2 Studies Tie Disaster Risk to Urban Growth

A pair of new studies say that more people than ever lie in harm’s way from earthquakes, droughts, floods and other disasters, largely because of a surge in urban populations in developing countries.

via 2 Studies Tie Disaster Risk to Urban Growth – NYTimes.com.

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Palin’s Travels

Monty Python (actually Michael Palin) will become the new President of the Royal Geographic Society (the oldest geographic society, based in England) on June 1:

Why did I agree to become President of such an august and celebrated body as the Royal Geographical Society ? Well, basically (and I’m quoting Monty Python here for we once invented a spokesman for the British “Well Basically” Society) because I have always been a great enthusiast for geography, as those of you who visit the site know. As well as doing everything to preserve the excellence of the RGS, I hope that I can transmit some of my enthusiasm to those who might be the geographers of the future.

via Palin’s Travels.

Seabed mining: The unplumbed riches of the deep | The Economist

Seafloor mining beyond countries’ territorial waters is regulated by the International Seabed Authority, set up under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. So far it has issued only eight licences, all for exploration, not production, all for nodules, not massive-sulphide deposits, and all to governmental or quasi-governmental agencies (of China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, South Korea and an east European consortium). No wonder. Commercial miners want both a clear title to their holding and exclusive rights to exploit it. They also have to answer to shareholders.

via Seabed mining: The unplumbed riches of the deep | The Economist.

The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard

The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns.

Wolfram|Alpha Blog

wolframalpha.com is a new statistical search engine, set for release next week.  Read about it in their blog

GeoTube – Home

GeoTube – Home.

videos from youtube and other places about different geography-related topics

Twelve Mile Circle – maps, geography, travel

A cool geography blog I just discovered.

Twelve Mile Circle – maps, geography, travel.