Issue 62
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World
Human Diffusion
A Hard Ceiling on Modern Human Dispersal Contradictions in the evidence of ancient DNA and fossils are a as yet unsolved conundrum for modern human diffusion. A proposed hard ceiling for Homo Sapien / Neanderthal interbreeding less than 50,000 years ago. But that is more recent than other evidence indicates. The Genetic Literacy Project references evidence that interbreeding was 250,000 years ago. So, the conflict is interesting from a Geographic diffusion point of view.

- John Hawks’ article: https://johnhawks.net/weblog/when-and-how-neandertals-mixed
- Smithsonian Mag discussion: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/researchers-track-down-when-neanderthals-and-early-modern-humans-interbred-using-ancient-genomes-180985665
- More on this topic by Hawks: https://medium.johnhawks.net/should-we-be-surprised-that-neandertals-denisovans-and-modern-humans-didnt-form-stable-hybrid-363bd7f8d7cf
- Genetic Literacy Project: https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2023/11/07/ancient-pairing-neanderthals-and-humans-first-interbred-250000-years-ago-new-analysis-shows/
GeoTechnology
JupyterGIS
Pretty cool tech if you play with Jupyter Notebooks.
- JupyterGIS - A JupyterLab extension for collaborative GIS: https://github.com/geojupyter/jupytergis
Projection Wizard
Fun web app to play with projections.
- https://projectionwizard.org/#
- Silly Rabbit, that’s Tissot’s Indicatrix: https://observablehq.com/@d3/tissots-indicatrix
Greenland
Greenland Storymaps Some fun to explore StoryMaps on Greenland. -By ESRI: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/collections/cfae832dc3444613ae1f4e178769783f
Europe
UK
So Tubular Dude!
Live 3D London Tube map
- Map: https://www.londonunderground.live/
- BBC: https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/cd6jlvev478o
- Timeout story: https://www.timeout.com/london/news/a-revolutionary-new-tube-map-shows-where-london-underground-trains-are-in-real-time-041425
Oceania / South Pacific
South Pacific Volcanic Hotspots
A new study traces a 120-million-year-old ‘super-eruption’ to its source, offering insights into Earth’s complex geological history.

- Science Daily summary: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250430142012.htm
- Nature article (paywall): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08889-0
US
Climate Vulnerability Index
Interesting map of climate vulnerability. with heightened vulnerability due to factors like inadequate housing, limited access to healthcare, and exposure to environmental hazards.
- CVI Map: https://map.climatevulnerabilityindex.org/map/cvi_overall/usa?mapBoundaries=Tract&mapFilter=0&reportBoundaries=Tract&geoContext=State
- About: https://climatevulnerabilityindex.org/about
- Tutorial: https://climatevulnerabilityindex.org/tutorials/step1
Trump’s Project 2025 Impact map
If you want to keep track of the impact this administration is having on government agencies and local communities The Impact Project is a great site to follow. My personal position is that this gutting of American Scientific and Expert personnel will take decades to recover from - if ever. The more we can do to stop it, slow it, and fight it, the better.
- The Impact Project: https://theimpactproject.org/
PNW
Klamath Dams
Four dams are removed and the river restoration has begun. Some nice info on what happens now.

- BBC: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240903-removing-the-klamath-river-dams-to-restore-the-river-what-happens-next
- American Rivers Klamath Undammed podcast: https://www.americanrivers.org/dam-removal-on-the-klamath-river/
- An Excellent PBS show on Klamth river restoration: https://pbs.org/video/river-restoration-vntatm?source=social