New Edition of A World of Science

The new edition of A World of Science is now online.

One article addresses the inquiry-based teaching method, and how it is reconciling primary school children – and their teachers – with science. “Learning by doing” sets out to make learning science fun while teaching children to think both imaginatively and rationally. This international movement is gaining momentum, thanks largely to the efforts of the scientific community.

Howard Moore is interviewed on how UNESCO is helping countries of Southeast Europe to heal the wounds of the past by looking to the future. By fostering regional co-operation, UNESCO is contributing to making the European Research Area planned for 2010 truly pan-European.

The issue also examines the findings of a landmark study published on 30 March which reveals that approximately 60% of the ecosystem services supporting life on Earth are being degraded or used unsustainably. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Synthesis Report, to which UNESCO contributed, warns that the harmful consequences of this degradation could grow much worse in the next 50 years. We look at the implications of environmental degradation for countries’ chances of reaching the Millennium Development Goals, with a focus on Southern Africa.

Together with the Organization of American States, UNESCO is mapping transboundary aquifers in the Americas, 65 of which have been identified to date. These aquifers stock significant quantities of groundwater that is a veritable treasure for governments. To protect this resource and ensure that local populations benefit from it, UNESCO and the OAS are working with governments from the region to identify ‘critical cases’ for pilot projects strengthening the joint management of shared groundwater.