Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from April, 2018

Living in America's Deserts: A Population Paradox

The arid landscapes of America's deserts, once considered inhospitable frontiers, now host thriving metropolitan areas. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 9 million people call these xeric regions home, creating a fascinating intersection of human adaptation and desert ecosystems. America's Major Desert Regions The Environmental Protection Agency's ecoregion data  identifies four major desert regions in the United States: The Sonoran Desert: Home to approximately 3.8 million residents, including the Phoenix metropolitan area, America's largest desert city. The National Park Service notes this desert receives biannual rainfall, supporting the iconic saguaro cactus and diverse wildlife. The Mojave Desert: Housing 2.3 million people, including Las Vegas. The U.S. Geological Survey identifies it as North America's driest desert, yet it supports major urban centers through extensive water management systems. The Chihuahuan Desert: With 2.5 million inh...

Earth’s Geologic Time Scale: A Window into Deep Time

The rocks beneath our feet hold the story of Earth’s 4.6 billion-year history. Scientists have pieced together this timeline using the geologic time scale , which divides Earth's past into eons, eras, periods, and epochs. Each division marks significant changes in the planet’s climate, landscape, and life forms. One of the best resources for understanding geologic time is the United States Geological Survey ( USGS ) , which provides a Major Chronostratigraphic and Geochronologic Units Chart based on the latest data from the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) . Below, you’ll find the chart that outlines the vast history of our planet: Breaking Down the Geologic Time Scale Earth’s history is divided into different time units: Eons – The longest periods (e.g., the Phanerozoic Eon, which began 541 million years ago and continues today). Eras – Broad divisions marked by significant changes in life and climate (e.g., the Mesozoic Era, the age of dino...

Areas of the World with over 30% Forest Cover

Wind Power Density Potential

Climate Change in Canada

Mean Temperature The map below shows the 30-year average of the daily mean temperature for the time period under consideration (e.g., season, year). The temperature range we expect within a season or year is a very important aspect of climate. Changes in average and extreme temperatures can dramatically affect our everyday lives as well as a wide range of planning and policy decisions. The average temperature is an environmental indicator with many applications in agriculture, engineering, health, energy management, recreation, and more. The average temperature is used to compute a number of other maps and indices in this Atlas. Very hot days (+30°C) The map below shows the 30-year average of the annual number of Very Hot Days. Very Hot Days are an indicator of summer heat. High temperatures are important. They determine if plants and animals can thrive, they limit or enable outdoor activities, define how we design our buildings and vehicles, and shape our transportation ...

The great Pacific garbage patch

10 percent of the world's annual 200 billion pounds of plastic produced winds up in the ocean Debris ranges in size from abandoned fishing nets to micro-pellets found in abrasive cleaners. Garbage from Asia's east coast takes about a year or less to enter the Pacific gyre, while trash from the west coast of North America can take up to 6 years. The garbage patch mostly consists of pelagic plastics, formed from plastic bags, plastic water, bottles, bottle caps, and styrofoam. Plastic does not biodegrade, the sun breaks these down into smaller and smaller pieces through photodegradation, which is why it so difficult to judge the size of the patches, since these pieces are not visible from satellites or planes. These garbage patches also contain chemical sludge and other debris and the plastic can absorb organic pollutants from the seawater. Fish and birds eventually eat the plastic once it has broken down into small enough pieces, which humans then eat. Th size of t...

A topographic map of Zion National Park

Zion National Park is a U.S. National Park located in southwestern Utah, near the city of Springdale. A prominent feature of the 229-square-mile (590 km2) park is Zion Canyon, which stretches 15 miles (24 km) long and spans up to half a mile (800 m) deep. It cuts through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River. The lowest point in the park is 3,666 ft (1,117 m) at Coalpits Wash and the highest peak is 8,726 ft (2,660 m) at Horse Ranch Mountain. Located at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and Mojave Desert regions, the park has a unique geography and a variety of life zones that allow for unusual plant and animal diversity. Numerous plant species as well as 289 species of birds, 75 mammals (including 19 species of bat), and 32 reptiles inhabit the park's four life zones: desert, riparian, woodland, and coniferous forest. Zion National Park includes mountains, canyons, buttes, mesas, monoliths, rivers, slot canyons, and ...

The Survival Gap: Why Women Live Longer in Every Corner of the World

Imagine telling your great-grandparents that most people today live past 65. They probably wouldn't believe you. According to research published in The Lancet , global life expectancy has more than doubled since 1900. Yet something even more fascinating emerges when we dig deeper: women consistently outlive men in almost every country on Earth. The maps below created by Vivid Maps tell this remarkable story. Watch as survival rates change from 1960 to 2015: The difference is striking, isn't it? According to the World Health Organization , women today outlive men by an average of 5 years globally. But why? The Science Behind the Gap The answer isn't as simple as you might think. According to research from Harvard Medical School , several factors contribute to this survival gap: Biological Advantages Women have a built-in edge. Their estrogen helps protect against heart disease until menopause, and they have stronger immune systems. Plus, that extra X chromosome provides bac...