Iceland, a Nordic island nation, is defined by its dramatic landscape with volcanoes, geysers, hot springs and lava fields. Massive glaciers are protected in Vatnajökull and Snæfellsjökull national parks. Most of the population lives in the capital, Reykjavik, which runs on geothermal power and is home to the National and Saga museums, tracing Iceland’s Viking history.
Videos
Art & Culture: History Of Indigo (National Gallery)
Our Conservation Fellow, Kendall Francis takes a closer look at indigo, a blue dye and pigment extracted from the leaves of plants, and how it is used and represented in paintings in our collection.
Kendall’s research reveals histories that are not explicitly portrayed in the paintings and highlights the important contributions from a wider range of people, including the enslaved people who cultivated the crops and extracted the indigo against their will. Supported using public funding by Arts Council England.
Views: Eldhusøya Pathway – Atlantic Road, Norway
“The road across the sea” is the iconic experience with bridges that arch between the islets and reefs along the rough Hustadvika Bay.
Eldhusøya on the Atlantic Road is the largest rest area along the Atlantic Road and is located on a scenic spot at the ocean’s edge, perfect for a rest stop to enjoy the scenery. Parts of the island are wet marshland and vulnerable to pedestrian traffic, so please stick to the well-marked trails.
Atlanterhavsvegen – the Atlantic Road – is a visual delight as it curves elegantly from islet to islet over its seven bridges. Nature and modern engineering meet and create this highly unique driving experience.
The trip takes you from the fertile cultural landscape of the coast across moorland to bare crags along the weather-beaten, open bay of Hustadvika. Take time to watch the sun disappearing below the horizon from here. Atlanterhavsvegen has been described as the world’s most beautiful drive.
Nature Views: Pronghorn Antelope In Montana (CBS)
“Sunday Morning” takes us among pronghorn antelope at play near Virginia City in Montana. Videographer: Brad Markel.
The pronghorn is a species of artiodactyl (even-toed, hoofed) mammal indigenous to interior western and central North America. Though not a true antelope, it is known colloquially in North America as the American antelope, prong buck, pronghorn antelope, prairie antelope, or simply antelope because it closely resembles the antelopes of the Old World and fills a similar ecological niche due to parallel evolution. It is the only surviving member of the family Antilocapridae.
Views: Protecting Brazil’s Golden Lion Tamarin
Concerned by a recent drop in population numbers of the threatened golden lion tamarin, conservationists in Rio de Janeiro state have built a bridge across a busy highway to help the monkeys circulate over a wider forested area.
The golden lion tamarin, also known as the golden marmoset, is a small New World monkey of the family Callitrichidae. Native to the Atlantic coastal forests of Brazil, the golden lion tamarin is an endangered species.
Climate Change: Flooding Rivers Ravage Bangladesh
Bangladesh is struggling just to stay afloat. Literally: By 2050, it’s estimated that climate issues will displace one in seven of the country’s inhabitants.
This film takes the viewer on a journey through Bangladesh, exploring why overflowing rivers flood three-quarters of the country every year. We see how flooding threatens the country’s food security, how soil erosion thrusts thousands into homelessness, and how climate refugees are forced to flee their homes in a desperate act of survival.
Along the way, we meet communities adapting to rising sea climate change by growing food on water. This is a strategy which could prove very useful in the near future, as rising sea levels threaten to inundate 11% of the country’s land in the next 30 years.
This documentary brings us to the front lines of the battle against catastrophic climate change in Bangladesh. It also tells the stories of activists who are bringing the dangers posed by man-made threats to light.
Aviation: ATEA – Hybrid Electric VTOL Aircraft
Tours: Off The Grid ‘Pine Flat Lodge’ In Tasmania
Located on the east coast of Tasmania, Australia, Pine Flat Lodge emerges from the environment as a place of retreat and immersion. The off the grid lodge is proposed as a minimal insertion within the landscape, a simple gesture that holds the space between the pines and the expansive view beyond the site. Imbued with a sense of belonging and placemaking, the off the grid lodge was approached in a deliberate manner, with focus placed on the conservation and rehabilitation of the land.
As a response, the architecture and interior design of the lodge accentuates an outward perspective, blurring the lines between indoors and out. The off the grid lodge is comprised of a series of modules within a continuous envelope, which in turn opens out to the landscape. The communal spaces are separated by decks and continue the structure’s discourse with the external environment, while the sleeping quarters represent an intended moment of quiet and retreat. The lodge tour also highlights Pine Flat Lodge’s solar power and rainwater collection, a physical reminder to visitors to be mindful when experiencing the space and landscape.
When designing a lodge, especially one that operates off grid, sustainability must inform each component. The material of the cabin is motivated by the surrounding context – sustainably sourced timber is used throughout the off the grid lodge. The structure utilises resources in an accountable way by pursuing efficient use of materials and minimising carbon footprint while supporting local craftsman. Bespoke details feature throughout the off the grid lodge, celebrating craft and the natural environment in an authentic and sustainable manner.
Analysis: How Cadillac And Lincoln Lost Their American Luxury Status
Lincoln and Cadillac were once two aspirational car brands for American consumers. They slowly lost their dominance and prestige to imports. Now they are trying once again to reinvent themselves by reaching into their histories, playing to their strengths, and pushing forward with cutting edge technology.
Boomers Daily 