June 20, 2018
Energy Notes: February 2008-2009
U.S. Oil & Petroleum Imports (millions of barrels per day) Oil and petroleum imports data are preliminary numbers taken from the American …
The EARTH archive
June 2009
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17 articles · Page 1 of 1
June 14, 2018
Mineral Resource of the Month: Pumice and Pumicite
Robert D. Crangle Jr., mineral commodity specialist for the U.S. Geological Survey, compiled the following information on pumice, an essential …
May 23, 2018
Down to Earth With: Randy Olson
Marine biologist-turned-filmmaker Randy Olson made a name for himself in 2006 with the release of his first feature-length movie, “Flock of the …
September 22, 2016
Travels in Geology: The Midwest's Little Egypt
Lots of people may be delaying the family vacation this year, waiting for rosier economic times. Road trips, however, might still be in the …
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
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
When wildfires attack: Should I stay or should I go?
As California enters its third consecutive year of drought, officials are standing by for the state’s wildfire season, set to peak later this …
January 5, 2012
Travels in Geology: Tanzania's natural wonders
Tanzania’s natural wonders — towering volcanoes, paradisaical islands and sundry animal life — have inspired travelers from Ernest Hemingway (who …
January 5, 2012
Storms brewing over volcanoes
Two hundred years ago, a sea captain was sailing in the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, when he observed …
January 5, 2012
Redefining Quaternary
Blogging on EARTH The Quaternary Period — the geologic time period that includes human evolution up to the present — is now a bit longer than it …
January 5, 2012
Old plutonium reveals new secrets
Buried treasures come in many forms. Few, however, can help prevent the spread of nuclear weapons to terrorists. But a glass bottle discovered in …
January 5, 2012
Jupiter breaks out in spots
Like any aging planet, Jupiter’s face has undergone a few changes over time. And even as the gas giant’s most famous feature — the colossal storm …
January 5, 2012
Iron fertilization foiled by "shrimp"
The argument over whether ocean iron fertilization is a good way to sequester carbon dioxide may be coming to an end. Last month, a group of …
January 5, 2012
Dinosaurs of a feather may not have evolved together
Or so a new fossil discovery might indicate. While digging in Liaoning Province in northeastern China, paleontologists discovered Tianyulong …
January 5, 2012
Cityscape, 'wet regions' fueled Atlanta tornado
On March 14, 2008, at 9:38 p.m., something happened in Atlanta that had never happened in the city’s 171-year history: A tornado ripped through a …
January 5, 2012
Benchmarks: May 29, 1919: Solar eclipse "proves" relativity
On May 29, 1919, the moon’s silhouette crept slowly over the sun, bringing premature night to observers in a broad swath of the Southern …
January 5, 2012
A tale of two rocks: Moon-like rocks right next door
Lunar exploration is once again in full swing. Japan’s Kaguya and India’s Chandrayaan-1 satellites are currently in orbit around the moon. …