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 …
The EARTH archive
June 2014
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31 articles · Page 1 of 2
June 23, 2014
San Andreas Fault shook Bay Area three times in a century
“This project took a lot of footwork,” says Ashley Streig, a paleoseismologist at the University of Oregon and lead author of the new study, …
June 23, 2014
Dinosaur feathers burst into color
Melanosomes are melanin-producing cells found in the feathers of all modern birds as well as a range of other animals. To study the origins of …
June 23, 2014
Arctic megafauna thrived on pollen-poor plants
The Arctic landscape during the Pleistocene has long been thought to have been dominated by pollen-producing graminoids. By analyzing more than …
June 23, 2014
Cryptic creatures made for a spectacular hanging garden
The upside-down cryptic assemblage — so known because the creatures inhabited a hollowed-out cavity in the rock — is “exceptionally well …
June 23, 2014
Early Triassic fossil showed live birth in action
Not only does the fossil specimen preserve an example of live birth, or viviparity, in action, but the embryos are about 10 million years older …
June 23, 2014
Did tidal zone trilobites lead the way onto land?
During the Cambrian, when trilobites thrived in Earth’s early oceans, the continents were devoid of animal life. “The Cambrian explosion was an …
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 19, 2014
Spanish cave reveals possible new Neanderthal ancestor
A trove of thousands of hominin fossils unearthed from a prolific cave in northern Spain is proving a boon for paleoanthropologists studying …
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 10, 2014
Rosetta: Off to decipher a comet's secrets
“Hello World.” With that brief message, scientists at the European Space Agency (ESA) and followers around the world sent up a collective cheer. …
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 9, 2014
Magma mobilizes quickly beneath Mount Hood
The term “magma chamber” might evoke thoughts of a roiling mass beneath a volcano, ready to blow at any moment. But in a recent study in Nature, …
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
Down to Earth With: Steven Stanley
It’s no wonder Steven Stanley says he can’t imagine having pursued any career other than research and teaching in geology and paleontology. After …
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
By the numbers: Women in space
The first two women in space — Valentina Tereshkova and Svetlana Savitskaya — were from the Soviet Union. Since their pioneering space flights, …
May 15, 2014
Benchmarks: June 16, 1963 & June 18, 1983: Valentina Tereshkova and Sally Ride become first and third women in space
On June 16, 1963, during the height of the Cold War, Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to fly in space. It would be 19 years before …
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 15, 2014
Dueling dinosaurs hit the auction block
In 2006, fossil collector Clayton Phipps (a Montana rancher known as the “Dinosaur Cowboy”) and his crew discovered a rare fossil on private land …