christian nation.  In 1261, the settlements became part of the Norwegian Kingdom and forfeited their autonomy to Scandinavia, a subjugation that would last for nearly 800 years.  After the Norwegian takeover, people began to leave Greenland to return to Europe, and by the 1400s there is no information about Norse inhabitants on the Island.  

Since 1721, Greenland has been under Danish rule.  At that time, the people of the island were mostly of Inuit descent, along with some Danish settlers.  From this past, modern Greenland was born.  Today, eighty percent of Greenland's 58,000 denizens are of mixed Inuit and Danish heritage (cite).  Although a great majority of citizens practice the Lutheran faith as members of Denmark's People's Church, they also pass on the history of their Inuit ancestors through their strong oral tradition.  As citizens of Denmark, and therefore the European Union, it is not uncommon for young Greenlandic citizens to seek better opportunities abroad and to leave their homeland, which suffers from many of the same problems as other colonized nations.  Today, few Greenlandic students (can you find a %?) attend university, and there are many cases of domestic violence, unemployment and alcoholism.  The new Greenlandic government hopes to solve these problems internally.  At the ceremony establishing independence, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen described the event as "giving [Greenlandic people] the right to decide their own destiny."