Vince Beiser
National Geographic
Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Past articles by Vince:
Sand mining threatens ways of life, from Cambodia to Nigeria
A global building boom is driving a high demand for sand, and some of it is getting sourced from sensitive river systems that people rely on for traditional uses like fishing. → Read More
The Ultra-Pure, Super-Secret Sand That Makes Your Phone Possible
The processor that makes your laptop or cell phone work was fabricated using quartz from this obscure Appalachian backwater. → Read More
How the Owens Bottle Company Helped End American Child Labor
An excerpt from Vince Beiser's new book about how sand transformed civilization. → Read More
Concrete is the stuff civilization is made of. But for all its blessings, there are huge environmental costs
The cement industry produces 5-10% of total carbon dioxide emissions worldwide, putting it behind only coal-fueled power plants and automobiles. → Read More
No Job for Humans: The Robot Assault on Fukushima
The 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan triggered a devastating catastrophe in one of the country’s largest nuclear power plants. The cleanup will take decades, and it’s no job for humans. → Read More
How Sand Mining Helped Flood Houston
Hurricane Harvey had help from sand miners, Vince Beiser reports. → Read More
Tokyo Is Built on Sea-Bottom Sand
Japan's skyscrapers are made with sludge from the bottom of the sea. → Read More
A Hotel That Appears like a Mirage from the Desert
What is this luxury hotel doing in the middle of the Inner Mongolian desert? → Read More
China's Crazy Plan to Keep Sand from Swallowing the World
Can a Green Great Wall stave off environmental disaster? → Read More
Chasing Illegal Dredges in a Remote Corner of Cambodia
One of the hardest parts about reporting on a little-covered issue like illegal sand mining is just getting to the generally rural and often remote places where it’s happening. → Read More
Even in a Refugee Camp, Kids Will (Try to) Be Kids
Life in Jordan’s Zaatari camp for Syrian war refugees means little schooling, much work, and few places to play. → Read More
Is Shanghai’s Appetite for Sand Killing China’s Biggest Lake?
Ever stop to wonder where all the concrete for China's building boom comes from? Here's where. → Read More
Is Shanghai’s Appetite for Sand Killing China’s Biggest Lake?
Times are good for Fey Wei Dong. A genial, middle-aged businessman based in Hangzhou, Fey says he is raking in the equivalent of $225,000 a year from trading in the humblest of commodities: [...] → Read More
The For-Profit Refugee Camp
The vast majority of Syrian refugees are still stranded in the Middle East. To take care of them, the world needs a whole new kind of refugee camp. → Read More
Even in a Refugee Camp, Kids Will (Try to) Be Kids
Life in Jordan’s Zaatari camp for Syrian war refugees means little schooling, much work, and few places to play. → Read More
Drones for Good: Homemade Quadcopters Are Fighting Deforestation
One organization is teaching local communities around the world how to build drones and monitor illegal logging and mining. → Read More
India: The Deadly Global War For Sand
As global sand supplies run low, conflict over this crucial global resource is growing. → Read More
Major Win for Acid Attack Survivors: India Orders Free Reconstructive Surgeries
India’s top court orders medical and monetary support for women and girls disfigured by chemical assaults. → Read More
Everyone’s Least Favorite Rodent Is Cleaning Up the Lethal Leftovers of War
Land mines kill thousands every year—but rats are being trained to save lives by sniffing out the scent of explosives. → Read More
Syrian Refugees Present Eyeballs, Get Cash
A groundbreaking program is using iris scans to help refugees easily access aid. → Read More