Will Brazil be a superpower?

Brazil is a huge country, with vast reserves of natural resources. It is poised to take a more important role on the world stage, including hosting the 2016 Olympics. This article points out how Brazil’s politicians are aiming to give Brazil an even more vital role in global affairs:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8345071.stm

 

What social problems are associated with mining developments in LEDCs?

Mining is often a useful way for LEDCs to gain finanancially from their natural resources. However, large global mining companies and governments in developing countries often do not enforce the same planning, social and environmental standards as they would in MEDCs. Here are a couple of examples of the allegations that have been made:

A Canadian mining firm operating in Guatemala:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7934513.stm

A British firm operating in Peru:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/oct/18/peru-monterrico-metals-mining-protest

 

 

 

How is solar power changing lives in India’s rural communities?

Relatively simple and affordable technology often provides the most telling change in terms of developing rural areas in the Less Economically Developed World. This example explains how simple solar technology is providing electric lighting to a small settlement in India and explains the positive impact it is having on people’s lives:

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/solarengineers

 

What caused Australia’s red dust storm?

In September 2009, a cloud of red dust enveloped Sydney in Australia. Amongst other things, this link includes a clip explaining how the cloud was caused.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8270104.stm

 

How do maps affect our impressions of reality? An example from London Underground

If you are asked to imagine the London Underground layout, this is probably what you visualise:

However, this fly through from DigitalUrban shows things in a different and more realistic way:

http://vimeo.com/3557226

If half of British babies live until they are 100 years old, how will we need to change to cope?

In October 2009, researchers suggested that around half the children being born in the UK today would live until they were 100, but how will this change our nation and how can we manage the needs of these generations in the future?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8284574.stm

How do the National Hurricane Center predict hurricanes?

This link takes you to a news report showing the National Hurricane Center and how it does its work:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8078302.stm

Will China’s mining industry clean up it’s act?

China’s mining industry has played a major role in the rapid economic growth of the country in recent years. However the incidnece of work related deaths in CHinese mines is very high, as shown by the typical incidents below, is it time the Chinese mining companies put as much value on thelives of their workers as they do on the resources they extract?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8084923.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8298226.stm

Coca-Cola in Venice – How does the spread of big brands indicate globalisation?

Many iconic places try to reject big global brands, as a way of preserving their status and heritage. The introduction of 60 Coca-Cola vending machines to Venice has caused an inevitable row, but is the spread of global brands inevitable?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7906589.stm

How are glaciers in the Himalayas changing?

It’s no surprise that glaciers in the Himalayas are being monitored closely, their seasonal mlting provides hundreds of millions of people with water throughout norther India and beyond. If the glaciers melt the supply of water they generate could become unstable, threatening the livelihoods of those who rely on it.

Beyond water supply issues, there are other problems. Lakes are now building up behind the natural moraine dams left by the retreating glaciers. The growth of these proglacial lakes is putting increasing pressure on the dams, sometimes leading to potentially catastrophic collapses, known as Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs for short).

Recent research has tried to identify the scale of the problem:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8109389.stm

The UN is also involved in the monitoring of potential GLOFs:

http://www.rrcap.unep.org/issues/glof/

A bit more background here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacial_lake_outburst_flood

Here is the UNDP’s assessment of the risk in Nepal:

http://www.undp.org.np/energy/projects/GLOF/index.php?ProgramID=73