June 26, 2014
Mineral Resource of the Month: Niobium
U.S. Geological Survey mineral commodity specialist John F. Papp compiled the following information on niobium, also called columbium. Niobium, …
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1236 articles · Page 48 of 52
June 26, 2014
Belugas, climate, mercury and cancer
Scientists have such a good dataset from more than two decades of studying belugas in the Arctic that they can now use the data collected there …
June 24, 2014
Geologic Column: Beyond geology, field camps teach teamwork and inspire leadership
For undergraduate geology students, field camp is a rite of passage. And the importance of the experience, in terms of properly training and …
June 23, 2014
Searching for evidence of ancient subduction
Scientists typically search for structural or geophysical indications that offer telltale signals of the locations of past subduction zones. Such …
June 23, 2014
Parasites spread across the Arctic under the 'new normal'
The spread of pathogens into new areas is a pressing issue, according to Michael Grigg, a molecular parasitologist with the National Institutes …
June 23, 2014
Travels in Geology: Peru's petrified forest: The struggle to study and preserve one of the world's most remarkable fossil sites
Tucked high in the Andes Mountains of northern Peru is a remarkable fossil locality: a 39-million-year-old petrified forest preserved in nearly …
June 23, 2014
Creationism comes to the county fair
County fairs are opportunities to bring in those handsome Holsteins competing for Best Bessie, to sample foods that don’t normally belong on …
June 16, 2014
Pike's Peak
The 4,300-meter-tall peak that Zebulon Pike first spied in November 1806 was already known to Native Americans, as well as Spanish settlers, who …
June 16, 2014
Benchmarks: July 15, 1806: Zebulon Pike launches Southwest expedition
Of America’s early 19th-century western explorers, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark typically garner the most attention. But there was a third …
June 16, 2014
Geomedia: Books: The earth system symphony
The planet is a symphony played by the orchestral sections of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere and biosphere, each of which includes many …
June 13, 2014
Getting there and getting around Tajikistan
Exploring Tajikistan, and especially the Pamirs, is not for everybody, but if you’re up for an off-the-beaten-path adventure with some of the …
June 13, 2014
Travels in Geology: Trekking the high terrain of Tajikistan
There are moments in life when you need to catch some fresh air. For me, finishing my master’s degree and figuring out what to do next was such a …
June 9, 2014
Geomedia: Books: A changing literary climate
The book cover of “Odds Against Tomorrow” (2013) by Nathaniel Rich features a flooded Manhattan. In a 2013 NPR story, Rich’s publicist, Brian …
June 5, 2014
Southeastern caves shuttered to slow the spread of bat-killing disease
Since White Nose Syndrome was first identified in dead bats recovered from a cave in New York state in 2006, the mysterious fungal disease has …
May 16, 2014
Getting there and getting around Croatia
Although there are no direct flights between the U.S. and Croatia, the capital, Zagreb, is connected year-round to most major European cities, …
May 16, 2014
Travels in Geology: Croatia: Land of limestone
Lying at the crossroads of Southern Europe and the Mediterranean, the Republic of Croatia could be called a “land of limestone.” Whether you …
May 16, 2014
New burgess shale fossil site found in Canada's Kootenay National Park
With its plethora of ancient and exquisitely preserved soft-bodied fossils, the Burgess Shale in Canada’s Yoho National Park is one of the …
May 15, 2014
Geomedia: Books: Science in fiction
As a science magazine, EARTH usually reviews nonfiction. This month, however, we are bringing you reviews of three recent novels with scientific …
May 15, 2014
Subarctic lakes belch more methane on brighter days
Each summer, frozen ground in Arctic and subarctic regions, called permafrost, thaws and releases accumulated methane. For years, scientists have …
May 14, 2014
Recovery of 1960s sea-ice satellite images wins dark data contest
As part of the Nimbus Data Rescue Project, the NSIDC/NASA team processed and digitized data and images from NASA’s early Nimbus satellites. The …
May 14, 2014
Staking a claim: Deep-sea mining nears fruition
In the late 1970s, geologists in a deep-sea submersible several kilometers below the waves on the Galapagos Rift discovered a previously unknown …
May 14, 2014
Mix of acid mine drainage and fracking fluid a recipe for remediation?
In the Appalachian Basin, “there are hundreds of points where acid mine drainage is discharged to streams. … It’s a nuisance that affects the …
May 14, 2014
Humans causing California's mountains to grow
Humankind has proven time and again that it can reshape mountains, or even tear them down. Now, it appears, we can make them rise as well. …
May 13, 2014
Reading the walls
What distinguishes a New England stone wall from a pile of stones? Noted stone wall expert Robert M. Thorson, a geologist at the University of …