January 20, 2012
Voices: What does "The Nation's Report Card" tell us about science education?
In President Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech in January, he emphasized the need for more scientists, mathematicians and engineers in the …
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16 articles · Page 1 of 1
January 20, 2012
Three Cheers for Peak Oil!
After decades of back-and-forth, the debate about peak oil boils down to two points of contention: Is peak oil real, and is it cause for concern? …
January 5, 2012
Who deals with coal fires?
Currently (and historically), most people who deal with underground coal fires and gob fires are employed by government agencies, mining and …
January 5, 2012
White House climate report: U.S. changes already apparent
Blogging on EARTH The climate status report released today by the White House includes no new research; instead, it is a synthesis of existing …
January 5, 2012
West Virginia Coal: Dirty water, dirtier politics - but will there be a cleaner future?
Coal has always been king in West Virginia. For more than 250 years, the mining industry has ruled the Mountain State, sometimes running …
January 5, 2012
Wanted: Interim nuclear waste storage site
The United States is in a nuclear waste holding pattern. Yucca Mountain, the site of the proposed geological repository that is supposed to …
January 5, 2012
The Thirsty Dragon and the Wealthy Bear
How China, Russia and High Oil Prices Influence Global Dynamics The world is changing. Gone are the days of Middle Eastern sheikhs controlling …
January 5, 2012
Rebuilding Afghanistan
Ravaged by war, drought and natural hazards such as earthquakes and landslides, Afghanistan’s people face many challenges. But the country also …
January 5, 2012
Protecting planets from us - and us from them
The Outer Space Treaty and planetary contamination Is there life out there? Finding life has been a goal of the exploration of other celestial …
January 5, 2012
Pelosi: Science first for economic recovery
Blogging on EARTH According to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, there are four words to describe the economic recovery package that Congress will …
January 5, 2012
New USGS chief appointed
Blogging on EARTH It looks like the next head of the U.S. Geological Survey will be the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute's current …
January 5, 2012
Maldives' residents looking for a new patch of land
Blogging on EARTH The highest land point in the Maldives, a tiny island nation in the Indian Ocean, is only about 2.4 meters above sea level. …
January 5, 2012
GM, Ford, Chrysler CEOs may carpool to Capitol
Blogging on EARTH Last week, members of the House Financial Services Committee blasted the execs at General Motors, Ford and Chrysler for …
January 5, 2012
Crystal Ball EARTH: Policy: A tale of two years
In U.S. policy, the past year was dominated by discussions of energy and climate change issues, at least in the earth sciences realm. In the …
January 5, 2012
Breaking the Energy Barrier
Can the Department of Defense solve the world’s energy crisis one jet at a time? The United States has all the tools it needs to solve the …
January 5, 2012
Bolivia turns iron mountain into gold
In the heart of Bolivia’s tropics lies a mountain known as El Mutún. The mountain doesn’t look exceptional, but beneath its lush cover of …