Monthly Archives: November 2014

Wind Power 101

Wind Power 101
Modern wind power is a recent development based on a very old technology. The wind has propelled sail boats for at least 5000 years, and turned windmills for perhaps 1500 years. Even the concept of generating electricity with wind power dates back to the first successful attempt in the late 1800s. But aside from the…
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Cartography: More Than a View From Above

Cartography: More Than a View From Above
What is Cartography? In North America, students may major in Cartography but also approach the subject from geography and surveying. In Europe, cartographers tend to enter into a mapping career through earth sciences (which includes geography and geology), geophysics, land surveying, civil engineering and even graphic design. Master’s Degrees are typically required these days, especially…
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Climate Change and United States Arctic Policy

Climate Change and United States Arctic Policy
The Arctic encompasses the northernmost area of the world. It is characterized by the sheer size of the region, the frozen nature of the area and is one of the last remaining places on Earth that does not have clear political claims (1). In spite of the harsh environment, the area is brimming with life…
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What Environmental Data Can Tell Us about the Greenland Vikings

What Environmental Data Can Tell Us about the Greenland Vikings
The study of the people of the past is called archaeology. The discipline has been around for several hundred years but has undergone vast change in that time. The romantic ideal of the treasure hunter searching for items of national interest is long gone. The modern archaeologist is as much a manual labourer as a…
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Geospatial Technology: An Introduction and Overview

Geospatial Technology: An Introduction and Overview
Geomatics or geospatial technology as it is more commonly known, is such a multidisciplinary tool that there are now advanced degrees in specific subjects such as GIS. Most students will come at it from some of these core disciplines: archaeology (especially those who have taken degrees and projects concerned with landscape studies), geology, geography and…
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