Earth in Peril

  • By Lexi Krock
  • Posted 04.20.04
  • NOVA

In this interactive, world maps reveal the human footprint on Earth's water, air, climate, forests, and animal habitats. Examine geographical connections between population growth and environmental degradation across the globe.

Launch Interactive Printable Version

How do consumption and rapid population growth affect our planet's natural resources?

This feature originally appeared on the site for the NOVA program World in the Balance.

Credits

Maps

(density, forests, habitats, land)
Courtesy of the World Resources Institute
(growth, water, air)
© AAAS Atlas of Population and Environment, by Paul Harrison and Fred Pearce, 2000
(cities, climate)
Courtesy of NASA

Related Links

  • Secrets Beneath the Ice

    Is Antarctica headed for a catastrophic meltdown? New evidence of ancient climate change may hold clues.

  • Human Numbers Through Time

    Examine global population growth over the past two millennia, and see what's coming in the next 50 years.

  • Capturing Carbon

    An 8th-grader's science project prompts her scientist dad to develop a new way to pull excess CO2 out of the atmosphere.

  • Hear From the Real Iceman

    Lonnie Thompson discusses why we should care that glaciers are melting, why sea-level rise is only part of it, and more.

  • Profile: Adrienne Block

    Adrienne Block studies global warming in Antarctica. She can also play "Bohemian Rhapsody" on her bassoon.

Close

You need the Flash Player plug-in to view this content.