Bob Oliver
Bio
Bob is a versatile writer & communicator passionate about exploring diverse topics & perspectives. I have written for various media outlets. And I believes in using words to inspire positive change. #writing #communication #passion
Stories (97/0)
What is causing the extinction of the biggest indigenous group in the Amazon region?
The Yanomami are a relatively isolated ethnic group in South America, consisting of around 35,000 individuals and distributed across approximately 250 isolated villages in the Amazon rainforest on the border between Venezuela and Brazil. Despite their large population, they are one of the Amazonian peoples at risk of extinction due to various past and present phenomena, such as tropical diseases like malaria, precarious living conditions, malnutrition, fishing, livestock, and illegal mining taking place in their natural area. According to Brazilian government estimates, 570 Yanomami children have died in the last four years alone. This is a tragic situation that also affects other isolated Amazon tribes, but on a smaller scale. The Yanomami area is rich in natural resources, which has attracted many adventurers to extract and trade them illegally, leading to environmental degradation and the destruction of entire settlements. Additionally, their limited contact with other civilizations has allowed the spread of diseases to which they have not been prepared to face, causing countless Yanomami to die from diseases and plagues. The Yanomami are also victims of violence within their own ranks and have a long history of internal conflicts. These are just some of the issues faced by the Yanomami ethnic group, which we will explore further in upcoming discussions.
By Bob Oliver12 months ago in Humans
What is the reason behind Australia's sparse population?
Australia is the sixth largest country in the world and has a land area of approximately 2,969,907 square miles, making it the largest in Oceania. It is also the third largest English-speaking country and the largest in the southern hemisphere. Despite its massive size, Australia is sparsely populated. It is common to see movies set in Australia that depict vast landscapes without any people, and this accurately represents the country. In fact, Australia has one of the lowest population densities in the world, with only nine people per square mile. To put this in perspective, Monaco has over 47,000 inhabitants per square mile, Singapore has around 20,000, and Malta has around 4,000. Even countries like Mexico, which are also geographically large, have a population density far higher than Australia, with 167 people per square mile. If you want to learn more about this impressive country, stay with me.
By Bob Oliver12 months ago in Earth
Ten places exist where gravity seems to behave in a peculiar or mysterious way.
Imagine if I told you that there are certain locations around the world where the force of gravity doesn't seem to behave as it should. It's true - in these areas, objects appear to move against the laws of physics by rolling uphill, water flows upward, and people stand at seemingly impossible angles. These peculiar places have captured the attention of both tourists and scientists for many years, from the well-known Mystery Spot in Santa Cruz, California to Magnetic Hill in Moncton, Canada, and the gravity hills in Pennsylvania, USA. Let's take a journey to discover these intriguing places where gravity appears to be completely out of sync with what we expect.
By Bob Oliverabout a year ago in Earth
Is Iceland the weirdest country on the planet? This is what life in Iceland looks like
Iceland is a stunning country that's definitely worth visiting if you have the opportunity. It's a place that will leave you amazed and if you've already been, you'll likely agree. The country is known for its volcanoes, including the 2010 eruption of Eyjafjallajökull and the more recent one of Fagradalsfjall. Icelandic words can be challenging to pronounce, but in this video, we'll teach you the most common ones. Iceland is also famous for its unique geography and formations, which is why it's a popular location for Hollywood directors to film their movies. Many iconic movie scenes were shot in Iceland, such as those in Prometheus, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Game of Thrones, and Interstellar. In this video, we'll explore 100 fascinating facts about Iceland that you won't find anywhere else in the world. Before we get started, please like this video to show your support and motivation. Let's begin!
By Bob Oliverabout a year ago in Earth
How Disney has made their animated characters' hair so lifelike in their recent films, From 'Tangled' To 'Encanto'
Animating 3D hair has been a complicated task for Disney, as seen in the elaborate hair of Rapunzel in "Tangled". However, Disney has come a long way since then, especially in creating coiled hair with natural movement in "Encanto", which made history as the first Disney animated film to showcase a range of hair textures from 1A to 4C. It took Disney over a decade of innovation to reach this milestone. The journey began with Rapunzel's 3D hair animation in "Tangled", where her long hair was a character in itself, breaking the laws of motion in a fictional world. The goal of Disney's animated hair is not always to be realistic, but rather believable within the story. To make Rapunzel's CG-animated hair visually appealing, Disney created a "hair bible" with rules like volume, rhythmic curves, twists, turns, and a signature swoop in the front.
By Bob Oliverabout a year ago in Humans
How 7 actors prepared for physically demanding roles
While the human body contains more than 600 muscles, the training for a primary role on Riverdale emphasizes only a small fraction of them, such as the chest, shoulders, and abdominal v-cut, which actors like KJ Apa shape to look great on screen. Each role presents unique physical challenges, whether it requires a specific aesthetic, acrobatic ability, or strength. In this article, we will explore the personalized training regimens of seven actors who have prepared themselves for demanding roles.
By Bob Oliverabout a year ago in Humans
What is the reason for the rarity of animals with blue colors?
Take a look at these animals: a deer, a dolphin, a squirrel, and a dinosaur. You've probably already guessed that I'm about to ask you what they all have in common, right? The boring answer is that they've all lived on this planet at a certain point in time. What's even more surprising about their common features is their coloration. On that note, let me tell you about Abbott Thayer and his amazing theories on animal coloration. Thayer was a portrait painter extraordinaire, but he also had a thing for the colors of the natural world. He came up with some pretty cool ideas about how animals can stay hidden from predators or prey, and they're still relevant today. One of his most famous theories is called "countershading" - basically, animals are painted by nature so that the parts that get the most light from the sky are the darkest and vice versa. It's like they're wearing the perfect outfit to match their environment. And let me tell you, this technique is not just for fashion-savvy animals; it's also used by ships to avoid detection. Thayer and his friend even got a patent for it.
By Bob Oliverabout a year ago in Petlife
A gigantic black hole of immense mass has recently disappeared.
Finding an object that weighs billions of times the mass of our sun should be easy, right? Unfortunately, it's not that simple. For example, a supermassive black hole in the Galaxy cluster Abel 2261 is missing. These Mega monsters churn slowly at the center of their home galaxies, gathering tremendous clouds of gas and dust, making them swell up to unimaginable sizes. If a supermassive black hole like the one at the center of our Milky Way moved even a little bit closer to our solar system, it would spell doom. The distance between this huge object and Earth could be several dozens of light years, and we would be dragged into its orbit for eternity. Luckily, such black holes are staying away from us at the moment.
By Bob Oliverabout a year ago in Humans
Is it possible for us to endure a volcanic eruption like the one that destroyed Pompeii in current times?
The Vesuvius supervolcano, which obliterated the city of Pompeii, is not a fictional story or an imagined scenario. It has the potential to awaken again and annihilate other towns constructed near the mountain, and it is crucial to recognize the possible repercussions for humanity if this were to occur. Therefore, comprehending the effects of the past eruption on the ancient city of Pompeii is necessary. Pompeii was a prosperous metropolis in the Roman Empire situated just five miles away from Vesuvius on the west coast of Italy.
By Bob Oliverabout a year ago in Humans
Discover 11 Surprising Facts About Al Capone That You Were Unaware Of
In the early 1920s, the US government prohibited the sale of alcoholic drinks. Though the demand for liquor remained high, the supply was cut off, giving rise to the era of bootleggers. Al Capone, also known as Alfonse Gabriel, took charge of the Chicago rackets at the young age of 25. He became one of the most notorious cultural figures of the 20th century and his name became synonymous with organized crime. Here are some surprising facts about Al Capone that you may not have known before.
By Bob Oliverabout a year ago in FYI
How an economic warning was issued as signs of fraud emerged
The economy faces a dark omen as corporate America experiences an increase in earnings manipulation. Recent research on accounting fraud has concluded that a particular technique, which had previously identified Enron's earnings manipulation years before their downfall in 2001, can effectively detect such fraudulent activities.
By Bob Oliverabout a year ago in Education
The development of the special festival
By and large, Christmas is the main occasion of the year. However that is generally a mishap, originating from a progression of far-fetched changes spreading over two centuries. A comparative arrangement of changes has impacted the improvement of other occasional occasions, similar to Hanukkah.
By Bob Oliverabout a year ago in Families