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☆ The controversial plan to regreen a desert
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-08 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The Dutch engineer wants to transform a huge stretch of inhospitable desert into green, fertile land teeming with wildlife. “The only holistic way out of this situation is with large-scale ecological regeneration”So-called desert regreening projects are not new, and this is one of a number around the world seeking to transform arid landscapes. Costfoto/NurPhoto/Getty ImagesFor van der Hoeven, it was further proof his plan could work. “The scale reaches a level that helps prove that restoration can be done on a planetary scale.”It would add to other huge desert regreening projects also underway. The project was scheduled to kick off this December, but conflict has slowed everything down, van der Hoeven said.

Persons: der Hoeven, “, Van, van der Hoeven, Ali Moustafa, ”, Van der, der, it’s, John Liu, Wolfgang Kaehler, Liu, ” Liu, Susan Gardner, Gardner, Alice Hughes, ” Hughes, Raymond Pierrehumbert, Pierrehumbert, — “, Van der Heoven, He’s, Van der Hoeven Organizations: CNN, United Nations, World Bank, UN, Hong Kong University’s School of Biological Sciences, University of Oxford Locations: Dutch, Africa, Asia, Maryland, Dubai, Lake Bardawil, Sinai, Bardawil, Egypt, China, California, Gansu Province, Yongjing, Gansu province, Nairobi, Hong, Gaza

☆ These 10 U.S. states are America's best-prepared for climate change and extreme weather
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Scott Cohn | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Some states are particularly vulnerable to climate risks, but these ten states are most ready for what Mother Nature has in store. 2024 Infrastructure Score: 276 out of 425 points (Top States Grade: A+) Climate Extremes Index: 14.9% Properties at risk: 96% Renewable energy: 24% 8. 2024 Infrastructure Score: 189 out of 425 points (Top States Grade: C-) Climate Extremes Index: 22.12% Properties at risk: 34% Renewable Energy: 77% 2. While a large percentage of Idaho properties are susceptible to climate risk, the danger of flooding is relatively minimal. 2024 Infrastructure Score: 195 out of 425 points (Top States Grade: C) Climate Extremes Index: 16.54% Properties at Risk: 90% Renewable Energy: 78% 1.

Persons: Jeremy Porter, Pete Buttigieg, Maria Lehman, Nature, Marli Miller, Justin Sullivan, Wolfgang Kaehler, Matt McClain, Randy Olson, Forester John Erixson, Kirby Lee, Jared Polis, Mario Tama, Rushmore, Idaho Neil Lincoln, Brownlee, Robert Gauthier, William, Marcia Lee, David Becker Organizations: First Street Foundation, Infrastructure Law, Transportation, CNBC, American Society of Civil Engineers, First, Atmospheric Administration, U.S . Department of Energy, Oregon Solar, UCG, Getty, Oregon Department of Energy, Washington, Cedar, Bio Energy Washington, Lightrocket, Washington Department of Commerce, Clean Energy Fund, New, Washington Post, Energy, Nebraska, Nebraska Forest, Colorado, University of Colorado, California, Energy Department, Dakota, Idaho Power, Los Angeles Times, Idaho Locations: Louisiana, States, Oregon, Valley , Oregon, Arizona, Phoenix , Arizona, Maricopa County, Phoenix, King, King County , Washington, United States, New Mexico, Mora , NM, Nebraska, Loup, Taylor , Nebraska, Boulder , Colorado, Palm Springs , California, California, Texas, South Dakota, Cavan, Iowa, Idaho, Nevada, Las Vegas

☆ She kissed a woman on the Trans-Siberian Railway 32 years ago. Then she flew across the world to find her
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

The bus was ferrying travelers to the train station to board the Trans-Siberian railway. Like Marie-Claire, Elaine had been working in Japan for a while, teaching English. Flirting in MongoliaMarie-Claire and Elaine were strangers who happened to be both traveling via the Trans-Siberian railway. She also shared the news with her extended network of New York friends. Elaine, Marie-Claire and their son Marcello have a family motto, based around their shared initials, EMC.

Persons: CNN — Marie, Claire Martineau couldn’t, Elaine Comerford, Marie, Claire, Elaine, ’, Elaine broached, they’d, “, Claire couldn’t, ” Marie, they'd, Claire Martineau Marie, who’d, ”, she’d, That’s, ” Elaine, “ Marie, Wolfgang Kaehler, we’d, Steve, ” Here's Marie, Claire Martineau, you’ve, Elaine didn’t, weren’t, Diane, “ Diane, ‘ Let’s, She’d, Claire’s, –, Marie Claire, Marcello, Here's Marie, “ We’ve, We’ve, we’ve, Anna Maria, Cliare, it’s Organizations: CNN, CNN Travel, Queens, Maison Internationale, EMC Locations: France, Japan, Europe, Eastern Europe, Budapest, Vienna, Boston , Massachusetts, Boston, New York City, Marie, New York, Beijing, China, Moscow, Mongolia, Russia, Asia, Mongolia Marie, Siberia, Germany, Turkey, Greece, Hungary, ”, Austria, Manhattan, Queens, Midtown, –, Provincetown , Massachusetts, Thailand, Vietnam, Colombia, Ecuador, United States, Anna Maria Island , Florida, Florida

☆ Officials in Namibia criticize tourists who took nude photos atop the Big Daddy dune at national park
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-27 | by ( Lauren Edmonds | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Namibian officials have criticized tourists who took nude photos at one of its national parks. AdvertisementOfficials in Namibia have threatened to blacklist a group of tourists who posed for nude photos atop the Big Daddy dune at one of the country's national parks. Big Daddy is one of the dunes found at the Namib-Naukluft National Park, according to the Global Alliance of National Parks. AdvertisementThe Big Daddy dune. We can look into the possibility of blacklisting them from entering any of our parks," Muyunda told the outlet.

Persons: —, Kenneth Nependa, Nependa, Wolfgang Kaehler, Nepanda, Romeo Muyunda, Muyunda Organizations: Service, Global Alliance of National Parks, Federation of Namibian Tourism Association, Sun, Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Forestry, Tourism, VW, The Ministry, Environment Locations: Namibia, Big, Spitzkoppe, Deadvlei

☆ Methane is seeping out of US landfills at rates higher than previously thought, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Garbage piling up in landfills isn’t just an eyesore, it’s also a climate nightmare, belching out large amounts of planet-warming methane gas. Their results revealed average methane emissions were much higher than those officially reported, according to the study published Thursday in the journal Science. Landfills tend to be a less well-known methane source, but they also have a huge impact, estimated at around 20% of global human-caused methane emissions. Most landfills in the US are federally required to measure methane emissions four times a year through walking surveys using handheld sensors. Average methane emission rates from landfills were 1.4 times higher than those being reported to the GHGRP, the report found.

Persons: it’s, Daniel Cusworth, Wolfgang Kaehler, ” Cusworth, Rob Jackson, ”, “ Organizations: CNN, ., Reporting, Cedar, Stanford University, ” Locations: United States, King, Maple Valley , Washington

☆ Migratory species are in a shocking state of decline, landmark UN report shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Angela Dewan | Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Migratory species include some of the most iconic animals on the planet, like elephants. Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP/Getty ImagesBaby Leatherback sea turtles head to the sea at sunset on Indonesia's Lhoknga Beach in February 2023. Those activities also fragment migratory species’ pathways, sometimes making it impossible for them to complete their journeys. Around 58% of the monitored locations recognized as important for migratory species are facing what the CMS says are unsustainable levels of pressure from humans. “Migratory species have a special role in nature as they don’t recognize political boundaries,” said Anurag Agrawal, professor of environmental studies at Cornell University.

Persons: They’ve, Yasuyoshi Chiba, Chaideer Mahyuddin, Didier Brandelet, Kristin Laidre, Amy Fraenkel, Scott Gibbons, Zheng Yuanjian, Carl de Souza, Sergio Pitamitz, Wolfgang Kaehler, ” Inger Andersen, ”, Anurag Agrawal Organizations: CNN, UN, Convention, Animals, Getty, McCormick, United Nations Environment, Cornell University Locations: Asia, Alaska, Kimana, Kenya, AFP, Beach, Greenland, Elsehul, South Georgia, longline, Chicago, Lake Michigan, Xinhua, Mongolia, UN, Samarkand, Uzbekistan

☆ The top 9 'must-have' travel experiences of 2024, according to luxury advisors
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Monica Pitrelli | Jonathan Delise | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

If that sounds like a tall order for a summer getaway, the luxury travel company Virtuoso asked 20,000 of its travel advisors to share their top experiences for 2024. Dark sky tourism focuses on rural locations without light pollution, such as Greece's Olympus Mountain National Park. Departing in August, Virtuoso recommends travelers first take in the Olympic Games before departing the city in style. Passion travelsHobbies may be associated with the home, but Virtuoso recommends taking your passions on the road. Virtuoso recommends exploring Peruvian cuisine at the Mistura Food Festival, or checking out the street food of Ljubljana, Slovenia.

Persons: Nicolas Economou, Manoj Shah, Belles, Bhutan's, Young, Peter Adams, Chiang Mai, Koh, Wiphop, Sakura, James Cole, Hillary, Cousteau, Shackleton, pricey, Yasin Akgul, bookworms, Wolfgang Kaehler, Brian Curtice, Levente Bodo, ERNESTO BENAVIDES Organizations: Nurphoto, DarkSky, Stone, InterContinental, UNESCO, Istock, Expedition, Getty, CNBC Travel, Orient, Afp, Departing, Olympic Games, Chelsea Flower, Lightrocket, Festival Locations: stargazing, Norway, Iceland, Canada, Northern Mexico, Blanco , Texas, Albanya, Spain, Africa, Bhutan, Thailand, Pana, Yai, Bangkok, Japan Japan, United States, North America, Japan, Hakodate, Hokkaido, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Fuji's, Antarctica, Paris, Istanbul, Turkey, Asia, Europe, Venice, Turkish, Strahov, Riau, Isla, Ljubljana, Slovenia

☆ 6 ways humans are transforming Antarctica from a pristine preserve to a polluted wasteland
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Rupendra Brahambhatt | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Antarctica was once a pristine preserve, but humans are ruining it. And this past winter, the frozen continent reached record-low sea ice levels. USGS"This region is nearing a threshold of rapid landscape change," researchers noted in 2017. Pauline Askin/ReutersAnd depending on the location, that ice melt could turn up some pretty nasty stuff. What's even more worrisome is that "human impacts are disproportionately concentrated on the most environmentally significant areas of Antarctica," the researchers noted.

Persons: It's, Emma MacKie, Eric Rignot, MacKie, Pauline Askin, huskies — that's, Sharon Robinson, Auscape, Logan Pallin, Wolfgang Kaehler, Rignot Organizations: Service, University of Florida, University of California, NASA, Reuters, huskies, University of Wollongong, ABC News, Tourists, University of Colorado Boulder, British Atlantic Survey, University of San Locations: Antarctica, Irvine, Beaufort, Antarctica's Ross, Australia, Antarctica ., Santa Cruz, Georgia, University of San Francisco

☆ From non-native bluegrass in Antarctica to beautiful spotted bugs in the middle of NYC, here are 5 invasive species that are as stunning as they are threatening to humanity
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Hilary Brueck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Here are 5 of the most obvious examples of how invasive species are impacting all of us right now. Scientists say invasive species are one of the top five drivers of biodiversity loss worldwide (alongside other environmental issues like pollution and climate change). The authors of the new UN report estimate that only about 6% of non-native plants and 11% of non-native microbes are invasive species. AdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, invasive species are an outsized driver of animal and plant extinctions, contributing to over half (60%) of them. Even Antarctica isn't safe from the threat of invaders like a non-native bluegrassPoa annua is an annual bluegrass species native to Eurasia.

Persons: Peter Stoett —, Stoett, we're, Gary Hershorn, Michael M, Joe Biden, Mandel Ngan, Melani Spielman, it's, Dan Kitwood, Wolfgang Kaehler, South America —, Kilian Fichou, Hu Weibin, Anibal Pauchard Organizations: UN, Service, United Nations, Ontario Tech University, Washington Post, Services, East, New, US Department of Agriculture, Getty, Cornell University, South America, Publishing, University of Concepción Locations: New York, Antarctica, New York City, China, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York , New Jersey , Michigan, Ohio, Inwood, Park, Maui, Marine, AFP, Waimea Valley, Africa, Hawaii, Somoria, Guinea, South America, Brazil, Kenya, Bangladesh, Florida, South, Europe, Lakes, Lake Ontario, Canada, Great, North America, Michigan, Eurasia, Chile

☆ Goldman Sachs says India will overtake the U.S. to become the world's second-largest economy by 2075
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-10 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Wolfgang Kaehler | Lightrocket | Getty ImagesIndia is poised to become the world's second-largest economy by 2075, leapfrogging not just Japan and Germany, but the U.S. too, says Goldman Sachs. "Over the next two decades, the dependency ratio of India will be one of the lowest among regional economies," said Goldman Sachs Research's India economist, Santanu Sengupta. Sengupta added that the key to drawing out the potential of India's rapidly growing population is to boost the participation of its labor force. The Achilles heel to the bank's projection is the labor force participation rate — and whether it increases at the rate which Goldman projects. "The labor force participation rate in India has declined over the last 15 years," the report noted, underlining that women's participation rate in the labor force is "significantly lower" than men's.

Persons: Taj, Wolfgang Kaehler, leapfrogging, Goldman Sachs, Santanu Sengupta, Sengupta, Goldman, Downside Organizations: Lightrocket, Getty, India, U.S, Tech, Employees, Bloomberg, Nurphoto Locations: Japan, Germany, U.S, India, China, Nasscom, Greater Noida, piecework, Nagaland, Nurphoto

☆ These are the best cities in the world for a healthy work-life balance, an analysis has found. Almost all are in Europe.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Europe is leading the way for healthy work-life balance, an analysis by Forbes found. Europe is leading the way for healthy work-life balance, an analysis by Forbes has found. Forbes ranked cities in Europe as some of the best in the world for work-life balance, but not US cities made the list. Belfast, Northern IrelandWork-life balance score: 57Belfast, Northern Ireland. Oslo, NorwayWork-life balance score: 63.2Karl Johans Gate street scene in Oslo, Norway with royal palace in the background.

Persons: Forbes, —, Ricki, Lee Abrams, Giles, Cathedral, Edinburgh . Russell Cheyne, Sylvain Sonnet, Taylor Rains, Karl Johans, Wolfgang Kaehler, Fredrik Sandberg Organizations: Service, Forbes, Invest Northern, Auckland Skyline, Getty, Stockholm, TT, Agency, AFP Locations: Europe, Denmark, Finland, Helsinki, Copenhagen, Auckland, New Zealand, Belfast, Northern Ireland, Invest Northern Ireland, Edinburgh, Scotland, Vienna, Austria, Reykjavik, Iceland, Gothenburg, Sweden, Auckland , New Zealand, . Eden, Oslo, Norway, Stockholm

☆ A physicist explains why there's no real end to a rainbow and the only way to spot a perfectly circular one in the sky
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Partha Chowdhury | The Conversation | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

To see a rainbow make a perfect, full circle, you'd need to see it from a plane in the air. This happens for very small droplets, such as a fine mist, or just after a rain shower when the air is just moist. You need very small water droplets in order for a rainbow to form. If you are flying a little above the cloud cover, keep a lookout for the small shadow of your plane on the clouds. The clouds are tiny water droplets, so chances are you may see a small circle of color around the shadow of the airplane.

☆ A gold miner found a mysterious grapefruit-sized fur ball. It turned out to be a 'perfectly preserved' 30,000-year-old squirrel.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Chris Panella | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But X-ray scans have revealed this grapefruit-sized lump is actually a 30,000-year-old mummified ground squirrel from the Ice Age. A ground squirrel for the agesAn illustration of the mummified ground squirrel curled up in its burrow during hibernation. "I study bones all the time and they're exciting, they're really neat. Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images"Some people get really, really excited when they find that giant woolly mammoth leg or, you know, the big tusks or the big skulls. But for me, the Arctic ground squirrel fossils, the nests, and now this mummified squirrel, are really the coolest things that we do have.

☆ The most dangerous cruise routes, ports, and destinations are in parts of the world where conditions are unpredictable — and help is nowhere nearby, travel analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

But some cruise destinations and routes are prone to dangerous conditions and risky activity. These are some of the most dangerous cruise locations around the world. AntarcticaThe world's southernmost continent is among the most beautiful — and dangerous — cruise destinations, according to Chiron and Klein. Cruise passengers during a lifeboat drill in the Northwest Passage near Nunavut, Canada. National Park Service via APCruise lines avoid dangerous portsWhile rough seas and high winds can make ocean travel dangerous, uncertainties on land pose their own risks for visitors.

☆ Here's what you can expect if you get COVID-19 on a cruise ship according to a Royal Caribbean passenger who was given the option to quarantine on the ship even after the cruise ended
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Isabella Zavarise | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

If a passenger contracts the virus, cruise ships offer medical treatment and future cruise credits. Both the medical team and the guest services team called him regularly to check on him. CelebrityThe liner Celebrity Reflection cruise ship arrives at the French Mediterranean port of Marseille. Future cruise creditsMost cruise lines offer future cruise credits if a passenger gets sick with COVID-19, but Hochberg said that process has been challenging. In July, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ended its COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships, putting the onus on cruise lines to create their own standards.

☆ Scholars found a long-lost star map from ancient Greek astronomer Hipparchus hidden beneath layers of medieval Christian text
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-22 | by ( Paola Rosa-Aquino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Scholars discovered the oldest known star map beneath the text of a Christian manuscript, according to new study. The ancient Greek astronomer made the earliest known attempt to chart the entire night sky. The Christian text came from Egypt's Saint Catherine's Monastery and is now in possession of the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC. Researchers say the star map was scraped away so the parchment could be reused — a common practice at the time. The "new evidence is the most authoritative to date and allows major progress in the reconstruction of Hipparchus' Star Catalog," the study authors wrote.

☆ World’s most beautiful castles
▼ + stars: | 2019-08-07 | by ( Joe Yogerst | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

As the UK crowns a new monarch, we’re exploring all things royal, from castles to grand tours. “Castles are places were plots were hatched, marriages were consummated, murders carried out, royal babies born, and so on. With castles, you are never short of fascinating things to talk about.”Read on to find out more about 21 of the world’s most beautiful castles, fortified homes that are both a feast for the eyes and a time trip back to the bygone age during which they were created. Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket/LightRocket via Getty ImagesThis classic medieval castle towers above the island of Rhodes in the Aegean Sea. The castle’s vivid red-and-yellow color pattern – and its flashy clock tower – endow Pena with a much more playful air than the somber castles found elsewhere in Europe.

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