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AGI is a dynamic organization that is constantly working to advance the geosciences. Stay up-to-date with the latest news and announcements from AGI through our press releases.


Assessing How Well Earthquake Hazard Maps Work

March 1, 2017

Are seismic hazard maps getting a fair shake? Earthquake risk is notoriously difficult to forecast, but the maps are improving. Seismologists are learning key lessons from meteorology and an even more unlikely source: baseball. In the March issue of EARTH Magazine, a group of experts provides candid insight into the dual challenge of designing seismic hazard maps and testing their effectiveness. While meteorologists can evaluate their weather models every day, earthquake scientists have fewer opportunities to test their maps. [Read More]

EARTH Magazine Now Available on Kindle

February 27, 2017

EARTH Magazine Now Available on Kindle The American Geosciences Institute announces its flagship publication, EARTH Magazine, is now available direct from Amazon.com on the Kindle. Now, the latest EARTH issue can be delivered to your Kindle each month automatically, providing yet another way to access EARTH’s timely news and niche content. Visit http://a.co/syVCeAW to sign up for a free trial from Amazon. The March 2017 issue of EARTH is now available, featuring our cover story: [Read More]

Broadening Ocean Current Could Carry Less Heat Poleward With Climate Change

February 24, 2017

Joseph Lilek (jlilek@americangeosciences.org) What would happen if an ocean current were pushed off course - and why might that occur? The Agulhas Current, which flows southwest along the eastern coast of Africa, presents an opportunity to test these questions. Although the conventional understanding suggests that currents would intensify along their existing paths, a recent study in Nature suggests that stronger surface winds are causing the Agulhas’ path to broaden and meander, and to become more chaotic. [Read More]

Saving Mongolia's Dinosaurs and Inspiring the Next Generation of Paleontologists

February 22, 2017

Some of the world’s richest fossil locales are in Mongolia. For instance, you can find dinosaur fossils every few steps in the country’s Flaming Cliffs. But many Mongolians have no idea their country has such a treasure trove of dinosaurs because the specimens are often removed and displayed in other countries. However, one Mongolian paleontologist is working to change this paradigm by introducing children to dinosaur science and rebuilding Mongolia’s fossil collection. [Read More]

M.J. Tykoski to Receive the Edward C. Roy, Jr. Award for Excellence in K-8 Earth Science Teaching

February 21, 2017

Alexandria, VA - M.J. Tykoski, an eighth grade teacher at Cooper Junior High School in Wylie, Texas, has been named the 2017 recipient of the Edward C. Roy, Jr. Award for Excellence in K-8 Earth Science Teaching. Tykoski earned her Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the Texas Earth Science Teachers Association, and is the recipient of numerous grants and awards. [Read More]

A Blessing and a Challenge: Atmospheric River Storms in California

February 13, 2017

A series of “atmospheric river” storms have brought thirst-quenching rain to much of California, but much of that water is contributing to high - and in some cases dangerous, as seen with the Oroville Dam - levels of runoff. In the April comment for EARTH Magazine, Jeffrey Mount, a senior fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California Water Policy Center, provides timely insight into what he calls “a blessing and a challenge for California water managers. [Read More]

Burning Grass Releases More Nitrogen Than Wood Fire Smoke

February 9, 2017

A recent air quality study from the University of Colorado Boulder has confirmed earlier laboratory experiments that show grass and crop fire smoke carries greater amounts of nitrogen-containing volatile organic compounds (NVOCs) than wood fire smoke. Different NVOCs emit unique wavelength “signatures,” so when scientists examine smoke plumes using a high-resolution mass spectrometer, they can pinpoint which NVOCs are present. With the spectrometer in tow, study author Matthew Coggon and his team drove in and around Boulder and Aspen, Colo. [Read More]

New Geoscience Student Exit Survey Reflects Evolving Opportunities for Recent Graduates

February 7, 2017

Alexandria, VA - The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) Workforce Program announces the release of the Status of Recent Geoscience Graduates 2016 report. This report details the results of the 2016 Geoscience Student Exit Survey, documenting trends in geoscience coursework, enrollment, student experiences, as well as a recent shift in hiring patterns for new graduates. The Geoscience Student Exit Survey received responses from 483 students at 156 geoscience schools or departments, comprising 333 bachelor’s graduates, 78 master’s graduates, and 70 doctoral graduates. [Read More]

An App That Brings Home Your Seismic Hazard

January 31, 2017

Do you know the earthquake risk in your neighborhood? If not, that information is now available in the palm of your hand. Founded by two former U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) employees, Temblor is a free app that allows people to view interactive seismic hazard maps on their smartphones, tablets or computers. It also teaches U.S. homeowners to factor earthquake and landslide risk into their financial decisions, like where to live and what insurance to buy. [Read More]

Downgrading the Great Dying

January 25, 2017

It makes for a dramatic narrative: Roughly 252 million years ago, a mass extinction event killed up to 96% of marine life, earning an infamous name in the geologic record, “the Great Dying.” However, a new study suggests that this cataclysmic event has been overestimated. In the February issue of EARTH Magazine, read how a University of Hawaii paleontologist is improving our understanding of mass extinction events by exploring the effects of natural variability on background extinction levels, revealing a clearer signal in the noise. [Read More]