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United States
COVID in Polluted Neighborhoods
A recent study from Harvard University has shown that death rates from COVID-19 are higher in populations with more exposure to pollutants. Residents of ZIP code 48217 in Detroit have experienced an unusually high level of severe COVID-19 cases. The neighborhood is also one of the most polluted in Michigan. This map by Bloomberg uses data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and shows some of the more than two dozen industrial sites located around ZIP code 48217. Before the pandemic, average life expectancy is seven years less than the United States as a whole, and asthma hospitalization rates are five times higher than the national average. Industrial neighborhoods in the U.S. and Europe have recorded high numbers of severe COVID cases that experts are beginning to link with air pollution rates.
This map depicts the industrial sites in and around ZIP code 48217 in Detroit, Michigan. Click on the map to learn more.
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Greece & Turkey
Powerful Earthquake
On Friday, a powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Turkey’s Izmir province, north of the Greek island of Samos. Reports state the strong quake struck around 2:50 pm local time in the Aegean Sea and was felt as far away as Athens and Istanbul. Several buildings were wrecked in western Izmir, according to officials, but there was no immediate information on casualties. Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) reported the earthquake magnitude at 6.6 and the epicenter was some 17 km (11 mi) off the coast of the Izmir province, at a depth of 16 km (9.9 mi). However, the U.S. Geological Survey said the quake was a 7.0 and had a registered depth of 10 km (6.2 mi) and the epicenter was 33.5 km (20.8 mi) off Turkey’s coast.
This map depicts the location of the earthquake. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Daily Mail
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Australia
New Coral Reef Discovered
Australian scientists at the Schmidt Ocean Institute have found a detached coral reef near the Great Barrier Reef that is taller than the Empire State Building. The reef measures almost 500 meters (1,600 feet) tall and 1.5 kilometers (5,000 feet) wide. Scientists from James Cook University were mapping the northern seafloor of the Great Barrier Reef when they found the extremely tall detached reef. This is the first discovery of a reef that size in over 100 years. The reef was also found to have a thriving ecosystem. Scientists used an underwater robot, “SuBastian,” to film their exploration while collecting marine samples. One scientist noted that “to not only 3D map the reef in detail, but also visually see this discovery with SuBastian is incredible.” While the Great Barrier Reef has suffered from bleaching, the newly found reef did not display any evidence of such damage.
This map depicts the location of the newly found reef and its height relative to other tall landmarks. Click on the map to learn more.
Click here to learn more about our upcoming Fall Symposium Geography 2050: The Future of the World Ocean.
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Q: The first container ship to navigate an Arctic sea route belonged to which country?
A: Russia
In 2018, the 650 feet long by 115 feet wide Venta Maersk container was the first of its kind to successfully navigate an Arctic sea route. The Northern Sea Route which is becoming more accessible to ships as climate change reduces the amount of sea ice runs from Murmansk near Russia’s border with Norway to the Bering Strait near Alaska. Ships sailing this route require a permit from Russian authorities. For its first voyage, the ship was loaded with Russian fish and South Korean electronics. Traveling across the Arctic Ocean can reduce ships’ travel time by 40%, by allowing them to go north instead of around southern Asia and through the Suez Canal or past the Cape of Good Hope in Africa.
Source
Click here to learn more about our upcoming Fall Symposium Geography 2050: The Future of the World Ocean.
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Q: Stretching nearly 54 km (34 miles), and lying 140 m (460 feet) below the seabed, the longest and deepest railway tunnel passes under which body of water?
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