Global Biodiversity at Risk

On this week’s news update…

Life on Earth

A report on the variety of life on Earth.

Desert Farming

Satellite images of desert farming.

Unbreakable Guitar

And a guitar that’s built to be unbreakable!

First up...

The biggest ever report on Earth’s biodiversity has been published.

biodiversity

Biodiversity means the variety of living things in a given environment, like a backyard, rain forest or, in this case, the entire planet!

The report was written by 145 scientists and researchers from 50 different countries.

It highlights how human activity is reducing Earth’s biodiversity.

For example, one third of all land on Earth is now used for farming animals or growing crops, and that can make it difficult for wild animals to find food and shelter.

The report also suggests ways of protecting biodiversity—such as changing how we grow food so that farmland can be home to a wider variety of animals.

Next up…

Egypt

This might look like a work of art, but it’s actually a recent satellite image, showing fields of crops in Egypt.

Over 95% of Egypt is desert, so farmers have unusual ways of watering their crops.

fossil water

Some use fossil water that’s been buried underground for thousands of years.

The water is pumped to the surface, and sprayed over crops by a long, rotating arm.

That’s why the fields are round or semicircular!

Satellite images from the last twenty years show lots of new fields being planted.

These images can help scientists track how land and water are used in this dry area, and work out how to keep growing food in the future.

And finally...

It can be difficult to design objects that are both light and strong.

But engineers in Sweden have created a guitar they say is lightweight and unbreakable!

additive manufacturing

The guitar’s body was made using additive manufacturing—also known as 3-D printing.

Metal powder is built up in layers, each one thinner than a human hair.

This makes it possible to create extremely detailed designs that are both light and flexible.

The engineers tested the guitar by smashing it against different objects, before putting it to the ultimate test, in the hands of a rock musician!

It stayed in one piece, showing you don’t always have to choose between light and strong!

That’s all for this week! We’ll see you next time.