National Geographic awards prestigious medal for first time in 30 years

by Kraig Becker on

Earlier this week the National Geographic Society honored Dr. Roger Tomlinson and Jack Dangermond with the Alexander Graham Bell Medal, an award that hasn’t been given to anyone in 30 years. The two men are visionary pioneers in the area of geographic information systems (GIS) who have had a massive influence on the way we think about geography and the use of geographical data to analyze problems.

The Alexander Graham Bell Medal has only been given once before and that was way back in 1980 when explorers and mountaineers Bradford and Barbara Washburn were honored for their efforts to fill in the blank spots on maps. The award, which is obviously named for the famous inventor who also happened to serve as the Society’s second president, is awarded for extraordinary achievement in geographic research. Tomlinson and Dangermond certainly epitomize that.

Tomlinson, who is known as the “father of GIS”, first conceived and developed the concept while working with the Canada Land Inventory back in the 1960’s. His work would go on to change geography as a discipline and he now consults with nations and scientists from around the world on the best ways to manage natural resources and project urban development.

Dangermond has had a similar impact on the way we view geography, founding the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) with his wife back in 1969. ESRI now has the largest install base of any GIS software program, with more than 1 million users, spread out over 300,000 organizations, including businesses, NGO’s, governments, and more. Those organizations use the software to analyze and project trends in environmental changes, shifts in urban development, and our impact on the world around us.

The two men are rock stars in the world of geography, and their influence is felt across the discipline without question. The fact that it has been so long since anyone else was awarded the Alexander Graham Bell Medal is a testament to the impact they have had on the science. Congratulations to both men.

[Photo credit: National Geographic Society]

Get a one year National Geographic subscription for just ten bucks

by Scott Carmichael on

As a traveler, no publication ever got me more interested in seeing the world than National Geographic. Already in its 122nd year, the yellow border of this magazine is recognized in as many countries as it has written about.

Despite all the advances in technology, and the decline in print, there is something fantastic about carrying reading materials the old fashioned way – and if you head over to Amazon.com, you’ll be able to order a one year subscription to National Geographic for just ten bucks.

The promotion takes $5 off the normal price of $15 – and you may not see the final discounted price until the final stage of the payment process.

Best of all – your subscription will help the society, and all the fantastic work they do helping people discover more of our planet.

Subscription page / promotion details

The North Pole is moving!

by Kraig Becker on

According to National Geographic, a new research study shows that the magnetic North Pole is changing positions at a surprisingly quick pace, sliding towards Russia at a speed of about 40 miles per year. Traditionally, the Pole has been located in Northern Canada, but these rapid shifts are causing it to jump dramatically.

Scientists believe that changes deep within the Earth’s molten core are to blame for the shift, although it is difficult to measure and track those changes. Researchers have detected a disturbance on the surface of the core that is creating a “magnetic plume” which is responsible for the change in the Pole’s location, but how that plume was created remains a mystery.

The shifting of the magnetic pole is not quite as problematic as it once would have been. For centuries the North Pole has been used for navigational purposes, but for the most part, standard compasses have been replaced with sophisticated GPS tracking systems. Still, many explorers, mountaineers, backpackers, and the like still prefer using a compass over an electronic device. As the pole shifts position, they’ll need to learn to take into account its new location when plotting their course.

At this point, scientists are unsure exactly how far the pole will move or if it will become a permanent shift in location. The mysterious plume could dissipate and cause the pole to return to its original position, not far from Canada’s Ellesmere Island, or it could continue to move for years to come.

Trip Advisor donating $1,000,000 to charity. You help them decide where

by Jamie Rhein on

In an aim to give back to the countries in the world that offer us so much travel pleasure, and to add to the cause of making the world a better place, Trip Advisor will be donating $1,000,000 on November 12. This goodly sum will be divided up among five charitable causes:

(You can click on each link to see what each organization does.)

Trip Adviser wants the travelers of the world to help decide how to spend the money. If you go on the Trip Advisor Web site, you can vote for one of the five. Look to the top of the page for the link. You do need to sign up for Trip Advisor to participate.

All the charities will receive some money, but the aim is to find out how to best divvy up the dough. Each of the causes, in my opinion, are worthy of receiving money so you can’t really make a bad choice.

What a neat way to be involved in giving. Once you click on your choice, you can see how the distributions stack up so far.

National Geographic: Beyond the Bee

by Kelly Amabile on


During my visit to DC to see the Bee, I also had the opportunity to spend some time exploring other parts of National Geographic’s headquarters. The complex is composed of several buildings, the tallest of which (pictured here) stands on the corner of 17th and M.

The buildings enclose a courtyard with a reflecting pool and lush gardens, currently home to four bronze bear sculptures by Dan Ostermiller, a member of the Society of Animal Artists. This one is called Indigo’s Dream.

A peaceful pool runs horizontal between two of the main buildings that make up the National Geographic complex. Besides housing many of the main operations of the Society, these buildings are home to a museum, library and rotating exhibit space that the public can visit.

I’ve got two posts coming up later today about cool things to do if you visit the headquarters of the National Geographic Society. Stay tuned.