Maps depict and shape history, power, identity

"There is a haunting effect of old maps," says the author of a new book on maps and their power to illuminate the colonial past (and present).

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history literature maps featured society-and-culture power

The way we use data is a life or death matter – from the refugee crisis to COVID-19

An algorithm driven world is dehumanising – but by understanding this we can call for a more equitable and human use of data.

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big-data refugees interdisciplinarity mapping in-depth insights-series migrants mediterranean

Darwin’s theory about atolls is ‘beautiful’ but wrong

Charles Darwin's theory about the formation of atolls is elegant, but doesn't reflect key information: sea level. Researchers now correct his work.

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charles-darwin maps coral-reefs oceans science-and-technology sea-levels

Hurricanes and wildfires are colliding with the COVID-19 pandemic – and compounding the risks

Disaster preparation and evacuation procedures weren't made for social distancing. The pandemic means response decisions are now fraught with contradictions.

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health covid-19 coronavirus pandemic hurricanes storms natural-disasters wildfires research evacuation vulnerability-map

Marie Tharp pioneered mapping the bottom of the ocean 6 decades ago – scientists are still learning about Earth's last frontier

Born on July 30, 1920, geologist and cartographer Tharp changed scientific thinking about what lay at the bottom of the ocean – not a featureless flat, but rugged and varied terrain.

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earth-science geology women-in-science women plate-tectonics maps mapping oceans cartography continents ocean-floor geosciences seamounts marine-geology continental-shelf

3 questions to ask yourself next time you see a graph, chart or map

Visualizations can help you understand data better – but they can also confuse or mislead. Here, some tips on what to watch out for.

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data data-visualization maps science-communication charts graphs science-literacy hazard-maps risk-communication

Methane emissions hit record-breaking levels

Methane emissions have reached the highest levels on record, researchers say. And more than half of all methane emissions now come from human activities.

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climate-change methane maps emissions featured earth-and-environment

Dashboard displays COVID-19 disparities by county

A new dashboard shows the disparities in how COVID-19 affects different income levels, various racial groups, and those with other health conditions.

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covid-19 data-science maps united-states featured health-and-medicine race-and-ethnicity

Map shows good and bad news on air pollution

A new global map shows trouble spots for air pollution containing tiny particles called at PM2.5 that can make their way deep into your respiratory system.

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pollution asthma air-pollution maps earth-and-environment

Rockfall map suggests moon’s surface still changes

Rockfalls on the moon leave their mark on the surface. A map of 136,610 rockfalls indicates that asteroid impacts are a likely cause.

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space earthquakes moon maps asteroids science-and-technology rocks