| News for geographers |  |
| Geography in Action |  |  |
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- Geography and the spread of knowledge
 The development of new ideas is influenced by time and place, according to author Samuel Arbesman, a fellow at Harvard University's Institute for Quantitative Social Science. "While we by no means understand everything about why certain places are poised to create new science and knowledge, there seem to be certain factors, such as population size, density and connectivity between individuals, and even the presence of universities," he notes in this interview. Arbesman also discusses how population size affects productivity and how ideas spread from place to place through social contacts. The Atlantic Cities
(10/16)     
- How digital maps are shaping our perceptions of the world
Digital maps, which tend to be centered on users rather than places, are changing the way we view the world, writes Simon Garfield, author of "On The Map: Why the World Looks The Way It Does." "It is quite possible to walk, phones in our palms, from one end of a city to another without looking up," he writes. "... In our cars, GPS may guide us quite merrily from one country to another, and we may arrive at our destination without any idea of how we got there." BBC
(10/12)
| Research, Education and Global Change | | |
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- Research reveals role of human travel in spread of malaria
Researchers have tracked the movements of 15 million Kenyans through their cellphones over the course of a year in an effort to map the spread of malaria, indicating where control efforts should be stepped up, and where such efforts would have little impact. But the study also suggests that mosquito control is only part of the solution: where people went, so did the disease. "There's a big danger of people damaging control-programs by traveling and bringing parasites in with them," said Caroline Buckee of the Harvard School of Public Health. National Public Radio/Shots blog
(10/11), New Scientist
(10/11)
- Studying the link between city life and mental health
It's generally accepted that living in cities can be stressful, and now scientists are undertaking a variety of different research projects to determine exactly how urban life affects residents' mental health. "It had been slowly dawning on me that as we know that the brain interacts with the environment, nothing about mental health will become clear unless we can look at the environment," said Jim van Os, a psychiatrist and epidemiologist who is planning one such study. Nature
(10/10)
- A different way to measure density
The U.S. Census Bureau has put out a new report that uses a different way to measure the density of the country's urban areas. The report tracks "population-weighted density," which provides a drastically different reading than average density. For example, the New York metropolitan area has a population-weighted density of 31,251, compared to an average density of just 2,826. The Atlantic Cities
(10/15)
| Technology and Applications | | |
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- Do satellite maps create security concerns?
In some cases, digital maps from companies such as Google and Apple reveal information that governments around the world would rather keep secret. For example, Taiwan wants Apple to censor images of a radar base that would provide forewarning in the case of a missile attack. Situations like this raise questions as to how digital mapping companies should balance accuracy against other concerns. Popular Science
(10/10)
| Association News | | |
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Symposium to focus on new geographies of urban China
A special symposium focusing on new geographies of urban China will be held as a part of the AAG Annual Meeting in Los Angeles taking place April 9-13, 2013. Contributions that advance new conceptual analytical perspectives about Chinese cities are especially invited. Those interested in participating should contact the symposium organizers and register for the conference by Oct. 24. Learn more.
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There is weather in Southern California
The Los Angeles area may be best known for sunny, warm weather, but it is also known for many microclimates, explains Steve LaDochy, California State University, Los Angeles. In this survey of L.A. weather, LaDochy notes, "On some April days it could be snowing, raining and sunny all at once within L.A. County." However, attendees of the 2013 AAG Annual Meeting in April will likely see sunny days all week. Read more.
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