geology

Geology News
Interesting Current Events


Geological Waters
May 23, 2012 | Geology.com

Several varieties of bottled water are actually geological products. Do you know what is required for a product to be labled as “mineral water”, “spring water” or “artesian water”? Do they have any special properties?

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Rock Tumbling Bible
May 23, 2012 | RockTumbler.com

Modern Rock Tumbling by Steve Hart is the most up-to-date book on the rock tumbling hobby. It explains the tumbling process completely and provides enough detail that you should produce excellent results if you follow his instructions.

Enormous Sunspot AR 1476
May 9, 2012 | MSNBC.com

A massive sunspot cluster over 60,000 miles across has been identified on the sun’s surface. Sunspots sometimes erupt into solar flares that emit high-energy radiation.

Map by John White
Clue to the Fate of the “Lost Colony”
May 8, 2012 | New York Times

In the late 16th century over 100 English colonists vanished without a trace from what was hoped to become a permanent English settlement in present-day North Carolina. The use of technology to examine a 16th century map may have revealed clues of their fate.

What Are Minerals?
May 7, 2012 | Geology.com

Every person uses products made from minerals every day. Salt, antacid tablets, pencils, cell phones, jewelry, glass, paint, shingles fertilizer, vehicles, highways, buildings and much more are made from minerals.

World’s Largest Sand Eruption
April 23, 2012 | ScienceMag.org

ScienceNow has an interesting about the largest know eruption of sand. It occurred on the floor of the North Sea where geysers erupted 10 cubic kilometers of sand.

Hydrology Project Earns Serious Attention
April 12, 2012 | Tufts University

Shallow wells drilled outside of the geology building as part of an upper-level hydrology course have launched Tufts University into a geothermal heating and cooling program.

Tambora: April 10, 2012
April 10, 2012 | Scientific American

“On April 10, 1815, Tambora Volcano produced the largest eruption in recorded history. [...] Enough ash was put into the atmosphere from the April 10 eruption to reduce incident sunlight on the Earth’s surface, causing global cooling, which resulted in the 1816 “year without a summer.” Quote from a NASA Earth Observatory press release.

Titanoboa: Largest Snake in Earth History
April 2, 2012 | Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History has a new documentary and traveling exhibition titled “Titanoboa: Monster Snake”. The largest known snake lived about 60 million years ago in what is now Colombia, weighed over one ton and grew to a length of up to 48 feet.

Uses of Silver
March 30, 2012 | Geology.com

Silver, the white metal, has an illustrious reputation for its use in jewelry and coins, but today, silver’s primary use is industrial. Whether in cell phones or solar panels, new innovations are constantly emerging to take advantage of silver’s unique properties.

New Jersey-New York Pipeline
March 22, 2012 | Energy Information Administration

“Spectra Energy has received conditional environmental approval from Federal Energy Regulatory Commission staff on its proposed New Jersey-New York Expansion project. [...] The system, which would be the first major natural gas pipeline to reach New York City in 40 years.” Quoted from the Energy Information Administration.

Red Deer Cave People
March 19, 2012 | CNN Blogs

Five partial skeletons of what might be a new human species which contains both modern and primitive anatomical features have been found in China and date to about 14,500 and 11,500 years ago.

The First Parachute Jump from an Airplane
March 15, 2012 | Airspacemag.com

This story isn’t about geology but it is very interesting. The plane looks like it was made from black pipe, wire and canvas. Albert Berry earned his spot in history by jumping from just 1500 feet!

A Unique Use for Soapstone
March 13, 2012 | WhiskyStones.com

You might have heard about soapstone being used in cooking pots, wood stoves, fireplace surrounds, bed warmers and smoking pipes because of its ability to absorb heat and release it slowly. Now, here’s one for the cold.

TEROFORMA “Whisky Stones” from Galen Summer on Vimeo.

Transporting a 340-Ton Rock through Downtown Los Angeles
March 12, 2012 | Los Angeles Times

The Los Angeles Times has photos of a 340-ton piece of granite being delivered to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The transport vehicle is enormous and has 176 wheels. Sorry, it’s not part of a geology exhibit.

Interactive about the transport vehicle.

Left for Dead on Everest
March 12, 2012 | Reader's Digest

This Reader’s Digest article from 2006 describes the rescue of Lincoln Hall, a climber who had been left-for-dead on Everest.

Last Call: $2000 Undergrad Field Camp Scholarships
March 7, 2012 | Geological Society of America

GSA and ExxonMobil are excited to announce the second annual award for undergraduate students to attend summer field camp. 17 students will be awarded $2,000 each to attend the field camp of their choice based on diversity, economic/financial need, and merit. Application deadline is March 12.

Plants Invade Antarctica!
March 6, 2012 | ScienceMag.org

Field studies have shown that invasive plant species are being brought to Antarctica on the clothing and baggage of researchers and other visitors. They are then carried to diverse locations – often deep into the interior – where some of them take root.

New Island in the Zubair Group (Red Sea)
March 5, 2012 | NASA Earth Observatory

“Volcanic activity in the Zubair Island Group appears to have ceased. On December 19, 2011, satellites detected sulfur dioxide and a small volcanic plume in the area, and by December 23 a new island had formed in the Red Sea. The island continued to grow in early January, but stopped by January 15th.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory image release.

Exploring for Battlefields
March 1, 2012 | MySanAntonio.com

After an oil exploration career, Robert Marshall decided to locate the site of the “Battle of Medina”.

Beau Sancy Diamond to be Auctioned
March 1, 2012 | Diamonds.net

One of the most famous diamonds in the world will be auctioned on May 15, 2012. The 35-carat Beau Sancy Diamond was owned by Royal Families in Europe for nearly 400 years.

Could Falling Coal Prices Depress Natural Gas?
February 29, 2012 | Business Week

Low natural gas prices have triggered a switch from coal to natural gas for many electric power generation plants. Could a collapse in the coal price kill this demand for natural gas?

Neutrinos Faster than Light?
February 23, 2012 | Wired Science

Einstein determined that nothing can be faster than light and his theory was challenged by neutrinos. Again, those neutrino speeds have been called into question – this time favoring Einstein.

Firefall over Yosemite’s El Capitan
February 21, 2012 | Fox News

This time of year in Yosemite National Park sometimes produces a unique phenomenon of illumination. The rays of the sun catch the water of Horsetail Fall at the perfect angle to make it glow like flowing lava.

Growing a Pleistocene Plant
February 21, 2012 | ABC News

Russian scientists have grown a flowering plant from a 30,000-year-old seed found deep in the permafrost of Siberia. This is the oldest seed known to produce a viable plant.

Black Smokers on Land
February 10, 2012 | Jackson School of Geosciences, The University of Texas at Austin

Scientists have discovered a new type of hot spring along the banks of a volcanic lake in the Philippines. These “terrestrial smokers” are cousins to submarine black smokers, hydrothermal vents on the seafloor that spew plumes of hot, nutrient-rich water and often support rich communities of life.

Lava Flow on Kizimen Satellite Image
February 8, 2012 | NASA Earth Observatory

“A thick lava flow has been creeping down the eastern slopes of Kizimen Volcano in eastern Russia since its eruption began in December 2010. The flow has advanced about 600 meters (2,000 feet) since September 2011.” Quoted from the Earth Observatory image release.

Caribbean Earthquake History
February 6, 2012 | USGS

Earthquakes have been documented in the northeastern Caribbean since the arrival of Columbus to the Americas.” USGS has released: “Accounts of Damage from Historical Earthquakes in the Northeastern Caribbean, to Aid in the Determination of their Location and Intensity Magnitudes”.

Satellites Rescued 207 People in 2011
February 2, 2012 | NOAA

“In 2011, NOAA satellites were critical in the rescues of 207 people from life-threatening situations [...]. The satellites picked up distress signals from emergency beacons carried by downed pilots, shipwrecked boaters and stranded hikers, and relayed the information about their location to first responders on the ground.” Quoted from the NOAA press release.

Tumbi Quarry Landslide – PNG
February 1, 2012 | The Landslide Blog

The Landslide Blog has a post with graphics about the Tumbi Quarry landslide that killed dozens of people in Papua New Guinea.

Lego Astronaut
January 30, 2012 | Christian Science Monitor

Two Canadian teenagers launched a weather balloon with a Lego Man passenger that reached an elevation of 85,000 feet and captured a video of the trip.

First Antarctica Solo Crossing
January 23, 2012 | The Globe and Mail

Today, Felicity Aston became the first woman to ski across Antarctica alone – in 59 days.

EarthTrek Gravestone Project – Weathering Study
January 19, 2012 | EarthTrek

“This project aims to map the location of a graveyards around the globe and then use marble gravestones in those graveyards to measure the weathering rate of marble at that location.” Quoted from the project website.

Storing One Bit in Just Twelve Atoms
January 12, 2012 | ComputerWorld.com

IBM researchers have announced that they have a new technology that enables them to store one bit of magnetic information in just twelve atoms of material.

2012 Mineral Shows – There’s One Near You!
December 23, 2011 | The-Vug.com

The-Vug.com has an extensive list of mineral shows that are scheduled for the first quarter of 2012. There’s probably one (or more) near you!

Mineral Museums and Tours
December 21, 2011 | The-Vug.com

The-Vug.com has a state-by-state listing of rock and mineral museums, tours and other places of interest. Most states have several locations where you can view a nice exhibit and most of them are open year-round.

Selenga River – Largest River into Lake Baikal
December 21, 2011 | Geology.com

The Selenga is the primary contributor of water to Lake Baikal and its tributaries drain approximately 80 percent of the lake’s watershed.

Jumping Off of a Mountain!
December 12, 2011 | National Public Radio

Here is a video of Espen Fadness jumping off of a mountain and soaring at speeds of up to 155 miles per hour near Stryn, Norway.

SENSE OF FLYING from Goovinn on Vimeo.

Geothermal Wells Under a 35-Storey Building
December 8, 2011 | Globe and Mail

A 35-storey mixed-use building is being constructed in Montreal, Canada that will be heated and cooled by 19 wells that have been drilled to depths of 400 feet beneath the foundation.

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Rock Tumblers
December 7, 2011 | RockTumbler.com

Rock tumblers have been manufactured and sold to hobbyists since the 1950′s. The first machines tumbled rocks in metal cans. Since then rubber barrels have significantly reduce the noise, however rotary machines still require at least one month to convert rough rock into brightly polished stones. However, newer vibratory tumblers can process rock in a little over a week. Christmas is great time to try rock tumbling, revive your interest or introduce another person to to the hobby.

New Elements: Livermorium and Flerovium
December 4, 2011 | PC Magazine

Two elements, synthesized over ten years ago have finally been confirmed for addition to the periodic table. Flerovium (Fl) will be element 114 and Livermorium (Lv) will be element 116. Both are very unstable Transuranium elements

Earthquake Insurance in Kansas
November 20, 2011 | Topeka Capital-Journal

An article in the Topeka Capital-Journal explores earthquake insurance in Kansas. Coverage will cost some homeowners less than $100 – a low price because the probability of a damaging earthquake is very low.

Faster Than Light Still Stands
November 20, 2011 | Associated Press @ Google

In September, researchers at the European Organization for Nuclear Research sent physicists into disbelief when they clocked a neutrino at faster than the speed of light. Last week they eliminated a possible source of error from their experiment and their faster-than-light measurement still stands.

Tools for Geologists
November 17, 2011 | Geology.com/store/

The Geology.com store is a great place to go if you need geology tools. We have rock hammers, prospecting equipment, wall maps, waterproof gear, Roadside Geology guidebooks, topographic maps, geology books, rock kits and more.

Teaching: World Population Reaches 7 Billion
November 10, 2011 | SCINEWS

SCINEWS has a new collection of resources useful for teaching about the world population reaching seven billion people. It includes educator background materials, videos, lesson plan suggestions and more.

World Population at Seven Billion
November 8, 2011 | National Public Radio

National Public Radio has a podcast and a video that present various aspects of the world population surpassing seven billion people.

British Earthquakes from Fracking?
October 24, 2011 | New York Times

Earthquake experts at the British Geological Survey are questioning if two small earthquakes are related to the first use of hydraulic fracturing in that country to produce natural gas from shale.

MIT Develops Technology that “Sees” Through Concrete Walls
October 19, 2011 | MIT Lincoln Lab

This isn’t geology but it is a very interesting science development. Researchers at MIT Lincoln Labs have developed a technology that enables them to image real-time human activity on the opposite site of a concrete wall. They believe that it has immediate effective use in urban warefare.

AGI Video: Why Earth Science?
October 11, 2011 | American Geosciences Institute YouTube Channel

“In Why Earth Science?, stunning video sequences and images illuminate the importance of knowing how Earth works and illustrate opportunities for careers in the Earth sciences.” Quoted from the American Geosciences Institute video release.

The Many Uses of Diamond
October 11, 2011 | Geology.com

Diamond is the world’s most popular gemstones and it’s qualities as the hardest natural substance make it an excellent abrasive. However, diamond is used for many other things which include: heat sink, speaker dome, laser windows and microbearings.

Related: Diamonds Don’t Form From Coal

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Mineral RightsMineral Rights / Oil & Gas: Who owns the minerals under your land? Have they been sold? Can someone mine without permission?
uses of gold The Many Uses of Gold: Learn how the unique properties of gold make it extremely suited for a large number of industrial uses.
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meteorites Meteorites: Learn about meteorites from meteorite hunter, Geoffrey Notkin. What are meteorites? irons, stones, stony-irons.

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