8 Feb

Australia: Travel Opens to Vaxxed Passengers









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Australia
Travel Opens to Vaxxed Passengers
The Australian government announced vaccinated international visitors will be allowed to visit the continent two weeks from now, after two years of some of the world’s tightest border controls. Australia’s announcement comes on the heels of Pacific neighbor New Zealand announcing a more conservative phased re-opening plan late last week. Both Australia and New Zealand have had the advantage of being isolated island countries to maintain tight border restrictions. In Europe, more countries are also easing or dropping restrictions, with Sweden announcing today that travelers from other Nordic nations and EU nations will be allowed in without restriction starting tomorrow, and almost all internal control measures like masks and vaccination requirements are being dropped following neighboring Denmark’s removal of all domestic and travel restrictions last week.
 
This interactive map allows travelers to view travel restrictions between different countries around the world. Click on the map to learn more.

Graphic Source: Sherpa
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United States
Cyclist Falls from Florida Bridge
Florida police are investigating the accidental death of a West Palm Beach cyclist on a drawbridge on Sunday. The 79-year old resident had been walking her bicycle westward along the Royal Palm Bridge around 1 p.m. when it began to rise. Bystanders were unable to reach her as she lost her grip on a railing and fell more than 50 feet. Owned by the Florida Department of Transportation, the bridge is the main link between Palm Beach and West Palm Beach on the mainland, though it is managed by a separate company. Law enforcement will be looking into the events leading up to the opening of the bridge and if safety protocols were followed properly by the bridge tender.

This map depicts the scene at a drawbridge in Palm Beach, FL, where a woman fell to her death as it opened. Click on the map to learn more.

Further Reading: USA Today, CNN, Miami Herald, NBC News
Graphic Source:  Daily Mail
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Space
ISS to Retire in 2031
The Biden administration has announced the final extension of the International Space Station’s (ISS) operations to 2031, after which point it will be removed from orbit. The ISS was launched in 1998 and has hosted 244 astronauts and space tourists during its time. Decades later, the spacecraft is becoming harder to repair and maintain safely. The ISS will be crashed into the Pacific Ocean at Point Nemo. Point Nemo, Latin for “no one”, signifies the furthest point in the ocean from any land. Hundreds of retired spacecraft have been laid to rest at Point Nemo since its location was first used in 1971. Much of the ISS will burn up as it de-orbits, but the remaining pieces will pose no threat to humans as they splash into the most remote area on the planet.

This map depicts the location of the graveyard for spacecraft at Point Nemo, where the ISS will crash into the ocean after reentering orbit in 2031. Click on the map to learn more.

Further Reading: The Sun, BGR, Space News, CNN
Graphic Source:  The Sun

Yesterday’s Answer

Q: Planning a Valentine’s Day getaway? Where would you have to travel to take your partner on a boat ride around “Lover’s Island”?

A: Galešnjak Island, Croatia
Lover’s Island, formally known as Galešnjak Island, sits less than half a mile off the coast of Turaanj, Croatia in the Adriatic Sea. The heart-shaped island was first noticed in the 19th century by Napoleon’s cartographers who included the island in their atlas. However, it did not catch the world’s attention until 2009 when Google Earth recorded its heart-like shape. Currently, lovers can take boat rides around the island or catch aerial views. The island became a useful tool for tourism when it’s owner Tonci Juresko realized its value after Angelina Jolie proposed to buy a $16 million heart-shaped island near New York. Juersko made the controverislal decision to deforest two large patches of the island, hoping to cut down the natural fauna and replace it with new trees and a chapel. 

Source

Today’s Question


Q: Who is considered to be the “Father of Environmental Justice” after his findings explained the relationship between the racial make-up of one’s zip code and proximity to landfills and other environmental hazards?
 

Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.

 

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Please include GeoQuestions in the subject line, along with your answer and source.

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