MOSCOW The vast and ancient Lake Baikal in Russia has a rich history, providing a home for thousands of plants and animal species and sustaining the nearby Buryat tribes going back millennia. It s the world s deepest and oldest lake, and has survived for some 25-30 million years. But its depths bu
In normal times, we might be writing this month about the annual momentum gathering for the Plastic Free July challenge. Launched in 2011 by the Australia-based Plastic Free Foundation, the idea is simple: refusing single-use plastics, from bags to packaging, for 31 days.
But in 2020, that simple d.
On the list of the most urgent COVID-19 priorities, right after saving the lives of those infected comes feeding the rest of us. A mix of logistics, impromptu trade barriers and economics make these efforts a major challenge. And the longer the crisis continues, and the farther it spreads, the stake.
Shifting Sands
One often thinks of the Gobi Desert as a dry and lifeless area when it is actually quite the opposite. Asia’s largest desert is teeming with wildlife, rich in gold, copper and coal deposits, and is highly regarded by archaeologists as it features the biggest dinosaur fossil reservoir in the world. It was here that they first discovered that dinosaurs laid eggs.
Today the Gobi Desert continues to grow due to climate change and desertification. While sand dunes only make up a small slice of the desert, the Mongolian territory boasts the most stunning part the Khongoryn Els sand dune, which is up to 300m high, 12km wide and 100km long. This mystical place is home to camel breeders who are famous for being hospitable to travellers.