Environmental Graffiti

Giant Bell Structures Looming Over the Indonesian Jungle

As he hacked his way through the green hell, the Dutchman noticed something about the nature of the vegetation that caused his heart to beat faster - for this was no ordered primary vegetation, but thick, tangled secondary jungle. This area had been cleared before. Hidden for centuries beneath thick jungle, the awesome temple at Borobudur shows the influences of the mighty Hindu and Buddhist civilisations that ruled Java in years past.

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Did We Wipe Out the Prehistoric Hobbit Man?

A race of intelligent, diminutive hominids co-existing alongside humanity in South-East Asia? In the year 2003, a creature from mythology stepped out of the shadows and into the cold, hard light of science when an archaeological dig revealed what appeared to be a new species of hominid that matched closely with local myths of a creature known as the Ebu Gogo. An ancient 'hobbit man' had been discovered...

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Anak Krakatau: The Resurrecting Island

Although Krakatoa submerged after several eruptions, Anak Krakatau resurfaced in 1927. New volcanic activity caused the island to sink again only a few months later. Emerging again in 1930, it has remained above sea level ever since. Despite these incidents, the fertile volcanic ash and soil has resulted in Anak Krakatau being the home to over 500 species of plants and animal life.

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Yadnya Kasada: The Javanese Volcano Festival

Soaring nearly 8,000 feet high above the East Javanese horizon, Mount Bromo coughs up deadly pillars of toxic volcanic steam, sand and sulphur. But the locals don't run from this giant tourist draw. They climb towards it. This time of year, you see, is when they feed the volcano during the annual festival of Yadnya Kasada, which is observed by the Tenggerese people of Indonesia.

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80 Killed in Indonesian Landslides

On the third anniversary of the South Asian tsunami, Indonesia has been hit by extensive flooding, which has resulted in massive landslides in the central Java region. On Wednesday morning on the island of Java, the seasonal rains, along with high tides, brought large floods to the region. [...]

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