Elizabeth Borneman
MyShake App: Detecting Earthquakes Using Smartphones
The MyShake app uses a feature of smartphones called the accelerometer which can be used to detect the unique seismic vibrations of an earthquake.
Transcontinental Cities
A transcontinental city is a city that exists on land over more than one continent. There are more than a few transcontinental cities in the world. Learn about cities that straddle continental divides.
What are Ghost Nations?
Ghost states are states that function just like any other nation, but for various political reasons go unrecognized by the rest of the international community.
What are Sprites?
Although not much is known about sprites or the factors that create them, scientists do know that sprites are created by neutrally charged cloud discharges.
Developing Earthquake Damage Maps from Satellite Imagery
Researchers are working on developing remotely sensed maps that may assist locals in assessing damage and managing the aftermath with future earthquakes.
Poachers Use Academic Journals to Target Newly Discovered Species
Academics have now started to omit the geographical information from their articles in order to protect endangered species from exploitation.
The Moon’s Influence on Rainfall: A Closer Look
When the moon rises it creates a ‘bulge’ in the Earth’s atmosphere which can influence how much rain is able to fall to the ground.
Bolivia’s Second Largest Lake has Disappeared
Imagery taken in 2013 and again in 2016 shows that Lake Poopó, Bolivia’s second largest lake, has dried up.
The Impacts of Arctic Melt Connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
Researchers in Global Change Biology explore how Arctic melt, merging the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, impacts animal migration.
One of the Oldest Terrestrial Globes to Go 3D
A globe housed by the New York Public Library globe from around the year 1510 one of the oldest terrestrial globes ever created recently underwent 3D imaging.
Williwaw, a Colloquial Word for Katabatic Wind
A williwaw is a windstorm that is created by gravity’s effects on cold air.
Mapping Worldwide Population Growth
A map was recently created by a a researcher from the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, University College London that tracks where and when population has grown in various places around the world.
Silfra Fissure: The Crack between the North American and Eurasian continents
The Silfra fissure is a crack between the North American and Eurasian continents.
The U.S. Has Doubled the Number of Blizzards in the Last Two Decades
The number of blizzards that occur in the United States has nearly doubled in the last two decades.
Cartography and the American Revolution
A new book discusses the history and importance of mapmaking in the United States. The Revolutionary War prompted some major leaps in charting the newly formed United States of America.
Seafloor Mapped Using Measurements of the Earth’s Gravity Field
Researchers have developed a gravity map used to see the sea floor based on Earth’s gravitational field.
The Geography of Gerrymandering in the United States
Gerrymandering is the practice of drawing or re-drawing congressional boundaries to benefit a specific political candidate or party. The Washington Post recently took a look at how gerrymandering has affected politics in the United States.
A Map of the City in the Sky
Known as a light pillar, a combination of ice crystals and the city lights created a map in the sky with definite boundary lines marking streets, intersections, and minor roads in the municipality.
The Geography of Genius
The Geography of Genus, by Eric Weiner, takes a look at where and how geniuses flourish in the world.
The Sound of Satellites
NASA collaborated with architects Jason Klimoski and Lesley Chang to create a way to hear the sounds of different satellites orbiting above the Earth.
Ice Loss in Greenland
Recent research has shown that one of Greeland’s largest glaciers is losing up to five billion tons of ice every year as it melts into the ocean.
Roads to Rome Mapping Project
Three researchers had the idea to answer their own version of the old question, “Do all roads still lead to Rome?” by mapping out the routes around the world to places named Rome.
Mapping the Impact of California’s Drought on Its Trees
Remote sensing technologies and satellite images were used to map where the California drought is affecting trees the most.
Cartography of an Oregon River
Dan Coe used a geospatial technology called LiDAR to map changes in the flow of the Willamette River in Oregon.
Line of Sight: Track the Real Time Locations of Satellites
Line of Sight is an online map application that tracks where each and every satellite is above the Earth in real time.
Map of Carbon Dioxide Levels Over a Year
NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 is a major source of information about the life cycle of carbon dioxide on Earth.