Data Vis Dispatch, January 20: Greenland, polar bears, and dots

Trump’s claim to control Greenland has prompted a renewed examination of its geopolitical significance, particularly as rising temperatures and melting Arctic ice open new maritime routes.

Apropos melting ice: It's hot. Actually, it's been hotter than ever, according to data released by Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.

In fact, it has become so hot that it is affecting the DNA of polar bears. Other topics on the wildlife front include the red deer's (Germany's animal of the year) distribution areas and the return of the lynx.

The U.S. has tensions not only with Greenland but also with many other countries around the world: Governing Venezuela could prove difficult due to various armed forces in the country. Tariff threats against Europe highlight import and export imbalances. And, compared to some other countries, the United States are the exception — exceptionally dangerous, pricey, and unequal.

We've seen quite a few unconventional uses of dots in the past week, especially concerning U.S. topics. A dot pie chart examines homeland security presence in Minnesota after the shooting of Renee Good, and a dot pile shows Switzerland's trade balance with the U.S.

Not only the U.S., but also France, a country with one of the highest birth rates in Europe, is facing a drop in births, which could lead to a surplus of colleges compared to the number of future students.

Unfortunately, the world's conflicts are not standing still. Protests in Iran continue, as does police repression. Meanwhile, China is mobilizing fishing boats to create massive floating barriers.

The vehicles dominating transportation topics this week? Trains and buses! In Spain, two high-speed trains derailed, causing multiple deaths and hundreds of injuries, an unconventional visualization maps the last train rides in Tokyo, and bus stops in the U.S. are too close to each other.

Wikipedia turned 25! Topics that may have been searched during those years: land footprint of food, HIV trends, and scientific achievements, losing ground in the eyes of U.S. citizens.