Wednesday 21 April 2010

Data | The World Bank

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"Today we are opening up one of the world’s most reliable and comprehensive databases on developing economies. It includes more than 2,000 indicators from countries around the world, including hundreds that go back 50 years."

Data | The World Bank

Iceland volcano in maps

 image The eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull has brought disruption to the skies over Europe.The maps above show how flights have been restricted to flying around the ash cloud, shown in red. Where the shading is darkest, it indicates the cloud is extending higher into the atmosphere. The flight ban was partially lifted on Tuesday - five days after the eruption. EU transport ministers agreed to allow limited flights within Europe after flight tests showed the density of the volcanic ash in the air was diminishing.

BBC News - Iceland volcano in maps

Watch Air Traffic - LIVE!

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Flightradar24.com shows live aircraft traffic in the airspace above Europe. Click on "About" above to get more info about this page or here to know more about the map and how to contribute!.Also visit our forum to discuss the radar.

Watch Air Traffic - LIVE!

Amazing Volcano Eruption in Iceland 2010

Volcano Eruption in Eyjafjallajökull Iceland 21 Mars 2010 (HQ) Video 1 of 2

Eyjafjallajökull - You're doing it wrong!

National carbon calculator

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Play UK prime minister and set the policy on energy, transport and other sectors and measure the carbon emissions generated.
• The tool shows the UK as it is today
• Move the sliders and aim to reduce emissions by 80%
• You must supply enough electricity to meet demand. Make sure the scales are balanced
• Find out more about this tool and how we built it
• See how the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives and Labour would cut emissions

Interactive: National carbon calculator - can you cut UK emissions? | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Sunday 11 April 2010

How Dubai's $14 billion dream to build The World is falling apart

Of Dubai's absurd dreams, none has failed more spectacularly than The World  -  300 man-made islands sculpted from sand;

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only 'Geenland' has been built on. And as Adam Luck reports, the $14bn dream has left a trail of death, debt and deception

How Dubai's $14 billion dream to build The World is falling apart | Mail Online

Wednesday 7 April 2010

Progress: A Graphical Report on the State of the World

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About a year ago the United Nations announced UNdata, a way to disseminate data stretched out across 22 United Nations databases through one central application. While UNdata houses 66 million records, it's tough to get a sense of what's going on without a visual representation.

Progress is an effort to make this world data visible. More than anything though, it was a chance for me to mess around with some data.

TAKE A LOOK

Progress: A Graphical Report on the State of the World

Tuesday 6 April 2010

Biodiversity

 

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are home to king penguins. Britain has been ignoring its ‘moral duty’ to protect the island’s biodiversity according to MPs

Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth at all levels. Photographer: Paul A Souders/Corbis

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth at all levels: from genes to species to ecosystems. An apple variety is an example of biodiversity; so is Siberian coastal tundra. Most of the time, though, biodiversity is spoken about in terms of species.

Q&A: Biodiversity | Science | guardian.co.uk

The Great Barrier Reef scandal | World news | The Guardian

The Great Barrier Reef is threatened by the worst environmental disaster in Australia's history after a ship ran aground. So why are giant coal carriers allowed to use this well-known shipping hazard as a shortcut?

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The Great Barrier Reef scandal | World news | The Guardian

BBC report

Monday 5 April 2010

Bristol tops list of bike-friendly cities | Life and style | The Guardian

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Bristol is the UK's most bike-friendly big city, while London is one of the least hospitable to cyclists, according to a survey.The study by Cycling Plus magazine took the country's 20 biggest cities and towns by population – thus excluding traditional bike centres such as Cambridge and York – and ranked them using a series of factors including cycle commuter numbers, levels of bike theft, the number of traffic-free bike lanes, casualties, pollution and even rainfall.Bristol edged out Nottingham and Leicester, while London was rated 17th, above only Glasgow, Birmingham and bottom-placed Bradford.

The accolade for Bristol comes two years after it was named the country's first "cycling city" by the Department for Transport, giving it access to around £20m in extra funding for bike-related schemes. The city is also the birthplace of Sustrans, the green cycle route charity which began 30 years ago when volunteers converted an old rail line between Bristol and Bath into a dedicated bike route.

Bristol tops list of bike-friendly cities | Life and style | The Guardian

Sunday 4 April 2010

Reykjavik Iceland Volcano Webcams

Early on Sunday morning (the 21st of March) eruption started at Fimmvorduhals, an area between Katla volcano and Eyjafjallajokull glacier and a popular hiking trail. Fear remains that the eruption at Fimmvorduhals might trigger a much larger eruption in Katla volcano. If that happens, these webcams will provide a direct view of the events.image The webcams offer two different view of the volcanic area. In case of heavy clouds or bad weather the webcams might not provide a clear view.Several tour companies now offer tours to the volcanic area for those interested:

The two new webcams showing Eyjafjallajokull glacier and provide a view of the eruption area were installed by Mila. The Hekla webcam (bottom of page) was installed in partnership between Iceland´s National Radio, Iceland´s Civil Protection Department and Siminn telephone. Volcanic activity is best viewed during dusk (6pm-8pm local time) as night falls and daylight reduces.

Webcam location map

Reykjavik Iceland Volcano Webcams - Hekla and more... - My Reykjavik Info

Saturday 3 April 2010

Toads able to detect earthquake days beforehand.

 image Toads may be able to detect imminent earthquakes, according to scientists. The finding will add to the accounts through the centuries where animals, from dogs to rats, snakes and chickens, are said to have behaved strangely before an earthquake.In the study published today in the Journal of Zoology, a colony of toads deserted their mating site three days before an earthquake struck L'Aquila in Italy last year – the epicentre was 74km from the area where the animals had normally gathered. No toads returned to the site until 10 days later, after the last of the significant aftershocks had finished.

Toads able to detect earthquake days beforehand, says study | Science | guardian.co.uk

South Downs Online - South Downs National Park announcement

 

Devils dyke

South Downs National Park designation takes effect – 31 March 2010

The new South Downs National Park is designated at a minute past midnight on Wednesday 31 March. Covering an area over 1600 square kilometres, the South Downs National Park is the tenth National Park to be designated in England, offering an area of protected countryside that everyone can visit and enjoy. The famous South Downs Way, loved by walkers, cyclists and horse riders, stretches the entire 160 km length of the Park from Winchester in Hampshire to the white chalk cliffs of Beachy Head, near Eastbourne.

South Downs Online - South Downs National Park announcement

William Kamkwamba: How I harnessed the wind | Video on TED.com

William Kamkwamba: How I harnessed the wind | Video on TED.com

CoalFinger - Home

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As a lover of our planet, Graverson Green, like us, is not a fan of dirty coal. Cue Coalfinger, a coal super villain and Green's ultimate enemy! Along with his dopey sidekick Dr. Anthracite, Coalfinger plans to cover the world in coal-fired power stations and destroy the climate. Can Green stop them with the help of his assistant Katrina Hurkane?

CoalFinger - Home