Geographical

Official magazine of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG)

Logan Gourlay

The dramatic growth of data centres

4 minutes

As much as 70% of the world's internet traffic flows through a band of rural counties I'm the American northeast In the southwestern outskirts of Washington DC, the capital’s residential suburbs slowly give way to historic towns, a protected Civil War battlefield, rolling hills and the green pastures of Northern Virginia. For residents, however, the sounds of the … [Read more...] about The dramatic growth of data centres

Does summit fever hinder our understanding and love of mountains?

8 minutes

Are mountains to be conquered or feared, revered or enjoyed? Dawn Hollis wonders whether 'slow mountaineering' is the best way to appreciate our highlands Climbing mountains with small children gives you a different perspective on things. To start with, one’s definition of a ‘mountain’ becomes very much qualified. Last summer, I took my small humans up Latrigg, a 386-metre … [Read more...] about Does summit fever hinder our understanding and love of mountains?

Aral Sea: an environmental disaster to rival Chernobyl

16 minutes

The Aral Sea was once the world's fourth biggest inland sea, now it has dried up to reveal a secret biological weapons facility We left the last cotton fields behind hours ago, but as for their toxic legacy, the worst still lies ahead of us. We bounce along a rutted road with nothing around us but desert. There’s a little scrub – just enough grazing for the occasional … [Read more...] about Aral Sea: an environmental disaster to rival Chernobyl

Equipment matters: what you should have on any long bike ride

6 minutes

A bike ride through the Mendip Hills teaches Tristan Kennedy some hard-earned kit wisdom When it comes to long-distance bike rides, you can never be too prepared. An 1898 guide for British and Irish cyclists that recently resurfaced online features a long list of more than 100 ‘touring requisites’, including ‘sperm oil’, ‘white cuffs’ and ‘permanganate of potash’ – … [Read more...] about Equipment matters: what you should have on any long bike ride

Peru going green – but it threatens delicate eco-system

< 1 minute

Hot arid desert zone along the coasts of Peru and Chile is being eroded Peru is going green, but it’s not good news. Over the past two decades, researchers at the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge have conducted a thorough analysis of changes in vegetation along the Pacific coast of Peru and northern Chile, a region known for its distinctive and delicate arid and … [Read more...] about Peru going green – but it threatens delicate eco-system