Issue 45
All issues can be found at: https://geocraic.com/
Sol Solar System
Great solar eclipse that some of us were lucky enough to have a great view.
More detail on Solar Eclipse, April 8 from Eric (thanks Eric!)
- NYT maps of eclipse: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/science/total-solar-eclipse-maps-path.html?unlocked_article_code=1.hk0.dIve.ugZ5DoK3WGpZ&smid=url-share
Time Zone for the Moon?
Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC) will be the new timezone for the moon.
- NASA to create time zone for the moon: https://thehill.com/homenews/4573225-nasa-tasked-creating-time-zone-moon/
GeoTech
Rumsey Map Collection Globes in Apple VisionPro
I am very, very excited to check this one out. In a collaboration with Monash University and the David Rumsey Map Center at Stanford you can visualize historical Globes filling your room with Apple Vision Pro. Can’t wait to try it.
- Globes App: https://apps.apple.com/au/app/globes/id6480082996
- Blog post: https://dilpreet.co/projects/globes
- Monash University’s Embodied Visualization group: https://www.monash.edu/it/hcc/embodied-visualisation/projects/active
AI Autocomplete for QGIS
Looks like a very interesting QGIS plugin for assisting digitizing. Bunting Labs also has an AI assist tool for georeferencing so if you’re working with historical maps - could be useful.
- From Bunting Labs: https://buntinglabs.com/
- Podcast about it from Mapscaping (which is a great podcast that GeoCraic supports): https://mapscaping.com/podcast/ai-autocomplete-for-qgis/
World
Earth as Art
Earth as Art has a new Gallery, number 6. Check it out.
- Earth as Art 6: https://www.usgs.gov/centers/eros/earth-art
Some green news in world shipping.
Green hydrogen and green methane are being accelerated as a fossil fuel alternative in World Shipping. I’m totally an advocate for hydrogen as a fuel for specific industries where distribution problems are mitigated. Like aviation and shipping. What I don’t get is this so-called “green-methane” or synthetic natural gas (SNG) which is slotted into existing liquid natural gas (LNG) infrastructure and use cases. Look at the output of the fuel when its used. The output of hydrogen - water. The output of SNG/LNG - CO2. Uh, so how does that help reduce climate change? How is that “decarbonization”?
- Green Fuels Are Accelerating Shipping Decarbonization: https://time.com/collection/time-co2-futures/6961248/green-hydrogen-shipping-decarbonization/
China & the Philippines
New US alliance with Japan and the Philippines to counter Chinese agression in the Senkaku and Spratly islands.
- Good FT article: https://on.ft.com/3PZVp0u
- Good Twitter thread with maps: https://twitter.com/StevenGlinert/status/1778639957009322450
The Wide Wide Sea
Book review of The Wide Wide Sea. About the end of Captain Cook. Looks great. Haven’t started it yet but I’ll let you know when I’ve finished it.
- Book Review: https://apple.news/APvH964s1QsKJAzx_b7lJMw
US
BioGeography - Animal migration
Western Megafauna need help
Will Westerners repair a fractured landscape for mule deer, pronghorn, and elk?
Demographics
Latine
Issue Language is important and language that identifies demographics is very important. You say Latinx, now say Latine. It is pronounced la-TEEN-eh and its even gender neutral.
Latinx had been pushed by U.S. academics as a gender-neutral option for Latinos but was criticized for using the letter “x” in a manner that’s unnatural to Spanish speakers.