While Japan's attention was focused on the nation's pivotal Lower House general election in December, the areas of the country damaged in the Great East Japan Earthquake of March 11, 2011, welcomed their second winter since the disaster. What exactly was the significance of the catastrophe? Even today, the world continues to search for an answer.

Dinosaurs' mass extinction occured 66 million years ago, but they still capture the imagination of people today. Is it because we are in awe of their gigantic size and power? Or are we saddened by their sudden disappearance after sitting atop the food chain for so long? Where exactly does the appeal of dinosaurs lie?

In just half a century, the world's population has more than doubled. But the consumption of meat has quadrupled. By 2050, it is estimated that the world's population will reach 9.3 billion. How much longer can humans continue to eat meat?

A revolution is occurring in global energy. In the United States, this view has become commonplace. Taking center stage is “shale,” a rock strata found deep underground. Just how revolutionary is this development? Moreover, does it represent good news for Japan, which is struggling to secure and stabilize its energy supply following the accident at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant last year and the nation's subsequent shift away from a reliance on nuclear power?

In South America, the Amazon River encircles the world's largest tropical forest. Competing demands for environmental conservation and economic development are causing friction. What change is currently being made upon the "lungs of the world"?