on November 29, 2022
A skyscraper breathes
Geology and GeographyIt’s high, it’s green and it’s full of holes: in the middle of the mega-city Bangkok stands a high-rise building that is extremely well adapted to the tropical climate – and without air conditioning! For its unusual architecture, the residential high-rise “The Met” has now received the International Highrise Award. Thailand’s capital Bangkok has a
on November 29, 2022
A shark in the Thuringian Forest
Geology and GeographyAnother piece of the puzzle has been found: Excavations in the Thuringian Forest bring new insights into the Earth’s history at the end of the Palaeozoic era. Over the past two weeks, they have dug and dug hard, but the effort was worth it: researchers from the Freiberg Mining Academy uncovered a ten-metre-high rock wall
on November 29, 2022
Breakthrough at the Gotthard: The longest tunnel in the world
Geology and GeographySwitzerland celebrates the breakthrough of its new record holder with great jubilation: On 15 October 2010 at 2.18 pm, the last centimetres of rock of the planned Gotthard Base Tunnel were broken through. The 57-kilometre-long tube runs deep through the rock of the Swiss Gotthard massif. Once completed, the tunnel is expected to cut travel
on November 29, 2022
Dubai opens “The Palm Jumeirah
Geology and GeographyAt midnight, Dubai welcomed its island “The Palm Jumeirah” with the largest fireworks display in the world. It took seven years to build the artificial island, which juts into the sea like a giant palm tree. Now the “eighth wonder of the world” is finished – in the middle of the Persian Gulf. With the
on November 29, 2022
Drought disaster
Geology and GeographyEast Africa is experiencing the worst drought in 60 years. Hardly a drop of rain has fallen for over seven months – with catastrophic consequences: The harvest dries up, water is scarce, millions of people suffer hunger and thirst. Hundreds of thousands of Somalis flee across the border to Kenya and Ethiopia. But the refugee
on November 28, 2022
Three kilometres of popsicles
Geology and GeographyThe ice core that climate researchers have drilled in the middle of Antarctica reaches exactly 3270.2 metres deep. At the bottom, the ice is almost a million years old. The three-kilometre-long ice core tells climate researchers a lot about the last eight ice ages. It is a sensation for science: as part of the “Epica”
on November 28, 2022
Dolomites declared World Natural Heritage
Geology and GeographyThe Three Peaks, the Catinaccio and the Geisler Peaks – the steep rock formations of the Dolomites rise mightily above the otherwise gently undulating landscape. Because of their “unique monumental beauty”, the Dolomites have now been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. Their peaks rise into the sky like pointed teeth. Whoever visits the
on November 28, 2022
The circumnavigators are back
Geology and GeographyA big welcome in the Spanish port of Sanlúcar: after almost three years, the “Victoria” returns from its expedition. But the joy is clouded. Of the five ships in the fleet, only this one returns, and of the 237 crew only 18 have survived. The leader of the expedition, the Portuguese Ferdinand Magellan (42), also
on November 28, 2022
The ozone layer is recovering
Geology and GeographyOne of the worst environmental catastrophes was just averted: Current measurements confirm that the ozone layer is thickening again. The increase in carcinogenic UV radiation has thus been stopped. But it is still too early to sound the all-clear. The new measurement data sound encouraging: exposure to UV radiation is declining. Up to 4% less
on November 28, 2022
The longest cave on earth
Geology and GeographyYou’d better not get lost in its dark corridors: the labyrinth of the Mammoth Cave in the US state of Kentucky stretches a full 591 kilometres. That is about as far as from Karlsruhe to Kiel. This makes Mammoth Cave the longest known cave on earth. Its widely ramified network of passages and chambers runs