Category: Europe
History of World Reserve Currencies since 1250
The world’s reserve currency fulfills a unique role in the global economy. It is the currency held in reserve by sovereigns, central banks, banks, and large businesses to facilitate the financing and transactions of global trade. Importantly, all the currencies on the chart were… Continue Reading “History of World Reserve Currencies since 1250”
Windmolenpark op de Noordzee
Met een ramp in wording drukt het kabinet het plan door, zonder de gevolgen te onderzoeken? Het gaat dus gebeuren: een gigantisch windmolenpark op onze Noordzee. Ondanks alle bezwaren, die uit allerlei hoeken komen en op heel wat te verwachten problemen wijzen, zet men… Continue Reading “Windmolenpark op de Noordzee”
How British women helped to abolish slavery in 1804
Believe it or not, but by the 1700’s, deciding whether or not to take sugar with your tea had become a political statement. While sugar-free diets are now all the rage, the motivations behind this health trend are a far cry from those of… Continue Reading “How British women helped to abolish slavery in 1804”
Race against Time to save the 33,000-Year-Old Underwater Cosquer Cave
During glacial Pleistocene, the entry to the famous Cosquer Cave was 100 meters (330 ft) above sea level, but the Holocene sea level rise, propelled lately by climate change, has meant that the entrance to the cave is now 37 meters (121 ft) below… Continue Reading “Race against Time to save the 33,000-Year-Old Underwater Cosquer Cave”
Blood Rain in Spain
Rain showers can sometimes take a bizarre turn: in very rare cases, animals such as fish and frogs have been known to fall from the sky alongside water droplets, and around the world, people have experienced what’s known as blood rain, where the water… Continue Reading “Blood Rain in Spain”
Nature is out of Sync—and that’s reshaping Everything, everywhere
Everything in nature—flowering, breeding, migration—lives and dies by a clock that is being recalibrated by climate change. We don’t yet know how severe the consequences may be. Timing is everything in nature. From the opening notes of a songbird’s spring chorus to the seasonal… Continue Reading “Nature is out of Sync—and that’s reshaping Everything, everywhere”
The Ceremonial Village of Orongo @ Eastern Island, Chili
Easter Island, known locally as Rapa Nui, is most famous for the hundreds of moai statues scattered throughout its coastline. A special territory of Chile that was incorporated in 1888, the entire island, located in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, is protected within the UNESCO… Continue Reading “The Ceremonial Village of Orongo @ Eastern Island, Chili”
Deciphering the Maya Script
According to Yuri Knorozov, you don’t need to jump across the pyramids to understand how to work with texts. Knorozov was a Soviet linguist and ethnographer who managed to decipher the script of the Maya civilization. He published an article in 1952 proclaiming his… Continue Reading “Deciphering the Maya Script”
The Ocean Race to collect data about the Global Environment
The forthcoming edition of The Ocean Race, which sets sail from Alicante, Spain, on the 15th January, is set to feature the most ambitious and comprehensive science program created by a sporting event. The round-the-world sailing race will measure microplastic pollution, gather information about… Continue Reading “The Ocean Race to collect data about the Global Environment”
Sweden suffering Wild Boar Invasion
Several decades after their re-introduction, Sweden’s wild boar population has exploded from hundreds to hundreds of thousands, becoming the single largest reason for domestic hunting dog injuries, as well as a bane for the nations crop farmers. In recent years, Sweden’s wild boar population… Continue Reading “Sweden suffering Wild Boar Invasion”
Indonesia Orangutan Jungle School
Deforestation is the greatest threat to the orangutan’s survival, and a great percentage of deforestation is set in motion to convert the land to oil palm cultivation. The rain forest, the natural habitat of the orangutan, is cleared for the benefit of plantations that… Continue Reading “Indonesia Orangutan Jungle School”
Top Ten Pesticide-Soaked Fruits and Vegetables to Avoid in the USA
About one billion pounds of conventional, synthetic pesticides are used each year in the United States to control weeds, insects, and other so-called pests. This number began rising in the mid-1990’s, with the advent of genetically modified foods, which are engineered in a lab… Continue Reading “Top Ten Pesticide-Soaked Fruits and Vegetables to Avoid in the USA”
The World’s major rivers are drying up from Extreme Weather
To be stuck “up a river without a paddle” is an expression for a sticky situation you just can’t get out of. But if that river happens to be in the northern hemisphere this summer, it’s likely the paddle won’t be helpful, anyway. A… Continue Reading “The World’s major rivers are drying up from Extreme Weather”
Crickey Amigu di Natura 