|
Five months ago scientists announced the discovery of an entirely new species of orangutan, with just 800 members living in the jungles of Sumatra. Now, writes Bill Laurence, a billion-dollar dam funded by China’s Belt and Road Initiative threatens at least half their habitat. It’s a reminder of the fragility of our natural world – and a harbinger of the destructive power of the immense Chinese infrastructure project.
|
The imperilled Tapanuli Orangutan in northern Sumatra.
© Maxime Aliaga
Bill Laurance, James Cook University
A US$1.6 billion dollar dam in Sumatra threatens the recently discovered and desperately imperilled Tapanuli Orangutan.
|
Arts + Culture
|
-
Antonia Finnane, University of Melbourne
The cultural appropriation debate has flared after an American teenager wore a qipao, a Chinese-style dress, to her prom. But the meanings around the dress are complicated.
|
|
Business + Economy
|
-
Kelly Toughill, University of King's College
Provincial governments in Atlantic Canada have been trying to encourage immigrants to become entrepreneurs for more than a decade. Some are boldly answering the call.
|
|
Politics + Society
|
-
Dov Waxman, Northeastern University
As Israel approaches the 70th anniversary of its establishment, many older American Jews will be celebrating. Many younger ones will wonder whether the Jewish state is something to celebrate at all.
-
Barbara Foley, Rutgers University Newark
A scholar of literary radicalism asks whether Marx's writings are at all relevant to the world's struggles with inequality today and why he's no longer being relegated to the dustbin of history.
-
Rakib Ehsan, Royal Holloway
A survey of British adults shows they have different views on different Asian groups.
|
|
Science + Technology
|
-
David Lambert, Griffith University
New techniques for genetic analysis are helping us build more detailed and accurate stories about the ancient histories of the first Australians.
|
|
