Human geography
There are more than 7 billion people on this planet, and the study of human geography, also known as anthropogeography, investigates how we interact with the world we live on. By studying the culture, politics, health, development and settlement of the human species, we can begin to understand how we shape the environment around us, and how the way we live has been determined by Earth's landscape and natural resources.
If an advanced civilisation lived on Earth millions of years ago, would we be able to tell?
If an advanced civilisation lived on Earth millions of years ago, would we be able to tell?
This 7,000-year-old mummy DNA has revealed a ‘ghost’ branch of humanity
Ancient remains hidden in a Libyan cave have opened the door to a long lost human lineage
How many countries are there in 2025?
Here's the surprisingly complex answer to the simple question.
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Top 11 most dangerous cities in the US
What is the most dangerous city in America? With the worst crime rates, we’ve gathered the cities that top the list in one place.
Mega-buildings are now slowing Earth’s spin. Here’s what that means for the planet
A huge dam in China is changing how long a day is.
3D scanning gives new insight into 275-year-old Jacobite battlefield
Lidar technology has allowed experts to create a map of the Culloden battlefield, where the last pitched battle on British soil occurred in April 1746.
Disease-bearing animals 'thrive in human habitats'
Experts warn that global land use needs to change to reduce risk of disease spillovers from animals.
Global population predicted to peak by 2064
Scientists expect it to fall by the end of the century due to a decrease in the overall fertility rate.
13,000-year-old miniature bird sculpture 'oldest work of art' to be found in China
The sculpture is thought to represent a ‘passerine’ – a diverse group of birds that includes the sparrows, finches and thrushes.
Coronavirus entered the UK 'at least 1,356 times'
Nearly a third of imported cases are estimated to have come from Spain, the COVID-19 Genomics UK consortium study said.
Roman city revealed in 'astonishing level of detail' by radar technology
Archaeologists used ground penetrating radar technology (GPR) to map the entire Roman city Falerii Novi dating back to the 3rd Century.
Climate inequality driven by transport practices
New study finds the richer people become, the more energy they tend to use on high carbon activities.
Coronavirus | Social distancing 'could save 38.7 million lives' globally
Researchers at Imperial College London made the findings based on analysis which estimated the potential scale of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ancient mammoth bone circle reveals how Ice Age humans lived
The bones at one site are more than 20,000 years old, making it the oldest such circular structure built by humans discovered in the region.
Caroline Criado Perez | Does data discriminate against women?
We talk to Caroline Criado Perez about the gender data gap and how it causes everything from mild inconvenience to potential fatality.
Human overpopulation | Can having fewer children really make a difference?
In richer countries around the world, people are grappling with the ethics of bringing children into a crowded and overheated planet. But is a reduction in birth rates the best way to beat climate change? The argument rages on.
Chris Packham on overpopulation | "The first thing I’d do is globally emancipate and educate women"
Chris Packham, host of the BBC’s Chris Packham: 7.7 Billion People and Counting tells us about his fight to fix the planet, his kinship with Alan Turing, and dissecting Donald Trump.
Early humans tucking into cooked carbs as long as 170,000 years ago
Archaeologists have found charred remains of starchy plant parts at an archaeological site in South Africa.
Gaia Vince | What part does culture play in our evolution?
Journalist and broadcaster Gaia Vince tells us how culture evolution played a big part in Homo sapiens dominance over the other hominins.
Earth’s ancient geography 'directed the course of human evolution'
In his book, Origins, astrobiologist Lewis Dartnell shows us how the Earth’s ancient geography has influenced the development of human civilisations, and how it still affects our behaviour today.
Building for the future | 3 eco-cities preparing for overpopulation, rising sea levels and air pollution
As overpopulation and climate change take their toll on our cities, engineers and urban planners are adapting their designs to cope with an uncertain future.
Climate change is turning dehydration into a deadly epidemic
A mysterious kidney disease is striking down labourers across the world and climate change is making it worse. Jane Palmer meets the doctors who are trying to understand it and stop it.
Sarah Harper | What does a world with an ageing population look like?
We can’t reverse the slow march of time, but as people live longer and the birth rate declines, how can we manage a world with an ageing population?
Evidence of brutal 33,000-year-old murder found on fossilised skull
The ancient skull holds the scars of a face-to-face confrontation.