In Western Australia, visitors can tour two unusually accessible coral reefs. The reefs look similar enough to be fraternal twins, but they are separated in time by 400 million years. Ningaloo is a modern reef where visitors can snorkel amid spectacular reef-building organisms just a few meters from shore. It boasts one of the planet's healthiest reef environments, where 500 species of fish, 600 species of shellfish and more than 250 species of coral thrive. Ningaloo's twin," the now-dry Devonian-aged "Great Barrier Reef," is widely recognized as the world's best example of an ancient barrier reef, with creamy limestone layers providing an unparalleled window into the past."
News and Announcements
Shipwreck enthusiasts find a bounty of nautical relics preserved in the chilly depths of the Great Lakes. But only within the last decade have explorers and scientists begun to reveal the secrets of a much different - and much more ancient - sunken treasure in Lake Huron: sinkholes.
Monday, July 18, 2011 - 16:05
China sent the high-tech industry and markets reeling last fall when it blocked exports of raw rare earth minerals to Japan, Europe and the U.S. The sudden severing of rare earths supply was a frightening prospect as the minerals are key ingredients in a broad range of high-tech products, from smartphones to wind turbines and hybrid cars. Although the bans have since been lifted, governments around the world saw the ban as a kind of wake-up call and started looking at ways to develop their own mineral resources - for rare earths as well as basic industry metals like copper and zinc.
Monday, July 11, 2011 - 16:05
The American Geological Institute (AGI) is sponsoring three national contests as part of Earth Science Week 2011, celebrating the theme of "Our Ever-Changing Earth," October 9-15.
Thursday, July 7, 2011 - 16:05
The American Geological Institute (AGI) is pleased to offer several top-selling publications as ebooks for both the Kindle and Nook e-readers, including for the first time Geowriting, 5th Edition" and the "Status of the Geoscience Workforce 2011" report."
Wednesday, June 29, 2011 - 16:05
For breathtaking volcanic scenery, few places have the variety found in Lassen Volcanic National Park in the Cascade Range of Northern California. The park boasts five varieties of volcanoes plus a vast volcanic landscape, with devastated areas, bubbling hot springs, boiling mud pots and fumaroles. The park also hosts multiple hiking trails.
Monday, June 27, 2011 - 16:05
The American Geological Institute (AGI) is pleased to offer the book, Mapping America: Exploring the Continent" (ISBN: 978-1-907317-08-8) as part of its extensive publications catalog."
Sunday, June 26, 2011 - 16:05
From Seattle to Los Angeles, anywhere from 50 to 80 percent of the water people use comes from mountain snow. Snow falls in the mountains in the winter, where it's stored as snowpack until spring and summer when it flows down the mountains into reservoirs. It's a clean, reliable source of water. But soon, it may become less dependable, thanks to climate change.
Monday, June 20, 2011 - 16:05
In almost every way, the Garden of the Gods at Colorado Springs" excursion at the annual meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA) last year was a normal — even enjoyable — field trip. Standard geologic terminology was used in the accompanying field trip guide and the guides relied on orthodox geologic thinking to explain geologic features. But in reality, the trip was anything but a normal geology field trip."
Saturday, June 11, 2011 - 16:05
Geoparks strive to connect people with the landscape, highlighting the intersection of society and geology. They also encourage sustainable economic development, most often through geotourism. The result is a fun and picturesque travel destination where geology can be experienced in many ways. The first of these parks in North America is Stonehammer Geopark, a 2,500-square-kilometer site along the rugged Bay of Fundy on Canada's southeast coast, centered on Saint John, New Brunswick.
Monday, June 6, 2011 - 16:05