Living on top of the world

Article Abstract:

The people of Taquile, an island on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca, maintain their traditional style of life despite increasing tourism. Taquilean culture is organized communally and remains almost completely self-sufficient. The island's land is shared out among all its families. Food grown by island farmers, chiefly potatoes, barley and quinoa, is not sold but kept for use within the community. Tourist income is divided equally among island inhabitants and the tasks associated with tourism, such as running the restaurant or housing the visitors, are shared as well.

Social aspects, Description and travel, Peru, Islands, Communal living, Titicaca Lake

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Living with permafrost

Article Abstract:

Permafrost is a layer of earth which results from perennial temperatures below zero degrees. It is not permanently frozen ground because local conditions may permit the creation of an active layer which thaws and refreezes. Human interaction with permafrost can be problematic because any addition of heat may upset the balance of temperature and cause the active layer to shift, damaging structures built on it. The features of permafrost are presented, as are various mechanisms for construction which allow life in permafrost regions.

Study and teaching, Arctic regions, Frozen ground, Permafrost

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Living in isolation

Article Abstract:

The Royal Bardia Wildlife Reserve in southwest Nepal is home to two wild elephants having unique features. The head shape of the two Bardia elephants resembles the reconstructed skull of 'Elephas hysudricus,' a fossil species which dates back about two million years and is believed to be the ancestor of the modern Asian elephant. British explorers and zoologists are studying the two Bardia elephants before their kind becomes extinct.

Reports, Environmental aspects, Animal migration, Elephants, Nepal

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