Genes, Estrogen, And A Roomy Earth

Ronald Bailey, Reason's science correspondent, looks back on some of the most significant science, technology, and environmental policy stories of the year 2002. Among the stories: "Planet Wilderness—Conservation International released a global analysis that found that 46 percent of our planet's land is still wilderness. "A lot of people will be surprised by the percent of the land surface that is in very good shape. We were surprised," said Russ Mittermeier, the president of Conservation International, in an interview with Cybercast News Service. Mittermeier further noted that the tropical forests in the Congo and the Amazon are still largely intact. The study found that 70 percent of humanity lives on less than 40 percent of the earth's land area. It turns out people generally prefer not to live in rain forests, tundra, high mountains, and deserts."