Graffiti Personal scrawlings

The Atlas of the Real World uses software to depict the nations of the world, not by their physical size, but by their demographic importance on a range of subjects. Here, we select a series of travel- and news-related maps.

From mice to men, evidence of evolutionary selection is found in 544 genes in analysis going back 80 million years. Cornell University press release.

Biomechanical research reveals a surprising key to the survival of our species: Humans are built to outrun nearly every other animal on the planet over long distances. DISCOVER Magazine

National Geographic Channel companion page for the program.

A Deep Thaw. Scientific American

YouTube word search.

A freshly excavated set of fossil beds found in the Canadian Arctic, described by scientists as a "unique window" on polar life some 70 million years ago, has yielded a stunning array of extinct creatures - including at least two that were previously unknown - and a treasure trove of dinosaur-age sea serpents, ancient shark teeth and piles upon piles of petrified poop. canada.com.

It remains to be seen whether his famously gloomy prediction is truly wrong or merely postponed. Extended version. Scientific American.

Thirteen of 15 major ancient civilizations clustered mostly along tectonic boundaries.

Click up a few hundred years. Amusing and perhaps prescient.

NYTimes.com. A profile of courage.

Well articulated blog opinion.

NYTimes.com

Livescience

BBC NEWS Technology video.

Guardian Weekly. Human Rights.

US News and World Report.

YouTube search of words and phrases. Holy cow.

"You've got humans" short film.

YouTube phrase search for wide-ranging and personal inteview.