Human Geography

Geography of Happiness

December 31, 2019 by Mark Altaweel

Geography can have a major influence on happiness.

Three moments in a tumultuous year for farming north of St. Louis, MO, as seen in NASA-USGS Landsat 8 data. On the left is May 7, 2019, as heavy rains delayed planting for many farms. Sept 12, 2019, in the middle, shows bright green signifying growing vegetation, although with a fair amount of brown, bare fields. On the right, Oct. 14, 2019, the light brown indicates harvested fields while darker brown are fields that have not been seeded or fallow all summer. Credits: NASA

Monitoring Crop Production Via Satellite

December 28, 2019December 28, 2019 by Elizabeth Borneman

To cope with ever-changing agricultural needs and conditions, the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (or NASS) uses data from Landsat to monitor crops in the contiguous United States.

Examples of city climate adaptation action themes. The size of the circle is proportional to the number of actions listed in the 80 city plans analysed, for each of the ten categories, from largest to smallest: physical infrastructure (73 actions); management and planning (62); green infrastructure (57); practice and behaviour (55); technology (52); policy (49); information (45); capacity building (40); warning or observing (22); financing (20). Source: Butt et al., 2018.

Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation

December 16, 2019December 16, 2019 by Mark Altaweel

Many cities globally are forging ahead with climate change adaptation.

Satellite Data Shows That Tilling Less Leads to Healthier Soils

December 7, 2019December 7, 2019 by Caitlin Dempsey

Researchers applied machine learning to satellite-derived datasets to to analyze tillage practices and crop yields in the US Corn Belt between 2005 and 2017.

Highest Permanent Settlement in the World

November 24, 2019November 24, 2019 by Caitlin Dempsey

Located at 5,000 meters (3 miles) above sea level, La Rinconada in southeastern Peru is the highest permanent settlement in the world.

Which Country Has the Most High Speed Rail Lines?

November 23, 2019November 23, 2019 by Caitlin Dempsey

While China only started developed its HSR network in 2003, it has quickly become the country with the most high speed rail lines.

Artificial Intelligence Was Used to Discover a New Nasca Line

November 23, 2019November 23, 2019 by Caitlin Dempsey

Researchers tested out the use of artificial intelligence to assist with finding new Nasca lines.

Using Satellites to Map Air Pollution from Wildfires

October 3, 2019 by Elizabeth Borneman

The Copernicus Sentinel-5P mission is designed to monitor pollutants entering the atmosphere because of major forest fires.

Review | The Best American Travel Writing 2019

December 8, 2019September 30, 2019 by G.T. Dempsey

The ‘Best American Travel Writing 2019’ features pieces on either dangerous places or the pursuit of the exotic as well-informed as they are well-written.

Review | Peary’s Arctic Quest

September 14, 2019September 14, 2019 by G.T. Dempsey

Peary’s Arctic Quest: Untold Stories from Robert E. Peary’s North Pole Expeditions is both a rigorous scholarly work and a popular exposition of Robert Peary’s Arctic achievements and his legacy.

Indonesia Will be Moving Its Capital

August 28, 2019August 28, 2019 by Caitlin Dempsey

Driven by congestion and the gradual sinking of Jakarta, Indonesia announced that it will be moving its capital to a location on the island of Borneo.