visualization

AAAS Atlas of Population & Environment

Submitted by admin on Fri, 2007-03-30 18:38.

by the American Association for the Advancement of Science



Population and environmental issues are, in and of themselves, extremely complex; linked, they create a whole new set of dynamics which add to that complexity. In conceiving this AAAS Atlas of Population and Environment, the AAAS International Office wanted to bring together population-environment linkages in ways that make them easily accessible to policy and decision makers, students and the general public. Our hope is that in presenting the issues clearly, the debate surrounding population-environment dynamics and our understanding of the issues will broaden in the coming years.

In origin, atlases contained both maps and expository text. It is on this tradition that we have tried to build, providing maps and graphics that quantify and illustrate many of the issues, and text that lays out the broader links between population dynamics and the environment and places them within their historical perspective. This is followed by a series of analyses of individual topics -- both ecosystems and human activities such as migration or trade -- that bring together what is known about the ways in which people impact the Earth's environment. Lastly the atlas contains six case studies that look at population-environment relationships in selected areas.

None of this could have been done without the help and support of a large number of institutions and individuals. We are grateful to the Summit Foundation, the Turner Foundation and the Hewlett Foundation for their generous support, without which this project would not have been possible. We would also like to thank the World Wildlife Fund (WWF-US) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) for their contribution of the case studies. Thanks are also due to the many individuals in those organizations listed at the end of the book, whose skills, willingness to share data, advice, encouragement, and above all unfailing good humor, made this publication possible.

Covering all aspects of the population-environment relationship is nearly impossible in any circumstances, let alone in a single introductory volume. However, by drawing on very current research and data as well as the most up-to-date mapping techniques, we have attempted to provide a cogent entry-way to some of the most important concepts and questions facing us at the beginning of the 21st century. In producing the AAAS Atlas of Population and Environment we have tried to make that critical link between the scientific data, research and analysis of issues, and policies and public understanding. We hope you will find it useful.

See also:
AAAS site
Interactive version of the AAAS produced by The Buckminster Fuller Institute & EARTHscope

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Earth Visualization: Tools that emulate Fuller's vision for the Geoscope

Submitted by admin on Fri, 2007-03-30 18:27.




NASA World Wind lets you zoom from satellite altitude into any place on Earth. Leveraging Landsat satellite imagery and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data, World Wind lets you experience Earth terrain in visually rich 3D, just as if you were really there. Virtually visit any place in the world. Look across the Andes, into the Grand Canyon, over the Alps, or along the African Sahara. (free download)

» worldwind.arc.nasa.gov
» worldwindcentral.com





The idea is simple. It's a globe that sits inside your PC. You point and zoom to anyplace on the planet that you want to explore. Satellite images and local facts zoom into view. Tap into Google search to show local points of interest and facts. Zoom to a specific address to check out an apartment or hotel. View driving directions and even fly along your route. We invite you to try it now. Google Earth is free for personal use. No registration is required. You may (optionally) choose to upgrade to Google Earth Plus.

Click here to visit Google Earth




The goal of the Virtual Terrian Project (VTP) is to foster the creation of tools for easily constructing any part of the real world in interactive, 3D digital form.
This goal will require a synergetic convergence of the fields of CAD, GIS, visual simulation, surveying and remote sensing. VTP gathers information and tracks progress in areas such as procedural scene construction, feature extraction, and rendering algorithms. VTP writes and supports a set of software tools, including an interactive runtime environment (VTP Enviro). The tools and their source code are freely shared to help accelerate the adoption and development of the necessary technologies.To learn more about VTP and the field of virtual terrain, use the subject headings below. You can also request the VTP distribution as a CDROM or download.
The site includes a complete listing on commercial and non commercial terrain visualization and geographic information systems (GIS) software.

» vterrain.org



The planet-earth project is building a live, immersive, user-created map of the whole world and everything in it.

The planet-earth project is powered by 3map, a Free Software platform for realtime 3D geospatial applications.

The planet-earth project takes inspiration from Buckminster Fuller's Geoscope, Mark Pesce's WebEarth, slashdot's everything project, the earth application from neal stephenson's snowcrash, and douglas adams' hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy (now incarnate at h2g2).

Of course, it is not affiliated with these things.

3map needs people who know VRML/X3D, Java, Python, XML, SQL and GIS.

planet-earth needs 3D artists and modellers, GPS enthusiasts, publishers and field reporters. And all kinds of other people too. Don't be a stranger ;)

If you're interested in joining planet-earth, or you'd like to know more about the project, » click here to visit their website.







From the Infomagnet website

Globe-i is a 3-dimensional interactive globe that displays information about the world in your browser. The Earth can be rotated and inspected and displays can be changed to see information in the most appropriate form.Global-i has been described as "A Global Marketer's Dream" but it is not just for marketers or ecomomists. It is for anyone who wants to learn about the world and what makes it go round. By viewing this information in context, the world makes more sense. At present the emphasis is on economic data and there is plenty of other information too - health, infrastructure, energy, military ... and more — from present day back to 1960 and we are adding to this list all the time."

A free version is available with a restricted set of data — There is no software to install, Global-i opens in your web browser.

» Click here to visit Infomagnet







Free demo version of Geofusion's commercial software

» geoplayer.com/gateways


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