Одним из самых ярких событий недавнего времени стал пятый тестовый запуск корабля Starship, осуществленный компанией SpaceX. Однако, по мнению многих экспертов, не менее значимым и даже грандиозным проектом, сравнимым с миссиями «Пионер», «Вояджер», «Кассини», Rosetta, New Horizons, «Хаябуса-2» и Juno, стал запуск миссии Europa Clipper к спутнику Юпитера Европе.
Космический телескоп «Хаббл» порадовал новыми снимками спиральной галактики NGC 5248, расположенной в созвездии Волопаса, на расстоянии 42 млн световых лет от Земли. Эта галактика также известна под обозначением Колдуэлл 45.
В Малом Магеллановом Облаке — карликовой галактике, расположенной вблизи нашего Млечного Пути, — была зафиксирована редкая и необычайно яркая вспышка рентгеновского излучения.
7 ноября 2023 года специалисты Европейского космического агентства (ESA) сообщили, что космический телескоп Euclid прислал первые снимки.
Изображение номера — комета C/2023 A3 (Цзыцзиньшань — ATLAS).

Сообщение Астроновости: комета Цзыцзиньшань — ATLAS, полет к Европе, вспышка в Малом Магеллановом Облаке появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

Ведущий специалист в области искусственного интеллекта и методов машинного обучения Сергей Марков отвечает на вопросы Алексея Кудря и нейронных сетей.

Сообщение О Нобелевской премии 2024 года и ИИ появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

Нобелевскую премию по физиологии и медицине в 2024 году получили Виктор Эмброс из Массачусетского университета и Гэри Равкан из Гарвардской медицинской школы «за открытие микроРНК и ее роли в посттранскрипционной регуляции генов». Нобелевскую премию по химии присудили за два достижения: половину премии получил Дэвид Бейкер из Университета Вашингтона в Сиэтле — «за компьютерный дизайн белков», другая половина досталась Демису Хассабису и Джону Джамперу, представителям компании Google DeepMind, — «за предсказание структуры белков». Комментирует Михаил Гельфанд, докт. биол. наук, заместитель главного редактора газеты «Троицкий вариант — Наука».

Сообщение Нобель по молекулярной биологии появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

Нобель по молекулярной биологии. Пионеры нейронных сетей. Уроки корейского. Комета Цзыцзиньшань — ATLAS, полет к Европе, вспышка в Малом Магеллановом Облаке. Две межпланетные миссии. К гравитационному телескопу — под солнечным парусом. Из троицкой гимназии — в немецкий вуз. «Ее доклады превращались в настоящие концерты». Пункт приема стеклотары рядом с Театром на Таганке.

ТрВ-Наука № 415 от 22 октября 2024 года в PDF
Материалы номера в HTML

Сообщение ТрВ № 21 (415) за 2024 г.: Нобель по молекулярной биологии появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

Между прочим, в моей детской квартире на Сивцевом Вражке обитали самые разные люди. Их объединяло то, что я смотрел на них снизу вверх — словно на самоходные статуи. Пьяный дядя Стёпа в линялой голубой майке носился с топором по коридору, желая наказать за мнимую измену свою татарскую супружницу тетю Тоню. Она, задыхаясь, забегала к нам, мы запирались на крючок, я дрожал. Тетя Настя шлепала по коридору подвернутыми внутрь ступнями в войлочных тапочках, а ее взрослая, крепко сбитая дочь Нинка, которая росла без отца, в новогоднюю ночь изображала мне, который тоже рос без отца, Деда Мороза: таинственно стучала в узорчатое от мороза окно, а я мчался к входной двери на кухню…

Сообщение Про соседей появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

70 лет назад родился Юрий Николаевич Арабов (1954–2023), русский поэт, публицист, культуролог, эссеист, писатель и сценарист, автор сценариев кинофильмов «Господин оформитель», «Дни затмения» (с А. Стругацким, Б. Стругацким, П. Кадочниковым), «Посвящённый», «Сфинкс», «Камень»…
80 лет назад родился Николай Петрович Караченцов (1944–2018), русский актер, сын художника П. Я. Караченцова, исполнитель ролей в кинофильмах «Приключения Электроника» (Урри, гангстер из банды Стампа), «Короли и капуста» (Дикки Мелони), «Дом, который построил Свифт» (Лилипут Флим), «Светлая личность» (Егор Карлович Филюрин), «Подземелье ведьм» (Жан Лемот)…
75 лет назад родилась Лоис Макмастер Буджолд (Lois McMaster Bujold, р. 1949), американская писательница, автор циклов о Майлзе Форкосигане-Нейсмите с планеты Барраяр, «Шалион», романа-эпопеи «Разделяющий нож», романа «Кольца духов».
75 лет назад родился Александр Борисович Градский (1949–2021), российский певец, поэт, композитор, автор рок-опер «Муха-Цокотуха», «Мастер и Маргарита», автор музыки и исполнитель песен в мультфильмах «Принцесса и Людоед», «Охота», «Перевал».
85 лет назад родился Валерий Алексеевич Алексеев (1939–2008), русский писатель, автор повестей «Кот — золотой хвост», «Выходец с Арбата», «Чуждый разум», «Удача по скрипке», «Остров Гарантии», «Проект „АЦ“».

Сообщение Календарь фантастики: Юрий Арабов, Николай Караченцов, Лоис Буджолд, Александр Градский, Валерий Алексеев появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

Письмо пришло с утренней почтой, и он вскрыл конверт, когда Онорина позвала обедать. Как обычно, жена складывала письма справа от тарелки, и он читал, не всегда обращая внимание на вкус еды. «Любопытно», — сказал он, прочитав письмо и отложив в сторону — отдельно от других. Вечером, редактируя написанный утром текст, он был рассеян и, оставив работу, взял чистый лист бумаги. Письмо написал быстро, размашистым, но хорошо понятным почерком, запечатал, надписал адрес, вслух повторив имя человека, чье письмо назвал любопытным, и вернулся к чтению рукописи. Не то чтобы письмо его расстроило, но имя отправителя заставило задуматься о вещах, которые раньше не приходили в голову…

Сообщение Интуиция и только интуиция. Рассказ Павла Амнуэля появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

Социально-политические сдвиги всегда пробуждают множество новых эмоций: привычное становится гротескным, обычный разговор наполняется иронией. Культурологи Александр Марков и Оксана Штайн рассуждают о проекте, запущенном Осипом Бриком в начале 1924 года, исследовать язык Ленина. Юрий Тынянов увидел в языке Ленина не только мощь пропаганды, но и особую культуру забывчивости, важную для революционной чувственности.

Сообщение Революционная чувственность: Тынянов о Ленине появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

Борьба с трудностями имеет давнюю историю — продолжительностью в эволюцию жизни на Земле. И по мере развития живых существ всё больший удельный вес в этой борьбе приобретали трудности, преднамеренно создаваемые одними участниками взаимодействий для других. В человеческой культуре создание трудностей другим становится одним из важных видов инструментальной, орудийной деятельности, преследующей различные — вплоть до прямо противоположных — цели. Ниже я рассмотрю различные области этой деятельности людей…

Сообщение Объекты для создания трудностей появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

Теперь трудно представить, что принцип запрета, являющийся одним из основных аспектов квантового описания структуры атомов, был введен в физическую теорию до открытия Гейзенбергом и Шрёдингером альтернативных формулировок квантовой механики в 1925 и 1926 годах. Еще одним затруднением было отсутствие понятия о степени свободы электрона, позднее названной спином. Тем не менее к идее принципа запрета замечательный физик-теоретик Вольфганг Паули пришел не позже декабря 1924 года. Об этом свидетельствует его письмо Нильсу Бору, написанное 12 декабря 1924 года, в котором обсуждается эта идея…

Сообщение Принципу запрета Паули — сто лет появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

С 1 по 4 октября в Институте космических исследований РАН прошла третья по счету образовательная конференция «Дорога в космос», традиционная главная задача которой — собрать в одном месте множество людей, занимающихся космическим образованием. В течение трех дней шли пленарные и секционные заседания, где участники конференции рассказывали о своем опыте преподавания и популяризации космонавтики и астрономии, в том числе с использованием малых космических аппаратов и возможностей Международной космической станции.

Сообщение От космического образования к открытым технологиям в космонавтике появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

21–24 октября в Санкт-Петербурге прошел XII диптерологический симпозиум. Организаторы — Зоологический институт РАН и Российское энтомологическое общество. В жанре автоинтервью комментирует Никита Вихрев, канд. биол. наук, автор книги «Рассказы о двукрылых», финалист премии «Просветитель», постоянный автор нашей газеты.

Сообщение Слет специалистов по двукрылым в Северной столице появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

Группа радиоастрономов под руководством Сергея Тюльбашева, работающая в Пущинской обсерватории, обнаружила необычный радиоимпульс длительностью 211 мс с показателем дисперсии около 134,4 пк/см³ на частоте 111 МГц. Этому импульсу присвоено обозначение FRB 20190203.
28 октября NASA предоставила обновленный список из девяти возможных мест посадки на Луне для миссии Artemis 3. Каждый из этих объектов отличается своим уникальным геологическим разнообразием, что открывает новые горизонты для изучения лунных ресурсов и истории нашей Солнечной системы.
В новом исследовании, проведенном с помощью космического телескопа «Джеймс Уэбб» международной группой ученых, ведомой астрономами из Университета штата Пенсильвания, было выяснено, что некоторые из протопланетных дисков, изначально обнаруженных «Хабблом», окружают коричневые карлики — звездные объекты, которые слишком малы и холодны, чтобы в них происходил синтез водорода. Новые результаты, полученные «Уэббом», помогут астрономам лучше понять, как формируются коричневые карлики, как они связаны с другими звездами и планетами и есть ли у них быть собственные спутники.
В ходе телеконференции с журналистами Национальное управление океанических и атмосферных исследований США (NOAA) и Международная группа по прогнозированию солнечных циклов объявили о достижении Солнцем периода максимума, который продлится в течение следующего года. Каждый из 11-летних циклов характеризуется сменой магнитных полюсов Солнца, что приводит к переходу звезды из спокойного состояния в активное. Затем активность постепенно снижается до минимума, однако ученые не могут точно предсказать, в какой именно момент это произойдет.
Изображение номера — микроквазар SS433.

Сообщение Астроновости: сюрприз микроквазара SS433, подробности миссии Artemis 3, пик солнечной активности… появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

Алексей Кудря беседует с астрономом, популяризатором астрономии, основателем клуба научных путешествий «Астроверты» и проекта AstroAlert, научным руководителем обсерватории «Ка-Дар», автором и соавтором множества астрономических открытий Станиславом Коротким. В беседе Станислав рассказал, чем они занимаются у себя на астроферме, о достижениях, успехах и планах на будущее.

Сообщение Любительская астрономия сегодня появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

Сергей Попруженко, докт. физ.-мат. наук, зав. кафедрой теоретической ядерной физики НИЯУ МИФИ, рассказывает, какие технологические прорывы можно ожидать от аттосекундной физики при создании оптических и квантовых компьютеров, а также о ее возможных применениях при освоении термоядерного синтеза. Беседу ведет Дмитрий Лобачев.

Сообщение Не думай об аттосекундах свысока появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

Любительская астрономия сегодня. Сюрприз микроквазара SS433, подробности миссии Artemis 3, пик солнечной активности… Слет специалистов по двукрылым. Дорога в космос. Принципу запрета Паули — сто лет. Революция в языке. Самоходные статуи в Сивцевом Вражке.

ТрВ-Наука № 416 от 5 ноября 2024 года в PDF
Материалы номера в HTML

Сообщение ТрВ № 22 (416) за 2024 г.: Не думай об аттосекундах свысока появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

9 ноября по всей стране проходит просветительская акция «Открытая лабораторная». Россиян ждут сотни площадок в десятках городов страны. Участникам не просто предложат ответить на пару дюжин каверзных вопросов из области физики, химии, биологии и других естественных наук. Сразу после получасовой викторины на каждой площадке пройдет научно-популярная лекция, в ходе которой ведущие, в роли которых выступают ученые и популяризаторы науки, расскажут и объяснят правильные ответы.

Сообщение Тысячи россиян в десятках городов страны в эту субботу проверят свою научную грамотность появились сначала на Троицкий вариант — Наука.

I’m thrilled to announce new ebook editions of my Hugo Award-winning novel Hominids, its Hugo Award-nominated sequel Humans, and the bestselling final volume Hybrids. Together, they are the Neanderthal Parallax trilogy, which won the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Award (“the Aurora”) for best work of the entire decade. The trilogy tells of a parallel […]

Delighted that my THE DOWNLOADED is the #1 Science Fiction bestseller on the Audible.com monthly bestsellers list as reported in the March 2024 issue of Locus, the trade journal for the science fiction and fantasy fields, which came out today. Get THE DOWNLOADED here: Canada: https://adbl.co/45WsEqI US: https://adbl.co/49kuCEc UK: https://adbl.co/3tUfJbJ

My 25th novel, The Downloaded, is now available for pre-order in both print and ebook editions, and I’ll be touring across Canada starting next month to promote its release. Here are my May 2024 book-launch events: all are free and open to everyone, and books will be for sale (or bring your own copies and get them signed): Calgary Public […]

Robyn Meta Herrington, active member of both SFWA and SF Canada, passed away twenty years ago today, on Monday morning, May 3, 2004, in Calgary, Alberta, at just 43 years of age after a courageous multi-year battle with cancer. Robyn’s short fiction appeared in such places as On Spec, Talebones, Adventures of Sword and Sorcery, […]

Ahmed A. Khan sent me a scan of a reader’s letter published in the May 1997 issue of Analog Science Fiction & Fact magazine about my novel Starplex, which was serialized in four parts in that magazine before being published by Ace; I don’t believe I’d ever seen this letter before: ================= Dear Analog: I […]

Seventy-nine years ago, the era of atomic weapons began with the Trinity test. My novel about J. Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project is The Oppenheimer Alternatvie, and, in my humble opinion, it’s the best of my 25 novels: “Incredibly realistic: the characters, locations, the era, and even the science. I felt like I was […]

As you all know, I continue to use WordStar for DOS 7.0 as my word-processing program. It was last updated in December 1992, and the company that made it has been defunct for decades; the program is abandonware. There was no proper archive of WordStar for DOS 7.0 available online, so I decided to create […]

I’ve updated my WordStar for DOS 7.0 archive, based on feedback from the thousands of people who downloaded the initial public release (which was version 1.4, dated July 30, 2024).This new version is 1.5, dated August 12, 2024. The new version has the file size of the PDF manuals reduced (which cuts the archive size […]

I was very sad to hear of the death of former talkshow host Phil Donahue, who left us today at the age of 88. I was a regular viewer of Donahue in the 1980s and 1990s because he so often tackled big issues. And so, when I was writing my novel The Terminal Experiment — […]

Every Canadian of my generation knows the line, “I told him, Julie, don’t go!” It was said by Sylvia Lennick, the mother of my dear friend, the great Canadian filmmaker and special-effects expert Michael Lennick. Michael passed away ten years ago today, on November 7, 2014, at just 61 years of age. He’d been admitted […]

Show your love for Mother Earth this Earth Day! For the month of April, take 20% off our entire line of World maps. All proceeds from the sale will go to support the Society’s many worldly causes. Use code EARTHLOVE09.

Take 20% off All World Maps!
1. Visit natgeomaps.com/vip
2. Register with your email address and the code above in the "New Member Registration" area.
3. Enter the required information and create an account.
BUY NOW ›

National Geographic’s Maps Division and Center for Sustainable Destinations teamed up to produce the first NG-developed Online Geotourism MapGuide to support sustainable tourism across the Greater Yellowstone region of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.

The site, http://www.yellowstonegeotourism.org/, which launched on March 31st, is open to anyone to discover and share information about unique features, tours, and businesses that best represent and sustain the natural and cultural character of the region. Visitors can also request a free print MapGuide.

Geotourism is the kind of travel that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place — its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents. Online Geotourism MapGuides are web versions of the print maps that National Geographic has developed for a number of regions around the world, including Crown of the Continent, Baja California, and Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom to name a few.

In addition to producing print and/or web maps, these projects bring together diverse representatives from the local communities to collectively define what makes their region special and how best to communicate it to the rest of the world. NG Maps is excited to participate in these projects that help travelers and local communities discover and preserve special places around the world. Anyone interested in developing a Geotourism MapGuide for their region, or simply becoming a “Geotraveler” should visit http://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/sustainable/.

As college campuses across the country close for summer recess, we know of a few students heading home that are perhaps a little happier because their maps earned awards. National Geographic sponsors several map awards
(see http://natgeomaps.com/mapawards) to reward student innovation—so far six students have won this year:

Ben Coakley, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Scheduled Service on Small Airlines in Canada, Summer 2008.
Daniel Huffman, University of Wisconsin-Madison,
Rising Skyline: The Tallest Buildings in Europe, 1875-2007.

Mathieu Noble, Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS), Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), King of Coal.




Wes Jones, Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS), Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens.
Cindy Prostak, Centre of Geographic Sciences (COGS), Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC), St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador.

This is "one gift I will definitely keep," President Obama said when he was presented with a National Geographic Society map cabinet at the White House.

Visit the NATGEO NEWS WATCH Blog by News Editor David Braun for the full story: http://tinyurl.com/ncmdqy












Photos courtesy of The White House

By David Miller
Senior Editor, NG Maps

The "National Geographic Visual Atlas of the World" won the prestigious John C. Bartholomew Award at this year’s British Cartographic Society meeting near London. Rebecca Hill, international marketing director at National Geographic’s London office, accepted the award for the Book Publishing Group, which produced the atlas in 2008.

The award, sponsored by the Bartholomew family and HarperCollins, recognizes “originality and excellence in the field of thematic cartography with emphasis on effective communication of the intended theme or themes.” Now in its 30th year, the award includes an engraved crystal trophy and award certificate. Among the many entries, the "Visual Atlas of the World" was singled out for special praise from the judges: “This atlas lives up to its title, and through a large series of well-compiled, beautifully designed thematic maps presents a dramatic picture of today’s world and the issues it faces.”

The "Visual Atlas of the World," with 416 pages, 350 maps and more than 600 photographs, satellite images and illustrations, reveals a common planetary heritage by highlighting World Heritage sites.

“The atlas blends two of National Geographic bests—state-of-the-art cartography and brilliant photography, which together tell compelling stories across the globe," said Carl Mehler, director of maps and project editor for the atlas.

"The collective efforts, talent and innovation of the atlas staff made this project materialize into a uniquely diverse cartographic collection. We're honored and delighted to receive this recognition from the British Cartographic Society,” he continued.

Find more information on the atlas at http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/product/244/4461/120.html

American Hiking Society constantly monitors legislation that could enhance or protect the hiking experience. A new bill, HR 1912 - the Complete America’s Great Trails Act - has the potential to significantly benefit some of the most spectacular trails in America. This proposed legislation would grant a tax credit to private landowners who provide conservation easements to certified National Scenic Trails – resulting in a low-cost incentive for willing landowners to donate easements that would increase trail connectivity. This means that private landowners have a new incentive to allow hikers to pass through their property, and trails get a guaranteed corridor that protects the connectivity and continuity of the hiking experience for years to come!

American Hiking supports HR 1912 and applauds Rep. Connolly (D-VA) and Rep. Lummis (R-WY) for introducing this forward-thinking legislation. We also applaud Rep. Blumenauer (D-OR) and Rep. Bono-Mack (R-CA), co-chairs of the Congressional Trails Caucus, and Reps. Kind (D-WI), Massa (D-NY), McMahon (D-NY), Lance (R-NJ), Polis (D-Co), Boccieri (D-OH), Pierluisi (D-RC-PR), for their original co-sponsorship of this important legislation.

American Hiking advocates for changes in policies that provide our partners with as many tools as possible to protect and manage our nation’s great trails. Thus, we work closely with regional and local organizations that protect, maintain and promote the various elements of America’s National Trails System. We also partner with Congress and the federal land management agencies charged with managing and administering our trail resources.

American Hiking has championed the protection and enhancement of America’s National Trails System since our founding in 1976. Our National Trails System consists of more than 7,000 authorized miles of National Scenic Trails, more than 36,000 miles of National Historic Trail routes, and more than 1,000 registered National Recreation Trails.

Take Action to urge your Representative to co-sponsor HR 1912.

Read the full text of HR 1912, and read the Dear Colleague Letter being circulated by Reps. Connolly and Lummis.

In today’s economy, parting with hard-earned dollars to support your favorite charity or cause just may not be feasible. Consider donating yourself and your time as a way to give back without impacting your piggy bank.

Here’s how Chris Knoll, a cartographer here at NatGeo Maps, is giving back:

As part of an ongoing effort to support access to some of Colorado’s most popular 14er mountains, I participated in a stewardship adventure with Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado who partnered with Colorado Fourteeners Initiative. The main focus of this project was to work on building a sustainable trail up to 14,172 foot peak Mount Bross; which is near Fairplay, CO (90 miles southwest of Denver). Due to numerous unmarked mine shafts and a network of unmanaged social trails, access to the summit of Mount Bross was closed in 2006 until private land owners in conjunction with the US Forest Service can come to an agreement on the new route.

This is where the volunteers come in to action. Four crews totaling about forty people were given the task of stabilizing, reconstructing, and rerouting a trail leading up to Mt. Bross. The work included building sustainable portions of trail by installing rock steps where trail erosion is present, delineating one path up the mountain, and covering up social trails by re-vegetating these areas with native tundra plants that grow at higher elevations.

After work was completed each day, volunteers were fed by VOC staff, and were given the opportunity to socialize around the campfire and even take short hikes in the area. However, nights were called in early due to early 5:45 a.m. wake up calls.

All in all, the work that was completed over the weekend was meaningful and fun. It gives me a great sense of accomplishment knowing that one day, I will be able to hike a trail that I helped to construct.

For more information on non-profit volunteer groups mentioned in this article, check out http://www.voc.org, and http://www.14ers.org.

~Chris Knoll, Cartographer, National Geographic Maps

This weekend is another FREE pass to our National Parks.
Matthew Daly in Washington, D.C. Associated Press June 15, 2009

The U.S. National Park Service is looking to stimulate summer vacations at national parks, starting this weekend.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced earlier this month that entrance fees at 147 national parks and monuments—including the Grand Canyon and Yosemite—will be waived on three weekends this summer. The weekends are June 20 and 21, July 18 and 19, and August 15 and 16.

"During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families," Salazar said at a news conference at Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio.

"I encourage everyone to visit one of our nation's crown jewels this summer and especially to take advantage of the three free-admission weekends."

Most Americans live less than a day's drive from a national park, Salazar said. Last year national parks attracted more than 275 million visits, generating an estimated U.S. $10.6 billion for local economies and supporting more than 213,000 jobs, he said.

For the Park Service, the free weekends will mean a loss of an estimated half million dollars a day from entrance fees that range from $3 to $25. A total of 147 parks and monuments charge entrance fees. The country's other 244 parks are already free.

Kendra Barkoff, a spokesperson for Salazar, said the lost revenue should be more than offset by an increase in park tourism. Many tour operators, hotels, restaurants, gift shops, and other vendors near national parks will offer other discounts and special promotions on the free-weekend dates, she said.

The waiver applies only to entrance fees and does not affect charges for camping, reservations, tours, or concessions, Salazar said.

Senator Max Baucus, a Democrat representing Montana, applauded the free weekends. Baucus has co-sponsored a bill that would cap park entrance fees at current rates unless approved by Congress. The bill also would limit fees on national forests and other federally managed lands.

"There is nothing better than spending a weekend in Glacier or Yellowstone, and to be able to do it without straining the budget is even better," Baucus said in a statement. "Folks should be able to enjoy our outdoor heritage without going broke."

Kitty Benzar, president of the Western Slope No-Fee Coalition, a Colorado-based group that opposes fees on public lands, said Salazar's announcement was an admission that high fees are a deterrent to park visits.

"Twenty, 25 dollars does mean a lot to people," she said.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

In honor of Ken Burn's documentary, "The National Parks, America's Best Idea," coming this fall, we're highlighting a few of our nation's topographic treasures.













This week: Yosemite National Park (Courtesy of National Geographic Traveler)
Location:Located in the Sierra Nevada range of California, the park is 195 miles east of San Francisco and 276 miles north of Los Angeles.

Vital Stats
Nearest airports: Fresno-Yosemite International, located 2.5 hours north on Highway 41. The San Francisco International airport is four hours east of Yosemite.

Established: Yosemite National Park was established in October 1890. Prior to the National Park Service (NPS), Yosemite was managed by the state and local congress. After the formation of the NPS, Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove were reinstated in 1906 back to the federal government to be included in the management of the NPS.

Size: 761,266 acres
Park website: http://www.nps.gov/yose/
Snapshot: Recognized as a World Heritage site in 1984, Yosemite National Park covers over 745,000 acres of pristine wilderness filled with staggering cliffs, lakes, rivers, meadows, and a wealth of biological diversity. A haven to nature enthusiasts, artists, and families alike, the park is home to 800 miles of hiking trails, the tallest waterfall in the United States and the renowned giant sequoia groves.

Did You Know?
Towering more than 350 stories above Yosemite Valley, El Capitan is the largest exposed granite monolith in the world. By late August, Yosemite Falls are usually dry because the natural wonder relies solely on snowmelt. The peak flow is in late May and the falls return around October when the snow reappears. The park’s giant sequoia trees can live to be over 3,000 years old.

Scenic Drive
Approximately 48 miles in length, the Tioga Road is the most popular drive in Yosemite National Park. The road is the highest in the region, peaking at 9,945 feet at the Tioga Pass. The route winds through high peeks, meadows and creeks, allowing travelers to get a special view of the abundant wildlife in the park. Detour off of the main road to paths less traveled, including White Wolf, Siesta Lake, and the Red Fir Forest.
Read more...

With the kickoff of Ken Burn's documentary series, "The National Parks, America's Best Idea," we continue our highlight of a few of our nation's topographic treasures.


This week: Grand Canyon National Park (Courtesy of nationalgeographic.com)
The road to the Grand Canyon from the south crosses a gently rising plateau that gives no hint at what is about to unfold. You wonder if you have made a wrong turn. All at once an immense gorge a mile deep and up to 18 miles wide opens up. The scale is so vast that even from the best vantage point only a fraction of the canyon's 277 miles can be seen.

Nearly five million people travel here each year; 90 percent first see the canyon from the South Rim with its dramatic views into the deep inner gorge of the Colorado River. So many feet have stepped cautiously to the edge of major overlooks that in places the rock has been polished smooth. But most of the park's 1,904 square miles are maintained as wilderness. You can avoid crowds by hiking the park's many trails or driving to the cool evergreen forests of the North Rim where people are fewer and viewing is more leisurely.

The Grand Canyon boasts some of the nation's cleanest air, with visibility averaging 90 to 110 miles. Increasingly, though, air pollution blurs vistas that once were sharp and rich hued. Hazy days have become more common, with visibility dropping as low as 40 miles. Haze from forest fires and pollen has always been present, but the recent increase is traced to sources outside the park, like copper smelters and urban areas in Arizona, southern California, and even Mexico.

Since our inception as a division of the National Geographic Society in 1915, National Geographic Maps (originally the Cartographic Division) has routinely published maps that illustrate the news of the world. Our first supplement map, which appeared in the May 1918 issue of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, titled the Western Theatre of War, served as a useful reference for overseas military personnel and soldier's families alike. Similarly our February 1967 map of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, and recently, our Iraq and the Heart of the Middle East titles filled similar roles.

Maps are an excellent tool for the newshound, providing an accurate sense of place to issues local and abroad. To assist those that are interested in further understanding global news stories through good maps - we're pleased to announce a new monthly feature here on Contours that will highlight maps pertinent to today's news stories.

:: December 2009, Maps of the News ::

Afghanistan and Pakistan. Revised in Fall of 2009, this political map of the region contains thousands of place names, ideal for following news stories and deployed family members. Like all National Geographic cartography, our new Afghanistan and Pakistan map was carefully researched and edited and contains thousands of place names.

Iraq, Iran and the Middle East. This region dominates daily news stories. Our Middle East wall map covers over 18 nations in the region including: Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and more.

Philippines. Follow the recent eruption of the Mayon volcano in the Philippines, with our Asia classic and executive style wall maps for the continent.

Vancouver and the Winter Olympics. A detailed city guide, perfect for global travelers attending the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Now Available!

Easy-to-use, feature packed, and containing the world’s best maps, the National Geographic World Atlas enables you to browse, search, and zoom detailed maps of the globe.

Unlike other atlas applications, the National Geographic World Atlas utilizes our highest resolution, “press-ready” images, providing you the same rich detail, accuracy, and artistic beauty found in our award-winning wall maps and bound atlases.

The National Geographic World Atlas contains 7 different levels of National Geographic cartography, plus through our unique partnership with Microsoft, 7 bonus levels of Microsoft Bing maps enabling you to zoom in close enough to see your home! Learn more...

Now available in the iTunes App Store! Click here to buy now...

January has been a big month for global news. From the devastating earthquake in Haiti to the damaging storms throughout the US which brought mudslides to California and snow to Florida.

On a more positive side, the Winter Olympics in Vancouver start in just 16 days, with opening ceremonies taking place on February 12th.

To illustrate these stories and more - here are this month's suggested National Geographic Maps:

Haiti::
West Indies Two-Sided Wall Map:: Has a political map of the Caribbean, including Haiti. For a historical perspective on the region, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC published three different supplement maps in 1913, 1922, and 1947 which specifically detailed the Caribbean region. These maps are available via our NG Map Collection Website - simply search for "caribbean".

US Weather::
National Geographic has a wide variety of US wall maps. Our most popular two titles are our US Clasic and US Executive editions. Both maps come in a variety of sizes and formats including enlarged and laminated. Additionally we started publishing a new series of State specific wall maps last year, and have released 8 States so far, including California.

Winter Olympics::
For those lucky enough to be heading to Vancouver to attend the 2010 Winter Olympics, be sure to carry along our Destination Vancouver city travel map. Updated in 2009, the Vancouver city map contains a detailed and easy to read street map with the locations of points of interest, hotels, public transportation and more.

Check back in a few weeks for our February installment of "Maps of the News". Additionally, we love your questions and comments. If you have a place or news story that you're looking for a map of, feel free to post a comment below, or connect with us on twitter @NatGeoMaps.

For those actively following the World's news, here is our monthly quick reference to National Geographic maps which add perspective to today's news stories.

WORLD

The 8.8 Magnitude earthquake in Chile, has left substantial devastation to the port town on Concepcion and left thousands homeless in the Capital city of Santiago. Our recently updated South America Wall Map contains place names for most major and secondary cities, plus physical features, and major transportation networks.



When I first heard about the Tsunami threat for the Hawaiian Islands, Australia, Japan and the islands of the Pacific on Saturday, I turned to our World Pacific Centered wall map. Unlike the wall map you likely had hanging in your classroom, which was Atlantic Ocean centered, our Pacific Centered edition provides a seamless view of the entire Ocean. This different perspective made it easier to understand the path of the Tsunami waves and helped clarify why places such as the California, Oregon and Washington coasts were under the warning as well.

Beyond the Chilean earthquake, this winter seems especially harsh, and on Sunday, France and four other countries were battered by a deadly storm named "Xynthia". In its wake the storm left 51 dead, millions without power, and generated extensive property damage throughout the region. Winds in excess of 130MPH were recorded over the Pyrenees with 100 MPH gusts along the Atlantic coast. National Geographic has a collection of up-to-date reference maps for most of the countries in Europe including: France, Belgium & The Netherlands, Spain & Portugal, and Germany. Additionally we recently revised our Europe wall map, which is available in several styles.


US

Here on the home front, winter weather continued to make headlines last week with the Northeast receiving another record breaking snowfall. National Geographic publishes a wide variety of United States Wall Maps, varying in style, size, and format that will assist with following nearly any US based news story.

The Tsunami warning for the Hawaiian Islands last Saturday had me turning to one of our most beautiful wall maps, The Hawaiian Islands, which exposes the dramatic terrain of the ocean floor around the island chain.




SPORTS

Now that the Winter Olympics have concluded, it's time to turn our eyes south to Arizona and Florida as MLB Spring Training kicks off today. If you're heading to watch any of the games, we have two useful maps for your glovebox, the Florida State Guide Map and the Arizona State Guide Map. Both maps have up-to-date road networks for the State, plus detailed inset maps for the major cities, like the Spring Training hubs of Tampa, Ft. Myers, Scottsdale and Tucson. While I'm a big fan of GPS for turn-by-turn directions, sometimes its just a little faster to use a real map, and you certainly get a better perspective of what's ahead when on a road trip.



As always - we love to hear your comments, questions and ideas for future posts.

Hi everybody! I was honored when I was asked to write a blog entry for National Geographic Maps so hopefully this is informative and entertaining.

With summer starting to wind down, the mosquitoes and black flies are fading. Winter will come soon. It is a great time of year to get outside and also start dreaming of trips that you want to do for next summer. I mentioned in a previous blog post how I go about looking into the routes that I am going to embark on, so naturally I want to transition to how you all can set out on a long hike.

Here would be a few pointers that I would recommend.

1. Plan, Plan, Plan.
You haven’t planned enough if you haven’t thought about a lot of things for your trip. The route is one thing and the most obvious. However you should also be looking into how frequent and reliable the water sources are, how often you might be able to get more food or purchase food at a store, the weather for the area during that time of year, and fine tuning your gear. No doubt you will have some nerves at the start of a trip, but if you plan well and are comfortable with your gear going into the trip then that should ease the nerves a little.

2. Train
As your trip begins top take shape you will ideally start to train for the experience beforehand. This will help make your trip as enjoyable as possible as well as getting you used to your equipment. This will help your feet get ready, and if need be callused, for you shoes and to break in your shoes and help your hips and shoulders get used to wearing a backpack. If you prepare beforehand then you’ll be ready to hit the trail when the time comes and the mileage that you planned for the trip won’t be daunting. The training will also help in your planning because it will let you know what distances and terrain are obtainable for the trip in the time that you have.

3. Gear Up, But Not Too Much
Research the gear that you would like to use on the trip. Do as much research as possible looking online and asking questions of shop employees, but definitely do NOT just ask shop employees. Some store employees are great, but each has their own personal opinion and they might not even have done the activity or been to the terrain you are looking at doing. My typical gear list has many recurring pieces of gear, but there are also many things that change depending on location and time of year. This helps to keep your pack light by taking only what you will need. For example, there is no reason to carry a 3lb. -20 degree sleeping bag if you are heading out to the High Sierras in the summer. Chances are you can probably get away with a sub 2lb. 30 degree sleeping bag, especially if you plan on sleeping in a tent because that will add about 10 degrees to your sleep system. Get your system streamlined and dialed beforehand and then only take what you think you’ll need. If you don’t use it every day then generally you don’t need it. Also, try to make things have multiple uses. For example I use a half length sleeping pad and then use my backpack for the lower half of my sleeping pad. This saves about 8oz on my sleeping pad and makes it more packable since my backpack won’t be needed for anything else while I am sleeping.

4. GO!!!! And Have Fun!
Set off on the trip and have a blast. Remember that if you are setting out on a longer trip and you think you might need a piece of gear, want to swap out a piece of gear, or find out shortly into the hike that you aren’t using something that you are carrying then you can always mail something that you are carrying back home when you get to a town to resupply. On the other hand you could also mail something to yourself by General Delivery to the post office in a town. If you mail it priority and decide you don’t need the gear, then don’t open it and you can usually forward it elsewhere for no charge! This is also a great trick so that you only need to carry the maps that you need for each section and not add weight by carrying maps for the entire trip. Use these tools to keep your pack light.

For more info about Justin Lichter, follow him @ http://www.justinlichter.com/.

Five new National Geographic maps complete coverage of Washington Cascades

Published: Tuesday, September 07, 2010, 3:15 AM
Terry Richard, The Oregonian
Washington's Cacades are covered.

With the release of five new maps this summer by National Geographic, the rugged mountains of Washington are covered from the British Columbia border to Oregon.

The maps are sold under the Trails Illustrated brand.

New titles this year area Mount St. Helens/Mount Adams, Goat Rocks/Norse Peak/William O. Douglas Wilderness Areas, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Glacier Peak Wilderness and Mount Baker/Boulder River Wilderness Areas.

They go along with several other titles already in print to complete the coverage: North Cascades National Park, Mount Rainier National Park and Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

The full-color maps are printed on hefty water-proof, tear resistant paper. National Geographic is one of the best mapmakers in the business, so the maps meet the highest standards.

The maps are topographical, but they cover such a large area that the contour interval is 50 feet. This is a little too big for serious off-trail mountain navigation, but National Geographic also sells state map series on CD Roms under the Topo brand with 20-foot contour intervals.

The new printed maps maps are excellent for hiking and driving. They show most of the trails and most of the roadside amenities, in easy-to-read formats.

Your map files may already contain U.S. Forest Service maps of the areas, but these maps often go 15 years or more between updates. The new Nat Geo maps are the best new maps at this time for the areas they cover.

Look for them at stores that sell maps, though getting this many new titles in any particular store may be difficult.

One place that does have them all is the Nature of the Northwest in Portland, at 800 N.E. Oregon St., Suite 965. Phone number is 971-673-2331.

You can also order them from National Geographic. Cover price is $11.95. For more information visit Trails Illustrated Washington maps.

-- Terry Richard

Last weekend my class and I headed to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park for a Leave No Trace Trainer Course. The training was a part of a Wilderness Ethics class being offered by San Juan College. We were all super pumped to be headed to a beautiful place like the Black Canyon for a “class”.

If you have ever been on a Leave No Trace Trainer Course, then you will know that the first topic talked about is Plan Ahead and Prepare. Our instructor mentioned that it might be the most important principle as it will set you up for success for your next outdoor adventure. Included in the discussion were the hiking/backpacking 10 Essentials, in which a map is one of those ten. As a self-proclaimed “map geek”, I was pretty excited to see our instructor pull out the Trails Illustrated Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Curecanti NRA Map.

The map was a vital resource for planning our hikes for the weekend. By studying the contour lines and trail distances on the map we were able to determine which trails were the most suited to our group’s physical abilities and the class’ educational purposes. The map provided basic details like restroom locations, but was also detailed enough to show us what areas of the park required a backcountry permit. The map made several appearances during our hikes and quite a few more back at camp while students planned a return trip later this fall.

David Whitford – Student, San Juan College

David Whitford - San Juan College OLER Student

WASHINGTON (Nov. 10, 2010)—With one of every six people on Earth lacking access to safe drinking water, freshwater is one of the defining issues of the 21st century. Although water is essential for life, less than 1 percent of water on our planet is available for drinking. “Freshwater!” is the theme of Geography Awareness Week 2010, Nov. 14-20, supported by National Geographic and other partner organizations and sponsored by CH2M HILL, an international engineering consulting firm. Founded as a water firm in the 1940s, CH2M HILL has been working for decades to help people around the world find the right solutions to their water challenges.

Geography Awareness Week is an annual celebration enacted by Congress in 1987 that encourages families and schools to engage in fun, educational experiences that draw attention to geo-literacy and the importance of geography education. During Geography Awareness Week 2010, National Geographic invites students, teachers and parents to learn more about freshwater and how it connects to geography.

“Freshwater is one of the most critical issues of the 21st century,” said Terry Garcia, National Geographic’s executive vice president of Mission Programs. “National Geographic is committed to increasing awareness about this vital natural resource through our Freshwater Initiative. Our Geography Awareness Week website (http://www.geographyawarenessweek.org/) gives students and teachers the necessary tools to understand the complexity of the global freshwater crisis and its extraordinary role in shaping the geography of our world.”

During Geography Awareness Week, grassroots organizers around the country will host events, workshops and contests at local schools and community centers. Engineers from CH2M HILL will visit classrooms in many states to share hands-on freshwater activities with students and discuss connections between geography and real-world engineering projects.

“Our world needs sustainable water management solutions that support society and nature,” says Bob Bailey, president of CH2M HILL’s Water Business Group. “The decisions we make today about water will affect generations to come. We are proud to partner with National Geographic — a leader in scientific and cultural research and education — to help bring public awareness to this vital issue. Our firm is committed to sustainability; to protecting and preserving our planet’s natural resources; and to inspiring and educating a future workforce that will help solve the environmental and engineering challenges of tomorrow.”

In celebration of Geography Awareness Week, Zinio, the digital magazine and book distributor, will offer free access to and a free download of the digital edition of the April 2010 issue of National Geographic magazine, “Water: Our Thirsty World,” during November. This single-topic special issue highlights the challenges facing our most essential natural resource. The digital edition presents complete content from the print edition, plus extra photo galleries, rollover graphics that animate features like maps and timelines, video profiles of photographers who contributed to the issue and other interactive features.

The Geography Awareness Week website offers access to activities, lessons and games about freshwater. The site features contributions from National Geographic and partner organizations such as ESRI, 4-H, Newspapers in Education, Zinio and GeoEye. Visitors can use a water footprint calculator to determine how much water their family uses — from watering the lawn to the “hidden” water in household items like blue jeans — and find ways their family can conserve. Teachers can access a wealth of lesson plans about freshwater, including featured activities for use with new National Geographic Mapmaker Kits. Educators and parents alike will find valuable lists of recommended books and films, as well as crossword puzzles and other family-friendly games.

The website also features opportunities to join nearly 100,000 geography supporters in promoting the cause of freshwater. Resources are provided on how to host a local Geography Awareness Week event, including a guide to hosting a 3.7-mile Walk for Water or a Freshwater Trivia Night. A link to the new Global Action Atlas offers connections to people and organizations involved in innovative water projects around the world.

Site visitors also can read and contribute to a Geography Awareness Week Blog-a-Thon, which is updated multiple times daily with commentary and multimedia. The Blog-a-Thon also features a “What’s That Water?” quiz, challenging visitors to identify freshwater bodies in satellite imagery, provided by GeoEye, for chances to win prizes.

The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 375 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; music; radio; films; books; DVDs; maps; exhibitions; live events; school publishing programs; interactive media; and merchandise. National Geographic has funded more than 9,400 scientific research, conservation and exploration projects and supports an education program promoting geographic literacy. For more information, visit http://www.nationalgeographic.com/.

Headquartered in Denver, Colo., employee-owned CH2M HILL is a global leader in consulting, design, design-build, operations and program management for government, civil, industrial and energy clients. With $6.3 billion in revenue and 23,500 employees, CH2M HILL is an industry-leading program management, construction management and design firm, as ranked by Engineering News-Record (2010). The firm’s work is concentrated in the areas of water, transportation, environmental, energy and power, and facilities and infrastructure. The firm has long been recognized as a most-admired company and leading employer. Visit http://www.ch2mhill.com/.

For more information and resources for Geography Awareness Week, visit http://www.geographyawarenessweek.org/.

National Geographic Maps & Satmap Systems

Announce Alliance to Deliver Digital Mapping for Handheld Sports GPS

For the first time, National Geographic’s suite of Trails Illustrated, TOPO! and Adventure maps are made available on a handheld GPS; Satmap Active 10 TREK Launches in the U.S. this week.

November 17, 2010 - London, England... National Geographic Maps and Satmap Systems today announced the integration of the best-selling National Geographic outdoor recreation maps into the award-winning Satmap Active 10 handheld GPS. This integration is the result of a new product development alliance between the two organizations, both of which will launch the Active 10 TREK for sale in the United States this week.

The content offered on Satmap devices will include the complete line of National Geographic outdoor recreation maps, including the TOPO! USGS topographic map series, the AdventureMap series of international adventure travel maps, and, for the first time on any GPS, National Geographic’s premier Trails Illustrated series of maps for national parks, national forests and many popular recreation areas. National Geographic maps will be available via SD-Cards, which will plug-and-play into the Active 10 TREK handheld GPS.

The alliance brings together the mapping excellence of National Geographic with the engineering expertise of Satmap Systems Ltd., and the result is a product that meets the needs of outdoor enthusiasts. The Active 10 TREK will suit users of all skill levels in all weather conditions throughout the year. It has gained wide acceptance in Europe with outdoor professionals and consumers engaged in various activities such as mountain rescue, hiking, mountain biking, hunting and geocaching.

Charlie Regan, general manager and vice president, National Geographic Maps, said: “National Geographic prides itself on publishing the best maps, whether for outdoor recreation, education, travel or reference. We are pleased to announce this alliance with Satmap and are eager to see outdoor enthusiasts and professionals begin using the Active 10 TREK to guide them on their adventures. Satmap’s sterling reputation and the critical acclaim that their Active 10 has garnered in Europe made the decision to partner, as they expand into the U.S. market, an easy one.”

Richard Calthrop-Owen, managing director of Satmap Systems, commented: “We are really excited about launching into the U.S., especially with such a globally respected brand as National Geographic. This alliance is good news for everyone who spends time in the great outdoors, and this is a major product first. The Active 10 TREK, combined with the superb National Geographic map data, gives users the freedom to focus on the enjoyment of their sport rather than worrying about location. Accurate navigation is an essential part of enjoying the outdoors, and this quality of map detail will help users to keep on track and stay safe.”

Fourteen TOPO! USGS-based SD Map Cards will be available at launch, covering many popular outdoor recreation states including Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, the Mid-Atlantic region, Montana, Nevada, New England, New Mexico, North and South Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. SD Map Cards for the remaining states and regions will be released in the first quarter of 2011. Three additional Trails Illustrated SD Map Cards also will be part of the initial offering, covering California’s Sierra Nevada, the Southern Appalachians and America’s “Greatest National Parks.” New Trails Illustrated Map Cards featuring some of the most important recreational areas in the country will be available in the coming months.

In addition to recreation users, Satmap Systems Ltd. supplies GPS handsets to search and rescue teams, police, military and other professionals in Europe, giving the company a unique insight into and understanding of the needs of outdoor users. Central to this is the need to see the best quality mapping possible on a large screen in a handheld device that is rugged and user friendly.

The Active 10 TREK

The Active 10 TREK comes pre-loaded with World and USA Base Maps. Customers can then buy the National Geographic SD Map Cards that slot into the GPS, making map reading fast and easy. The map is displayed on a large 3.5” screen in full color suitable for day and night use, including a red backlight option to help protect night vision.

The Active 10 TREK is priced at $369.99, and the National Geographic SD Map Cards cost $99.99 each. Customers also can purchase topographical mapping for most countries in Western Europe, making the GPS useful for home and when travelling abroad. There is a range of high-quality accessories such as Bike Mount, Vehicle Mount and a Deluxe Carry Case, which retail from $14.99.

The Active 10 TREK and National Geographic SD Map Cards will be sold online at www.shopng.com, www.satmap.com, www.topo.com, and www.amazon.com and will be available at premier outdoor retailers nationwide in the upcoming months.

Frank Biasi, Director, Conservation and Special Projects
National Geographic Maps

We all know (or should know!) that geography is the study of the Earth and its lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena. This breadth of fascinating subjects is what led me to become a geographer 25 years ago. The sub-discipline of cartography allowed me to combine my earlier interest in visual art with my newfound passion for geography. I was lucky to come of age early in the growth of computer mapping technologies, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Seeing the potential of GIS to make a difference in the world and to build a career, I quickly jumped on that bandwagon.

I first used GIS to do maps and analysis for geography courses, and to inventory property parcels around my campus as part of an internship. After graduation, I worked for a regional planning agency to help design transportation corridors that maximize business opportunities and minimize environmental impacts. I went on to work for a state environmental agency where I helped to map all of the wetlands in Massachusetts to aid in the permitting of development and construction projects.

I further developed my geographic thinking and skills working for The Nature Conservancy, where I used GIS to help conservation planners and preserve managers map biodiversity and design and execute ways to save it. I realized that conservation, as with many other fields, deals with a wide variety of systems operating across the landscape, including biological, geological, hydrological, climatological, political, transportation, and economic systems. GIS provides a powerful platform to create and combine data layers representing each of these systems in order to make maps and answer questions about the world. Seeing these maps and answering these questions helps organizations across all sectors make informed decisions about what to do and where to do it.

Recently, we as individuals have begun using simple GIS tools on our PCs and mobile phones to make maps and answer spatial questions to help us decide where to eat, shop, travel, and invest. The growing phenomena of geo-browsing and geo-searching are enabled by interactive mapping services by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, MapQuest, and others. These services are becoming increasingly personalized through GPS-enabled mobile phones and apps that tell us who and what is near us, wherever we are. The initial applications of these services have been for commercial and social uses. However, they can also help us discover and decide how we can make a positive difference in the world.

Many people are unaware of the fact that there are hundreds of thousands of dedicated nonprofit organizations working around the world to reduce human suffering, protect wildlife and ecosystems, preserve cultures, and advance scientific knowledge. These heroic people and organizations are stepping in to fill critical gaps that governments and businesses are unable or unwilling to fill. Most of the organizations have very limited financial and human resources to accomplish their objectives, yet they still manage to make an enormous difference in the lives of people, animals, and society at large.

At National Geographic, we have begun an initiative called the Global Action Atlas to highlight the work of these heroic nonprofits, and to give our audience tangible opportunities to discover and get involved in this work by donating, volunteering, advocating, visiting, and sharing with their social networks. Although it is still a beta site, ActionAtlas.org has over 400 on-the-ground projects by more than 100 reputable nonprofits around the world. Users can browse projects on an interactive global map or by themes including Conservation, Humanitarian, Cultures, Exploration, Climate Change, and Energy. They can also enter keywords to get a list of relevant projects in the U.S and around the world.
Every project has an interactive profile where the organization summarizes the issues the project is working to address, their goals, and the progress being made. They also include photos, videos, documents, blogs, maps, links to more information, and lists of similar and nearby projects. Once a user has found a project that interests them, they can become a fan or comment on the project, as well as donate, volunteer, visit, or share the project with their Facebook friends. Users can build up a portfolio of their favorite projects to follow and interact with over time, thus establishing their own “Geography of Action.” We plan to add thematic layers to the map viewer such as infant mortality, biodiversity, and cultural hotspots to help people decide where they should invest their time and resources in making a difference.

We hope that the Global Action Atlas provides the public a useful and trusted service that advances National Geographic’s mission of “inspiring people to care about the planet,” by enabling them to turn inspiration into action. Over the past century National Geographic’s writers, photographers, and filmmakers have richly documented places and cultures and the challenges facing communities and the planet. Our Mission Programs have funded thousands of field-based projects to understand and conserve wildlife and cultures and advance the frontiers of science. The Global Action Atlas is the beginning of a new effort to deeply engage our audience in this wonderful, but challenged world, and to help them become active participants in making it more wonderful.

As a result of the devastating earthquake in Japan early this morning, National Geographic has received requests for maps that show the impacted region. Below is a complete list of titles that are currently available:

1. Japan and Korea Wall Map

2. World Ocean Floor Wall Map

3. Hawaii State Wall Map

4. Alaska State Wall Map

4. World Classic Pacific Centered

5. Oregon State Wall Map

6. California State Wall Map

7. Washington State Wall Map

As this event further unfolds, we shall update the map resources list accordingly.