March 9, 2015
Ice (Re) Cap: April 2015
From Antarctica to the Arctic; from polar caps, permafrost and glaciers to ocean-rafted sea ice; and from burly bears to cold-loving microbes, …
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Geology
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1236 articles · Page 39 of 52
March 9, 2015
Rome's hidden water trade led to glory, maybe ruin
Crumbling aqueducts crisscross the lands that once belonged to Rome, relics of a water system that sustained an empire. But now, research …
March 9, 2015
One-two punch of past warming may hold lessons
Geologists are fond of the saying, “The past is key to the future.” Unfortunately, the past has been a poor guide when it comes to understanding …
March 9, 2015
Methane be dammed!
Beavers were nearly killed off in the 19th century as trappers hunted them for their soft pelts. A successful conservation effort over the past …
March 6, 2015
Getting there and getting around the Andean Volcanoes
The towns of Puerto Montt, Temuco and Osorno make suitable jumping-off points for the region, and all are accessed via a short (and scenic!) …
March 6, 2015
Andean ski volcanoes
The caldera of Volcán Puyehue is an amazing experience, but it’s not for the uninitiated. Several other Andean volcanoes offer brilliant skiing …
March 6, 2015
Did a geographic shift trigger the Cambrian Explosion?
Roughly 530 million years ago, Earth’s living cast of characters ballooned as a surge of evolutionary development led to the sudden appearance of …
March 6, 2015
Geologic Column: Nature for couch potatoes
Long ago, the first step in my doctoral project was to map a Precambrian metamorphic complex in Ontario’s Haliburton Highlands. As a recent …
March 3, 2015
Geomedia: Books: Rediscovering the science behind Thoreau's 'Walden'
Last summer, I had the opportunity to enjoy a personal tour around the world’s most famous kettle pond, Walden Pond in Concord, Mass., led by …
March 3, 2015
Can dam releases restore river ecosystems?
Worldwide, dams store about 6,200 cubic kilometers of water — roughly three times the combined volume of water flowing in all of the world’s …
March 2, 2015
Travels in Geology: Skiing into the heart of an Andean Volcano
“OK, everybody,“our guide said. “Just calm down.” His voice had an edge to it, but the words were calming. “I know this is intense. But everyone …
March 2, 2015
Kamikaze typhoons spared Japan from Kublai Khan
Like any good conqueror, Kublai Khan just wanted to expand his empire. So in the late 13th century, the grandson of Genghis Khan launched a …
February 2, 2015
Thank subduction for Earth's nitrogen-rich air
Plate tectonics underlies many of Earth’s distinctive features, from its ever-shifting continents to its colliding mountain ranges and …
February 2, 2015
Lidar reveals Roman gold mines
The Romans’ thirst for gold was legendary, fueling mining operations that rival the scope and scale of modern mines. The Las Médulas mines, for …
February 2, 2015
Sharks collect storm data
Sharks are among the planet’s most prolific travelers, with some species swimming up to 50 kilometers a day in search of food and mates. Now, a …
January 30, 2015
Comment: Rebuilding geology faculty in Afghanistan
In December 2014, the U.S. ended combat operations in Afghanistan after 13 years. However, a residual force of nearly 10,000 troops remains in …
January 30, 2015
Mineral Resource of the Month: Silver
Florence C. Katrivanos, a mineral commodity specialist for the U.S. Geological Survey, compiled the following information on silver, an ancient …
January 30, 2015
March 29, 1936: Notes on Earth's Inner Core
On March 29, 1936, Danish seismologist Inge Lehmann wrote a letter to a colleague in which she argued that seismic waves — specifically P-waves — …
January 30, 2015
Down to Earth With: Mineralogist George W. Robinson
Many geologists understand the joyous feeling of coming across a beautiful rock in the field; George W. Robinson, who began collecting minerals …
January 29, 2015
A tantalizing treasure
The contents of Forrest Fenn’s chest are not completely known, but Fenn has listed enough of the treasure to make the hunt truly tantalizing: 20 …
January 29, 2015
On the trail of treasure in the Rocky Mountains
“Where warm waters halt… where warm waters halt… where warm waters halt.” For two summers, I’ve been exploring the Rocky Mountains with those …
January 28, 2015
Mineral Resource of the Month: Thallium
David E. Guberman, a mineral commodity specialist for the U.S. Geological Survey, compiled the following information about thallium, an extremely …
January 28, 2015
Energy Notes: August 2012-2013
U.S. Oil & Petroleum Imports (million of barrels per day) Oil and petroleum imports data are preliminary numbers taken from the American …
January 28, 2015
Mineral Resource of the Month: Phosphate Rock
Stephen M. Jasinski, mineral commodity specialist for the U.S. Geological Survey, has compiled the following information on phosphate rock, the …