Geomedia on EARTH Magazine

Geomedia: Books: "How the Rock Connects Us" shares copper country geoheritage

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:04:12 -0500

"How the Rock Connects Us: A Geoheritage Guide to Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale," by Bill Rose, Erika Vye and Valerie Martin, Isle Royale and Keweenaw Parks Association, 2017, ISBN 9780935289213

There is extensive literature on Michigan’s “Copper Country,” but most existing publications on the subject are either technical reports or anecdotal recountings of exploration, mining and life in the “wilderness.” A recent book, “How the Rock Connects Us: A Geoheritage Guide to Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula and Isle Royale” — written by Bill Rose and Erika Vye, both of Michigan Tech University, with Valerie Martin, a longtime Isle Royale interpretive ranger — fills a long-standing need for a readable, user-friendly explanation of how familiar Keweenaw landscapes and recent mining history are related to the area’s underlying geology. It is an eye-opener.

Geomedia: Books: A witty look at "The Ends of the World"

Wed, 13 Feb 2019 14:59:21 -0500

"The Ends of the World: Volcanic Apocalypses, Lethal Oceans, and Our Quest to Understand Earth's Past Mass Extinctions," by Peter Brannen, Ecco/Harper-Collins, 2017, ISBN 9780062364807; paperback published 2018, ISBN 9780062364814

Our planet has been through some harrowing episodes, particularly in the form of mass extinctions since the advent of multicellular life. How organisms came to perish in these events should interest all conscious, intelligent forms of multicellular life lucky enough to still be alive — you and I included. A great way to satisfy that interest is with “The Ends of the World: Volcanic Apocalypses, Lethal Oceans, and Our Quest to Understand Earth’s Past Mass Extinctions” by Peter Brannen, a well-paced, well-sourced and well-written guide to mass extinctions.

Geomedia: Gifts: Holiday Gift Guide

Fri, 09 Nov 2018 10:55:07 -0500

Gifts can be hard to find for the geek that’s got it all. If the science devotees in your life have already collected every piece of science memorabilia, or cleared out the shelves in the gift shop at their favorite museum, this guide might be just the solution. From inventive home and office items to engaging toys for kids, EARTH has curated a list of unique, fun gifts that any science lover would be happy to receive.

Geomedia: Books: "This Gulf of Fire" recounts the 1755 Lisbon disaster

Fri, 12 Oct 2018 12:55:26 -0400

"This Gulf of Fire: The Destruction of Lisbon, or Apocalypse in the Age of Science and Reason," by Mark Molesky, Knopf, Hardcover 2015, ISBN-13: 978-0307267627

In the panoply of history-altering natural disasters, Lisbon’s destruction on All Saints’ Day, Nov. 1, 1755, stands out. You may have heard of this Portuguese calamity in the context of tsunami coverage, but it was a sequence of three disasters — an earthquake, a tsunami and a fire — that combined to level much of the city and claim tens of thousands of lives. Some scholars suggest a fourth calamity was the way the aftermath was handled, but author Mark Molesky seems more charitably inclined on that front. In “This Gulf of Fire: The Destruction of Lisbon, or Apocalypse in the Age of Science and Reason,” Molesky, a historian at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, has written the definitive scholarly account — if not the most accessible one — of that fateful day and its historical aftermath.

Geomedia: Film: 'First Man' navigates Neil Armstrong's journey between two worlds

Thu, 11 Oct 2018 20:41:32 -0400

Warning: Spoilers ahead

“First Man” is a vivid depiction of Neil Armstrong’s life during NASA’s ambitious and terrifying program to reach the moon. The film uses exquisite cinematography to portray the crowning achievement of the space race — Armstrong becoming the first human to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969. Directed by Damien Chazelle, who won an Academy Award for his direction of “La La Land,” the film navigates a fine line among the triumphs and tragedies of the Gemini and Apollo missions, while also telling the story of the home lives of the astronauts and their families. The dynamics in this human drama cannot be solely explained by physics.

Geomedia: Books: Informative and inspiring: "Why Dinosaurs Matter"

Fri, 03 Aug 2018 12:52:08 -0400

"Why Dinosaurs Matter" by Kenneth Lacovara, Simon & Schuster, 2017, ISBN 1501120107.

“Why should we care about dinosaurs? They’re all dead!” It’s a question paleontologists get all the time. There are many people who don’t see the point of studying dinosaurs (or any other prehistoric animal) and would much rather see scientists researching topics that “actually matter to humans.”

Geomedia: Books: Revisiting the Galileo affair

Tue, 03 Jul 2018 10:15:45 -0400

"Setting Aside All Authority: Giovanni Battista Riccioli and the Science Against Copernicus in the Age of Galileo" by Christopher M. Graney, University of Notre Dame Press, 2015, ISBN: 978-0-268-02988-3

Galileo’s commitment to Copernican cosmology — with Earth orbiting the sun — despite his 17th-century inquisition and imprisonment by Roman Catholic authorities remains a pivotal moment in the history of modern physics and astronomy, and in the history of tension between science and religion. Though today we take the fundamentals Galileo espoused for granted, in his day, the scientific debate among proponents of different celestial models remained hotly contested.

Geomedia: Books: "Quakeland" spotlights seismic risk

Tue, 01 May 2018 11:31:30 -0400

"Quakeland: On the Road to America's Next Devastating Earthquake" by Kathryn Miles, Dutton/Penguin Random House, 2017, ISBN 9780525955184.

by Callan Bentley

Geomedia: Television: "One Strange Rock" is Superlative

Wed, 11 Apr 2018 13:58:52 -0400

If I only had one word to describe the new 10-part National Geographic documentary series “One Strange Rock,” produced by Darren Aronofsky and Jane Root, it would be “superlative.” But don’t misunderstand me: The series is not remarkable because it’s the best nature documentary I’ve ever seen. It’s not, although it does feature gorgeous footage and state-of-the-art, digitally generated animations, and perhaps covers a wider range of earth science topics than other documentaries in the genre. Instead, it is superlative in the way that Americans make many things superlative — with hyperbole.

Geomedia: Books: Solar eclipses past, present and future

Mon, 09 Apr 2018 10:54:25 -0400

American Eclipse: A Nation's Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World, by David Baron, Liveright/W.W. Norton, Paperback, 2018, ISBN 9781631494550.

On Aug. 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse traversed across the United States, from the western coast of Oregon to the eastern shores of South Carolina. I witnessed about one minute and 50 seconds of totality from Salem, Ore., where the skies were unusually clear — despite the wildfires then raging around the West. In eclipse parlance, totality refers to the period when the moon — which, in the most mind-blowing of cosmic coincidences, just happens to be the same angular size in the sky as the sun — completely blocks the sun’s bright disk and reveals the tenuous outer solar atmosphere known as the corona.

Geomedia: On the Web: How will melting ice impact your city?

Thu, 08 Mar 2018 10:07:44 -0500

Gradient fingerprint mapping can be used to determine how the loss of distant land-ice will impact local sea-level rise. These gradient maps show how ice loss from the Greenland Ice Sheet (left) and Antarctica (right) will affect sea-level rise near New York City. Ice loss from areas colored red will have a larger impact on New York's local sea-level rise, while melting in blue regions will have little to no impact on sea-level rise in New York. Antarctic melting will affect New York far more than Greenland melting. Credit: Larour et al., Science Advances, November 2017.

The relationship between melting glaciers and rising sea levels is best described as: “It’s complicated.” A new online tool shows just how counterintuitive predictions of how melting land-ice will affect coasts can be.

Geomedia: Books: "Aerial Geology": A stunning and informative addition to any coffee table

Tue, 27 Feb 2018 14:22:50 -0500

My fellow EARTH Magazine contributor Mary Caperton Morton is the author of “Aerial Geology,” a beautiful and massive tome that profiles a hundred geologically interesting locations across North America. Mary was kind enough to forward me a copy for review, and I was delighted to flip through its gorgeous pages. It’s a visual feast, with a mix of satellite imagery, aerial photography and ground-based photos. Each site is allotted two to four pages for photos and Mary’s written descriptions, which are sometimes augmented by excellent schematic illustrations by the talented Kat Cantner, the illustrator for EARTH and the American Geosciences Institute (which publishes EARTH).

Geomedia: Books: "Half-Earth" is only half-compelling

Tue, 27 Feb 2018 14:14:31 -0500

"Half-Earth: Our Planet's Fight for Life," Edward O. Wilson, Liveright, 2017 (paperback), ISBN-13: 978-1631492525

Edward O. Wilson, professor emeritus and honorary curator in entomology at Harvard, is a scientist of acclaim and renown, a naturalist and experimentalist who has made astounding discoveries about the natural world. These discoveries range from small details about ant communication to much larger ideas related to sociobiology, the co-evolution of genes and culture, island biogeography and biophilia, for example. His work is widely known, in large part, because he’s a talented and prolific writer, and he has twice won the Pulitzer Prize.

Geomedia: Books: Putting 'Seeds on Ice' to protect crop diversity

Fri, 12 Jan 2018 14:48:22 -0500

"Seeds on Ice: Svalbard and the Global Seed Vault," Cary Fowler, Prospecta Press, 2016, ISBN: 9781632260574

“Tucked away, deep underground, in a frozen corner of the Scandinavian north is the safety net for our food supply. The Global Seed Vault, on the island of Spitsbergen in Norway’s Svalbard Archipelago and popularly known as the “doomsday vault,” shelters our most precious seeds from possible global catastrophe.

Geomedia: Gifts: Holiday Gift Guide

Wed, 15 Nov 2017 21:36:29 -0500

There’s never a shortage of geeky pop-culture merchandise and gift ideas available, but sometimes it’s hard to find clever items that are less “Guardians of the Galaxy” and more about the actual galaxy. If you have science lovers on your holiday shopping list, look no further than EARTH’s Holiday Gift Guide for ideas — from space soap to science board games — that are sure to surprise and delight.

Geomedia: Books: Vivid anecdotes abound in "Eruption: The untold story of Mount St. Helens"

Fri, 13 Oct 2017 14:05:55 -0400

"Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens," Steve Olson, W. W. Norton & Company, 2017, ISBN-13: 978-0393353587.

The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens was a pivotal event in the geologic careers of many volcanologists. Maybe it drove them to the geosciences, maybe it opened a door for more monitoring and research jobs in the United States, or maybe it was just an excellent example that the lower 48 states are volcanically active. However, as seminal as the 1980 eruption was, it happened almost 20 years before most of today’s college students were even born. To them, the eruption is another example from history, like Pelée or Vesuvius. They likely don’t have the same visceral reaction to it as those who remember it (even if, like me, you were still in preschool when the eruption occurred.)

Geomedia: Radio: "Big Picture Science" aptly named

Mon, 18 Sep 2017 14:41:31 -0400

The weekly "Big Picture Science" radio show crew (from left to right) includes Co-Host Seth Shostak, former intern Jay Weiler, Operations Manager Barbara Vance, Producer Gary Niederhoff, and Co-Host Molly Bentley. Credit: Big Picture Science/SETI.

Titles can sometimes be a hard thing to live up to, but “Big Picture Science,” a weekly radio program broadcast on about 100 stations nationwide, delivers on its name. The show, which cleverly covers everything from a study of frogs in pants to efforts to create a compassionate computer, lives up to its mission of presenting a wide-angle view of science and technology.

Geomedia: Books: Exploring space is risky business

Tue, 15 Aug 2017 15:05:25 -0400

"Mankind Beyond Earth: The History, Science, and Future of Human Space Exploration," Claude A. Piantadosi, Columbia University Press, 2015, ISBN-13: 978-0231162432.

Claude A. Piantadosi portrays the history and future of space exploration through the lens of space medicine, which reminds us of the many threats to the human body that await as we venture away from our planet.

Geomedia: Books: Earth faces challenges, but are they tipping points?

Fri, 21 Jul 2017 09:56:37 -0400

"Tipping Point for Planet Earth," Anthony D. Barnosky and Elizabeth A. Hadly, Thomas Dunne Books, 2016, Hardcover, ISBN-13: 978-1250051158.

The 2016 book, “Tipping Point for Planet Earth,” by paleoecologists Anthony D. Barnosky and Elizabeth A. Hadly, is a serious book on a serious topic, and a well-written, one-stop resource for anyone who wants to understand a host of looming problems. The book focuses on the alarming number of worrisome planetary trends now underway, mainly as a result of the convergence of population growth and human-induced global warming. Chapters cover people (population growth), “stuff” (increased purchases of material goods), storms, hunger, thirst (failing water supplies, clean or not), toxins, disease and war. These trends have merited serious attention from environmental scientists and deserve the same from politicians. Whether they are tipping points, however, is a point of contention.

Geomedia: Mixed media: Geo-art collaboration shifts perspectives on earth materials

Mon, 19 Jun 2017 21:06:32 -0400

Katharine Cashman, a volcanologist at the University of Bristol in England, presented her research on visualizing earth materials at the American Geophysical Union's 2016 fall meeting. Credit: Harvey Leifert.

An attendee explores the geo-art concepts. The work of other attendees hangs above. Credit: Harvey Leifert.

“Arts and Sciences.” The phrase is familiar to students and faculty on most campuses, often serving as the moniker of colleges or other curricular subdivisions within universities. While the pairing suggests a joint enterprise of some sort between the two fields, it might more aptly be termed, “Arts or Sciences,” as curricula rarely encompass both.

Geomedia: Books: Looking at the World Anew in "The Planet Remade"

Thu, 18 May 2017 18:19:59 -0400

"The Planet Remade: How Geoengineering Could Change the World," Oliver Morton, Princeton University Press, 2015, ISBN-13: 978-0691148250, Paperback, 2017, ISBN-13: 978-0691175904.

Geoengineering, the deliberate large-scale modification of environmental processes on Earth, is often proffered as a solution to climate change. The transfer of carbon long sequestered in geologic repositories to the atmosphere has raised greenhouse gases to levels unprecedented in the history of our species. As a result, the average surface temperature and the heat content of the oceans have both increased.

Geomedia: Film: 'Written on Water': A Modern Tale of a Dry West

Thu, 20 Apr 2017 11:12:57 -0400

Filmmaker Merri Lisa Trigilio. Credit: Merri Lisa Trigilio.

An endless patchwork of circular fields surrounds the small West Texas town of Olton. The unnatural shapes and sharp boundaries of the brown and green fields result from center-pivot irrigation systems that pull water from the Ogallala Aquifer and allow more crops to grow than the semi-arid landscape would otherwise allow. On these dusty farms and within town offices a drama is unfolding over what to do as irrigation wells run dry.

Geomedia: Radio: "The Infinite Monkey Cage" takes listeners to the edge of the universe and beyond

Wed, 15 Mar 2017 14:26:39 -0400

The "Infinite Monkey Cage," a BBC radio show and podcast hosted by comedian Robin Ince (left) and physicist Brian Cox (right), provides an irreverent and witty take on science. Credit: BBC/Richard Ansett.

“Science is not about finding the right answer, it’s finding the least wrong answers,” quips physician and science writer Ben Goldacre, a guest on “The Infinite Monkey Cage,” a BBC radio show and podcast that casts an irreverent eye on big scientific questions. Goldacre was commenting on the definition of science, but this philosophy — that science is a constantly evolving pursuit, in which all ideas are valid until data and time prove them wrong — is also the refreshing and approachable premise of this witty show.

Geomedia: Film: Exploring Florida's aquifers with filmmaker Tom Fitz

Thu, 09 Feb 2017 09:45:13 -0500

Filmmaker Tom Fitz describes the first time he found himself sitting, alone, more than 20 meters below Earth’s surface and about 300 meters into an underwater cave: He was waiting in position to film a sequence of divers swimming through a narrow passageway as their lights illuminated the chamber for his new, yet to be named, documentary. “I was suddenly in absolute, complete black,” Fitz says. “The kind of darkness that we rarely experience.”

Geomedia: Books: Exploring "The Worst of Times"

Wed, 25 Jan 2017 15:13:01 -0500

"The Worst of Times: How Life on Earth Survived Eighty Million Years of Extinctions," by Paul B. Wignall, Princeton University Press, May 2017, paperback, 978-0691176024. (Hardcover, 2015, 978-0691142098).

Every reader of this magazine knows something about mass extinctions. But few of us know as much as Paul B. Wignall, a professor of paleoenvironments at the University of Leeds in England who studies mass extinctions. In 1997, he co-authored with Anthony Hallam a scholarly volume titled “Mass Extinctions and their Aftermath.” Now, his first book aimed at a popular audience, “The Worst of Times: How Life on Earth Survived Eighty Million Years of Extinctions,” has been issued in paperback.

Geomedia: Music: The sounds of the sea

Tue, 27 Dec 2016 19:09:33 -0500

The Wave Organ is a collection of pipes on a San Francisco jetty. Credit: Frank Schulenburg, CC BY-SA 4.0.

At the ocean’s edge, the crash of waves against the shore is a familiar sound. It might be rhythmic, but it’s not particularly melodious. There are, however, a few spots around the world where the tides, waves and wind make actual music, thanks to acoustic man-made structures that use the movements of seawater to produce sound. Currently, three of these so-called tidal organs have been built, one each in Croatia, England and the United States.

Geomedia: Gifts: Holiday Gift Guide

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 15:58:08 -0500

Geeky science gifts abound, but it’s not always easy to narrow down your choices. That’s especially true for the scientist — young or old — in your life who already seems to have their share of ordinary gifts. EARTH’s guide is your one-stop-shop for a range of unique and fun presents. This year’s guide even includes some crafts and kits for those who love to express science through art.

Geomedia: Books: "Alfred Wegener": The definitive biography of a geoscience star

Tue, 20 Sep 2016 12:30:04 -0400

"Alfred Wegener: Science, Exploration and the Theory of Continental Drift," by Mott T. Greene, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015, ISBN 9781421417127.

Today, Alfred Wegener’s name appears in almost every geology textbook. He is celebrated as the father of the continental drift hypothesis, the forerunner of plate tectonics. This recognition is rather recent — since about the early 1970s, when plate tectonics became a unifying theory to explain the origins of continents, oceans, mountains, volcanism and many other geologic processes. During his life, Wegener’s hypothesis was rejected by many geologists, more so in North America than in Europe. The dramatic change of his status from heretic to hero thus makes Wegener’s story even more fascinating, not only to earth scientists but to general readers as well.

Geomedia: Film: A glimpse into the geology of 'Star Trek Beyond'

Thu, 28 Jul 2016 18:55:57 -0400

[Spoiler Alert: This review reveals key plot points of the movie.]

'Star Trek Beyond' is the third installment of the latest series of 'Star Trek' movies. Credit: courtesy of Paramount Pictures

After a three-year wait by anxious fans, “Star Trek Beyond” hit theaters nationwide July 22. The third installment of the latest series of “Star Trek” movies, directed by Justin Lin and co-written by Simon Pegg, features more than two hours of action, stunning scenery and witty banter among the USS Enterprise crew — plus a bit of geology.

Geomedia: Books: 'FORE' helps you project the future, with a laugh

Tue, 26 Jul 2016 09:16:44 -0400

"FORE and the Future of Practically Everything," by R. L. Handy, Moonshine Cove Publishing, LLC, 2013, ISBN-13: 978-1937327316.

What if we could project the future of nearly everything with a single type of mathematical equation? In “FORE and the Future of Practically Everything,” a book replete with humor and keen insight, retired civil and geotechnical engineer Richard L. Handy valiantly attempts to demonstrate the projective power of mathematics by exploring an eclectic assortment of examples.

Geomedia: Television: 'NOVA' for the earth science enthusiast

Tue, 14 Jun 2016 18:11:30 -0400

Three recent earth science-themed NOVA episodes have examined the possible roles of rocks and minerals in the emergence of life on early Earth, the April 2015 earthquake that struck Nepal, and the persistent hazard of sinkholes in some parts of the world. Credit: left: CC0 public domain; middle: Jessica Lea/UK Department for International Development, CC BY 2.0; right: Ann Tihansky/U.S. Geological Survey

“NOVA,” the weekly prime-time science series that airs on PBS, is known for producing high-quality TV documentaries on subjects ranging from espionage and the military to ancient civilizations and nature. Naturally, much “NOVA” programming touches on topics in geoscience, so we decided to review several recent hour-long episodes that might be of particular interest to our readers. To find out about upcoming broadcasts or watch episodes online, visit http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/.

Geomedia: Books: 'Floodpath' recounts the deadly collapse of California's St. Francis Dam

Thu, 26 May 2016 16:10:59 -0400

"Floodpath: The Deadliest Man-Made Disaster of 20th-Century America and the Making of Modern Los Angeles," by Jon Wilkman, Bloomsbury Press, 2016, ISBN-13: 978-1620409152.

The catastrophic collapse of the St. Francis Dam, located 80 kilometers north of downtown Los Angeles and east of the town of Santa Clarita, just before midnight on March 12, 1928, claimed more than 400 lives when towering floodwaters destroyed homes, bridges and farmland, as they swept through downstream communities. The disaster was initially blamed on the failure of the west abutment, anchored in soft conglomerate rock. Additional studies have revised this explanation, with recent research citing other geologic and design factors that likely contributed. Regardless, the collapse effectively ended the career of William Mulholland, the self-taught engineer whose 1913 Owens Valley Aqueduct made the explosive growth of Los Angeles possible. Yet, despite the magnitude of the disaster and its impact on local and national policy, it has been almost entirely forgotten, except by a few historians.

Geomedia: Film: 'A Beautiful Planet' inspires with vivid views of life on and off Earth

Thu, 28 Apr 2016 17:18:48 -0400

An endless sea of bright dots surrounds you amid the otherwise darkened expanse as you slowly approach a swirling, recognizable cloud of glowing light — the Milky Way. As the galaxy grows to fill the screen, you feel as if you are heading home toward Earth. This sensation of being a crewmember on a spaceship stays with you throughout the new documentary film, “A Beautiful Planet," as well as after it’s over — which is just what the filmmakers intended.

Geomedia: Performance: Bella Gaia is a show in orbit and Earth is the star

Fri, 22 Apr 2016 12:37:13 -0400

Bella Gaia is a live performance featuring music, dance and NASA satellite imagery of Earth. Credit: NASA.

On the screen, images of the far reaches of the cosmos — galaxies, stellar nebulae and supernovae — loom high over a stage. The words, “The Living Universe,” appear and the view zooms in: first on our galaxy, then on our solar system and, finally, on Earth. Bella Gaia, a live performance piece featuring dance and music set in front of a large projection-screen displaying images of Earth from space, begins.

Geomedia: Books: The danger of anti-data ideologies is explored in 'Denying Science'

Mon, 29 Feb 2016 17:48:09 -0500

"Denying Science," by John Grant, Prometheus Books, 2011. ISBN: 978-1616143992

I see science denialism as a pernicious problem in modern society. It was with some anticipation, then, that I recently read John Grant’s 2011 book “Denying Science.” In it, I found a mix of indignation and new information, as well as a lot with which I was already familiar.

Geomedia: Apps: Join the crowd: Introducing a new generation of geo-apps

Mon, 01 Feb 2016 15:06:44 -0500

A new app uses smartphones to detect cosmic rays. Credit: Crayfis.io.

At a time when the technical and computing capabilities of science are evolving at breakneck speeds, it might seem like researchers would always seek out more powerful and sophisticated tools to tackle their scientific questions. But some have chosen the opposite strategy: drawing on the dispersed resource of millions of relatively low-tech devices like smartphones and personal computers — and their users.

Geomedia: Gifts: Holiday Gift Guide

Thu, 19 Nov 2015 10:35:12 -0500

Science is definitely the new chic, so we’ve tracked down the latest and greatest science accessories and furnishings to help you find the perfect gift for home or office. From agate nightlights to fun science jewelry, this list is sure to have something your science lover will enjoy. Plus, we have some suggestions for great presents for the budding young scientists in your life.

Geomedia: Television: 'NOVA: Making North America' Is Flashy, But Fails on Storytelling

Tue, 17 Nov 2015 15:47:55 -0500

NOVA's Making North America is hosted by paleobotanist Kirk Johnson, director of the Smithsonian.

Geology isn’t often depicted in the popular media, and when it is, the coverage is often related to well-trodden topics like dinosaurs or natural disasters. So when I heard about the new three-hour-long documentary, “NOVA: Making North America,” I hoped for quality storytelling that touched on some of the other fascinating, though less-covered science in the field. The documentary, which has been airing over three consecutive weeks in November, purports to tell the geological, biological and anthropological story of North America. Unfortunately, it falls short on many counts.

Geomedia: Film: Banff Mountain Film Festival is geologic showcase

Tue, 20 Oct 2015 12:48:03 -0400

Poster for the Banff Mountain Film Festival short film "Delta Dawn." Credit: Pete McBride.

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is a traveling collection of outdoor adventure films that feature the stories of climbers, alpine skiers, mountain bikers and other mountaineers, which are often set against geologically astounding backdrops.

Geomedia: Film: 'The Martian' puts the magnificence and messiness of science at the fore

Fri, 02 Oct 2015 13:48:06 -0400

Sweeping in low over rocky outcrops and rust-red sands, the monochrome landscape looks far more peaceful in the dim light of day than it had the evening before, when an unexpectedly vicious dust storm tore through the area. The camera view traces smoothly over the ground toward a faint beeping, which grows louder as we approach a small hummock in the soil ahead. The hummock, it turns out, is actually the motionless, mostly buried body of astronaut Mark Watney; the shrill noise, a siren in his helmet warning of dangerous oxygen levels. With a sudden gasp, Watney’s eyes open, darting around behind his faceplate as the first inklings of comprehension seep in.

Geomedia: Documentaries: Bearded ladies doing paleontology

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 08:52:30 -0400

The Bearded Lady Project director of photography Eliana Álvarez Martinez sets up for a field interview with paleontologist Isabel Hong, a doctoral student at Rutgers, in a salt marsh on the coast of Washington in May. Credit: ©2015 Kelsey Vance.

A paleontologist at a dig site wipes sweat from her brow, drinks from a water bottle and scratches her beard before peeling it off to expose her bare face to the cool air. If that sounds odd to you, it is meant to be. This is the Bearded Lady Project (BLP), a new documentary film project headed by filmmaker Lexi Jamieson Marsh and University of Wyoming paleontologist Ellen Currano. BLP, which launched in summer 2014 with funding from Currano’s National Science Foundation early career development grant, aims to highlight geoscience gender stereotypes, which include bearded men in plaid shirts doing dangerous fieldwork that women cannot or should not do, the filmmakers say.

Geomedia: Toys: LEGO® geoscientists break through the brick ceiling

Thu, 06 Aug 2015 10:50:10 -0400

Ellen Kooijman, a Dutch geochemist at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, won a LEGO Group design contest with her kits featuring female scientists — a first for the toy company — including an astronomer, a paleontologist and a chemist. Credit: Ellen Kooijman/LEGO Ideas.

Many adults probably remember the childhood fun of LEGO® toys, the plastic bricks from which you could build forts, cars, houses, planes, cities and even whole universes. The few simple shapes and colors encouraged unlimited creativity, limited only by the number of LEGO pieces you had, which could total in the thousands.

Geomedia: Books: Iceland's eruption of biblical proportions explored in 'Island on Fire'

Tue, 07 Jul 2015 11:23:46 -0400

"Island on Fire: The Extraordinary Story of a Forgotten Volcano That Changed the World," by Alexandra Witze and Jeff Kanipe, Pegasus, 2015, ISBN: 978-1605986746.

For a few months in 2014–2015, a volcanic eruption in Iceland captivated many people around the world. The Holuhraun lava field produced the largest volume of lava erupted on the North Atlantic island in the past 200 years. Except for the areas plagued with acrid, sulfur-rich gas, which affected air quality, the eruption was mostly harmless and became a tourist spectacle. It was Icelandic volcanism at its finest.

Geomedia: On the Web: Dinologue: A dino blog

Mon, 08 Jun 2015 08:42:49 -0400

Science writer and amateur paleontologist Brian Switek has launched a new dinosaur website, Dinologue. Credit: Tracey Switek.

Wherever you want to go, the Internet can take you there. Space? No problem. The bottom of the ocean? Sure. Now, you can add another stop to the itinerary: the Mesozoic. A new website, Dinologue.com, aims to transport visitors back to the time of the dinosaurs.

Geomedia: On the web: Personalizing drought data with digital tools

Tue, 26 May 2015 13:14:19 -0400

California's current drought has been one of the worst since record-keeping began. Credit: Megan Sever.

With drought, people feel the heat while it’s happening, but understanding how current droughts fit into past trends — and what they mean for the future — is harder to grasp. Several online tools are available to help the public and decision-makers make sense of drought data. Viewers can see current and historical droughts superimposed on maps, focusing in on specific locations or broadening the view to larger regional, national or global droughts.

Geomedia: Books: Breaking New Ground

Tue, 07 Apr 2015 11:28:29 -0400

"Breaking New Ground: A Personal History," by Lester R. Brown, W. W. Norton & Co., 2013, ISBN 978-0393240061.

Agricultural scientist Lester Brown ponders the global future of agriculture, but his roots as a tomato farmer make him keenly aware of the local challenges of feeding a growing population. A 1986 recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship for his pioneering interdisciplinary work in the field of sustainable development, and the founder of the Worldwatch Institute, Brown reflects on his life and career in his autobiography, “Breaking New Ground: A Personal History.”

Geomedia: Books: Rediscovering the science behind Thoreau's 'Walden'

Tue, 03 Mar 2015 12:26:19 -0500

"Walden's Shore: Henry David Thoreau and Nineteenth-Century Science," by Robert M. Thorson, Harvard University Press, 2014, ISBN 9780674724785.

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 geologist Robert Thorson, who recently authored the book “Walden’s Shore: Henry David Thoreau and Nineteenth-Century Science." The rainy, gray day did not diminish our hike or Thorson’s delight in sharing what he had learned from his research into Henry David Thoreau’s lifelong fascination with Walden Pond and the science behind his iconic book, “Walden.”

Geomedia: Books: To Tiktaalik and beyond

Fri, 30 Jan 2015 13:08:18 -0500

"The Universe Within: The Deep History of the Human Body," by Neil Shubin, Vintage, 2013, 978-0307473271.

In 2008, Neil Shubin penned the terrific, “Your Inner Fish: A Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body,” in which he explored the stories of deep time as they are written in the details of our bodily architecture. As both a professor of anatomy and the paleontologist who discovered Tiktaalik, a transitional fossil between fish and amphibians, Shubin was ideally positioned to tell this tale.

Geomedia: Books: A brief history of our cosmic origins

Sun, 04 Jan 2015 19:27:48 -0500

"The Stardust Revolution: The New Story of Our Origin in the Stars," by Jacob Berkowitz, Prometheus Books, 2012, 9781616145491.

In the 1980 television show “Cosmos,” astronomer Carl Sagan famously noted: “The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.” This scientifically and philosophically profound concept — that we are starstuff through and through — has been known for less than 50 years, and the history of its discovery was fraught with naysayers.

Geomedia: Books: Are we causing a sixth extinction?

Mon, 08 Dec 2014 11:55:35 -0500

"The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History," by Elizabeth Kolbert, Henry Holt and Co., 2014, 9780805092998.

Last year, Elizabeth Kolbert released her latest excellent book. Her previous volume, “Field Notes from a Catastrophe,” set a high bar for accessible, accurate science writing about environmental issues, but in my opinion, “The Sixth Extinction” surpasses it in several regards. Readers of this magazine will appreciate its solid geologic grounding and perspective, with entire chapters devoted to the end-Ordovician and end-Cretaceous extinctions, as well as sections on the principles of evolution and Earth history. Climate change, the focus of her earlier book, looms large here too, though it is just one of the many threats to the survival of our biosphere that Kolbert covers.

Geomedia: Gifts: Holiday Guide

Mon, 03 Nov 2014 10:37:56 -0500

For the Home and Office

Chemist’s Spice Rack | $49.99

Chemist's spice rack.

www.perpetualkid.com/chemistry-set-spice-rack.aspx

If cooking is chemistry, then your kitchen should be stocked with the right equipment to make delicious science. Nine glass test tubes are ready to hold whichever spices are the most important in your culinary arsenal. The kit also comes with a set of periodic table-style labels for the tubes. Also included are pre-labeled salt, pepper and sugar flasks along with a larger flask for oil. Spices and oil not included.

On the Web: Personalizing drought data with digital tools

Thu, 04 Sep 2014 14:25:31 -0400

The National Drought Mitigation Center works with federal agencies to produce a weekly map called the Drought Monitor, which displays the most recent data gathered on drought across the U.S.

One of the hardest parts of hazard mitigation is communicating risk to the public. With drought, people feel the heat while it’s happening but understanding how the current drought fits into past trends — and their implications for the future — is harder to grasp. Now, several online tools are available to help the public and decision-makers look at drought data.

Geomedia: 'Dinosaur 13' chisels away at the story behind discovery of Sue

Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:56:42 -0400

'Dinosaur 13' opens in theaters Friday, Aug. 15.

As the most complete Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever found, “Sue” is an icon. She even has her own logo and her own Twitter account. Sue made history in the early 1990s, and not just for being a major paleontological discovery: The human drama that unfolded afterward is the focus of the 2002 book “Rex Appeal,” and, now, the subject of a new documentary, “Dinosaur 13,” to be released in theaters Aug. 15.

On the Web: Ka-pow! Superhero short films get kids thinking about climate change

Fri, 11 Jul 2014 15:36:44 -0400

The Green Ninja may sound like a spin-off of the “Power Rangers,” the live-action children’s television series featuring color-coded superheroes. But there’s a little less punch and a lot more thought going into this YouTube science show for kids.

Geomedia: Books: The earth system symphony

Mon, 16 Jun 2014 09:24:32 -0400

Credit: Copyright Shutterstock.com/Vilainecrevette

"The Dance of Air and Sea: How Oceans, Weather, and Life Link Together," by Arnold H. Taylor, Oxford University Press, 2011, ISBN: 9780199565597.

The planet is a symphony played by the orchestral sections of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere and biosphere, each of which includes many instruments. However, teasing out the myriad relationships in the concerto that is the earth system is daunting. Not only do the scales involved range from planetary to microscopic, but our observational records are also relatively short, and some features are inherently chaotic. Just understanding the basics of any one of the major components can take a lifetime.

Geomedia: Books: A changing literary climate

Mon, 09 Jun 2014 13:16:26 -0400

Cli-fi is a new genre. Credit: Callan Bentley.

The book cover of “Odds Against Tomorrow” (2013) by Nathaniel Rich features a flooded Manhattan. In a 2013 NPR story, Rich’s publicist, Brian Gittis, recounted how he left his waterlogged New York City office during Hurricane Sandy and came home to sort through advance copies of books, coming across Rich’s timely cover. Gittis called it a “Twilight Zone moment.”

Geomedia: Books: Science in fiction

Thu, 15 May 2014 12:21:35 -0400

As a science magazine, EARTH usually reviews nonfiction. This month, however, we are bringing you reviews of three recent novels with scientific themes that might make nice additions to your summer reading list. The three novels fall neatly into classic genres — the murder mystery, the high-stakes thriller and the science-infused fantasy — so hopefully there is a little something for everyone. Warning: spoilers follow.

Geomedia: California's climatic catastrophes detailed in "The West Without Water"

Wed, 23 Apr 2014 14:45:55 -0400

On a drought map of California for this past winter, the colors graded from yellow to deep red, indicating drought ranging from abnormally dry to exceptionally dry. The rest of the West is also dry, but the drought epicenter is California, where in January the governor declared an emergency and called for water use reductions to delay the nearly inevitable rationing to come.

From field scientist to filmmaker: Doug Prose

Thu, 20 Feb 2014 09:58:57 -0500

Geo-documentarian and filmmaker Doug Prose. Diane LaMacchia

With a background in writing and film production, Diane LaMacchia — Prose's co-producer and wife — writes, directs and edits films at Earth Images Foundation. Doug Prose

Whether it has been filming from precarious positions (like this one overlooking a volcanic crater in Ecuador) or sleeping in a self-made snow trench during Antarctic cold-weather training, Prose has had his share of brushes with danger. Diane LaMacchia

Ask Doug Prose what his favorite part of producing geologically themed documentaries is and he’ll tell you it’s filming nature and science in the field that excites him most. In particular, it’s the company of awe-inspiring landscapes, eminent experts and eager students; it’s capturing science in action, and researchers’ reactions at moments of discovery; it’s even logistical elements like composing camera shots and, when needed, managing curious onlookers crowding sometimes camera-shy scientists.

Commissioned artwork

Thu, 20 Feb 2014 09:17:45 -0500

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) commissioned this artwork from Adam Frus (center) to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Geological Society of America (GSA). AGI Executive Director Patrick Leahy (left) and AGI Foundation Executive Director Bill Barkhouse (right) presented the piece to GSA last October. Maureen Moses

In 2013, the American Geosciences Institute (AGI, which publishes EARTH) commissioned glass artist Adam Frus to create a sculpture to celebrate the Geological Society of America’s (GSA) 125th anniversary. AGI was looking for something unique to capture the essence of geoscience to present to GSA.

Gifts: Holiday gift guide

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 12:13:46 -0500

Finding gifts for that special scientist can be challenging: They are often more excited by ideas and specimens than material possessions, or they are already up to their ears in gadgets. But, luckily, shops across the Internet have caught on to the fact that science is hip and have launched whole lines of novel “geekery” for the scientifically inclined.

On the web: Mount St. Helens goes online to reach the masses

Wed, 14 Aug 2013 13:39:29 -0400

If you’ve ever felt the mysterious allure of volcanoes — both terrifying and spectacular — you can now experience the infamous eruption of Mount St. Helens from the safety of your computer. You can also witness the eerie emergence of the lava dome that began rising from the crater floor in 2004, or explore what might be the youngest glacier in North America, nestled in the shadows below the mountain’s shattered summit. The new Mount St. Helens Science and Learning Center website (www.mshslc.org) offers all of these experiences and more to volcano enthusiasts and earth science students with just a few clicks of a mouse.

Apps: Improving home energy efficiency in 2013

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:53:45 -0500

‘Tis the season for making New Year’s resolutions. We here at EARTH probably can’t offer much assistance when it comes to diet and exercise tips to help burn off unwanted pounds. But if your goals for 2013 involve understanding your family’s energy consumption patterns and possibly reducing your power bills, you’ve come to the right place.

On the web: Shake, rattle and roll: What does an earthquake sound like?

Mon, 23 Jul 2012 08:11:54 -0400

Using a new technique, researchers have boosted seismic waves (top) from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake to frequencies (bottom) within the audible range for humans. Georgia Institute of Technology

The sounds we associate with earthquakes tend to be those induced aboveground. Low-pitched rumbles, rattling windows and car alarms might be heard during small temblors, while more terrifying sounds like the crumbling of concrete and the cacophony of people trying to reach safety sometimes accompany large earthquakes. But what does an earthquake itself sound like, as rock grinds against rock in a rupturing fault and large amounts of energy are released? Thanks to some recent efforts, we may be starting to get an idea.

Charting a course correction: A review of Earth: The Operators' Manual

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:41:58 -0500

Rare are the scientists like Richard Alley. An exceptional researcher known for his work on the great polar ice sheets, he is also a central figure in policy discourse on climate change through his testimony in front of Congress and work with groups such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), for which he shared in the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Alley is also an outstanding communicator: His audiences at scientific meetings typically overflow the room, and he is enviably comfortable speaking to eight-year-olds. His new work, entitled “Earth: The Operators’ Manual” (ETOM), is a succinct discussion of how our actions affect Earth’s climate, as well as a compelling and hopeful call-to-arms to address warming. ETOM is also a truly multimedia affair, consisting of a book, a three-part miniseries for PBS and public television, outreach events at five major science centers and a website (http://earththeoperatorsmanual.com) for the general public.

TV: Discovery Channel grows more curious

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:41:58 -0500

Stephen Hawking illustrates the principles of gravity in 'Curiosity.' Discovery Channel

Hawking sitting in the dining hall at the University of Cambridge. Discovery Channel

Milky Way galaxy. Discovery Channel

At first, it is difficult to distinguish the Discovery Channel’s new show “Curiosity” — in which celebrity-scientists and science-oriented celebrities each host an episode purportedly answering a big question — from the many other similar shows on television, especially on Discovery itself. The premiere episode, which aired in August and was hosted by Stephen Hawking, appears to be a rehash of that old chestnut of science television, the question of how the universe began. The first clue that you are perhaps about to see something different is the disclaimer: “This program examines the creation of the universe through the commentary and opinions of Professor Stephen Hawking.” Then the question: “Did God Create the Universe?”