You probably don’t need a dictionary to define the word “human.”  This concept is (theoretically) a simple catch-all for all human beings, regardless of characteristics like age, race, or gender. In many applications—such as concerning “human rights”—it is important that this concept include everyone. In... click to read more

Imagine you are driving in the Hengduan Mountains. The wind from the valley mixed with the sunshine comfort you. You see some plants by the road. They are short, the leaves are pinnate and nothing special. But the flowers are lovely, light, with long and... click to read more

 Historical and contemporary data show that ordinary hazards turn into disasters in poor and less prepared nations. It is true of earthquakes, floods, volcanic eruptions etc. Examples include the more than 80,000 deaths resulting from the magnitude 7.6 earthquake in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan in 2005, and... click to read more