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World
Wildlife Populations Plummeting
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) published the “Living Planet Report 2022” on Thursday, revealing global wildlife populations have fallen by an average of 69% since 1970. The report, done in collaboration with the Zoological Society London (ZSL), features almost 32,000 wildlife populations from 5,230 species across the globe. The findings confirm the trend observed in WWF’s previous assessment in 2020, with populations continuing to decline at an average rate of 2.5% per year. Climate change, deforestation, human exploitation, and pollution were found to be the largest drivers of wildlife population loss. The release of the report comes ahead of the United Nations summit on biodiversity, known as COP15, as the WWF calls government officials to take action at the summit.
This map depicts the decline in wildlife populations in different global regions since 1970, as detailed in a new report from the World Wildlife Fund. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: CBC
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Mali
Bus Bombing Kills 11, 53 Injured
At least 11 people have been killed and 53 more injured after a passenger bus hit an explosive device in central Mali. According to security sources, the explosion occurred on the road between Bandiagara and Goundaka in the Mopti region on Thursday afternoon. This area is known to be a hotbed for violence by roaming armed groups. For over a decade, Mali has been struggling to contain a jihadist insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes. Mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are frequently used by jihadists, and can explode on impact or by remote detonation. According to a report by MINUSMA, a UN mission in Mali, mines and IEDs have caused 72 deaths in 2022 as of August 31 – while most of the victims were soldiers, more than a quarter were civilians.
This map depicts the location of the Mopti region in central Mali, where a passenger bus struck an explosive device, killing at least 11 people and injuring 53 others. Click on the map to learn more.
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Space
Molecules Observed in Galaxies
Oxford University researchers have released information about the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observing organic dust molecules in the nuclear region of active galaxies, where black holes reside. The organic molecules are known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and they shine brightly in the infrared range when illuminated by stars. Astronomers used JWST’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) to record star formation based on PAH emissions. Their observations challenged past studies which indicated black holes destroy PAHs. Instead, they found that PAHs survive black holes, potentially by being protected by other molecules in the region. Being able to observe PAHs will enable future research to study more galaxies that are active, even ones with different properties.
This map depicts the central region of the spiral galaxy NGC 7469, which includes an Active Galactic Nucleus (AGS), otherwise known as a supermassive black hole. The top right panel is a map of organic molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in relatively close proximity to the black hole. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Directly off the coast of Southern California and part of the Channel Islands, what is the name of the island group’s largest island?
A: Catalina
Santa Catalina Island is just about 20 miles (32 km) off the mainland of California in the Pacific Ocean, and is administratively a part of Los Angeles County. The island is 21 miles (34 km) long and 8 miles (13 km) at its widest point. The Channel Islands were home to two Native American groups, the Chumash and the Gabrielino, before Portuguese navigator discovered Catalina in 1542. Sixty years later, a Spanish sea expedition named it after St. Catherine (Catalina) of Alexandria. In 1919, the island was purchased by chewing gum giant William Wrigley Jr., who developed it as a resort. Avalon is the island’s only city and can connect to San Pedro by boat and Long Beach by air. Catalina is home to much native wildlife, including mule deer, bald eagles, and red-tailed hawks, and includes species that are only found on the island and no where else, including the Beechy squirrel and the Catalina Island fox. Catalina’s waters are home to leopard and horned sharks, giant tuna, jumping marlin, dolphins, and grey whales. 86% of the island is a wildlife sanctuary.
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Q: Sometimes referred to as “Africa in miniature,” which West African country features diverse geographic regions of mountains, desert, savanna, rainforest, and coastal plain?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in Monday’s DailyGeo.
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