No end in sight: Mass exodus of Venezuelan refugees flood into neighboring countries

A review of Latin America's growing crisis.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons
  • Millions of Venezuelan refugees are taxing their destination countries' infrastructures.
  • About 4 million Venezuelans have already fled from their home country.
  • Countries such as Peru and Ecuador are trying to stem the flow, while Colombia welcomes more in.
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global issues south america political unrest

Solved: the mystery of Brazil's time-traveling capital city

"Brasilia, the biggest paper town ever."

Image source: Nevinho, CC BY-SA 3.0
  • Why does Brasilia, built in the 1950s, pop up on a 1920s map of South America?
  • We put the question out there, and the answers — some more credible than others — came flooding back.
  • Thank you, internet hive mind: you've solved a cartographic mystery!
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forensics south america time map

Can you solve the mystery of Brazil’s time-traveling capital?

Forensic cartography 101: Explain what Brasilia is doing on this map of 1920s South America.

Image: Rob Cornelissen
  • "Forensic cartography" is dating a map by the age of its borders.
  • All evidence points to this undated map of South America to be from the 1920s.
  • So why does it feature Brasilia, the new capital of Brazil, which was only built in the 1950s?
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forensics south america time war map

Amazon fires are destructive, but they aren’t depleting Earth’s oxygen supply

Contrary to popular belief, the Amazon rainforest does not produce 20% of our planet's oxygen.

JOAO LAET/AFP/Getty Images

Fires in the Amazon rainforest have captured attention worldwide in recent days. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who took office in 2019, pledged in his campaign to reduce environmental protection and increase agricultural development in the Amazon, and he appears to have followed through on that promise.

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south america natural disasters plants sustainability biosphere environment

Why the number of fires in the Amazon is terrifying climate experts

The blazes may be the first step in a hellish downward spiral.

Image source: Bloomberg / Contributor / Getty
  • Never before has so much of the Amazon rainforest been on fire.
  • The fires are largely set by humans clearing areas for development.
  • The fires may push us into a vicious, irreversible climate pattern.
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big problems south america sustainability resources global issues trees amazon brazil fires climate change