As the Syrian Civil War enters its sixth year, seismic hazard might not immediately come to mind. But there is a reason it should. According to research presented at the AGU Fall Meeting, new estimates of the number of earthquake fatalities that could be expected in Turkey under several potential earthquake scenarios are 3 to 20 percent higher when Syrian refugees are counted in seismic risk models. In the April issue of EARTH Magazine, read how researchers at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville made this discovery, which will provide vital data for disaster mitigation and response efforts. [Read More]

Andria, VA - The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to recognize Dr. Susan Werner Kieffer, Professor Emerita at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, with the 2017 Marcus Milling Legendary Geoscientist Medal. The Medal will be awarded to Dr. Kieffer at the American Association of Petroleum Geologists awards ceremony on April 2, 2017. Dr. Kieffer’s career illustrates an amazing commitment to research and service. Her approach, involving field, experimental, and theoretical work, has profoundly influenced understanding of planetary interiors and surfaces, and has highlighted unifying themes across disciplines. [Read More]

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) has signed a new consensus document, Geoscience Policy Recommendations for the New Administration and the 115th Congress. The document outlines strategies for achieving shared national interests in which geoscience plays a key role, offering recommendations around five high-level thematic areas: Enhancing National and Homeland Security Increasing Economic Prosperity Securing Resources and Strengthening National Infrastructure Supporting and Growing Strong and Resilient Communities Growing a Dynamic Workforce AGI joins an intellectually diverse coalition to advocate on behalf of the geosciences in the federal policy process; says AGI Executive Director Allyson Anderson Book. [Read More]

The Arctic may appear inactive during the winter, but a recent study reveals that critical processes are taking place. Some carbon dioxide and methane are released during the early spring thaw, according to researchers. These greenhouse gas releases, which were remotely detected near Barrow, Alaska, could have easily been dismissed as a measurement error. However, a research team did some digging - literally, removing cores of frozen soil from the study site. [Read More]

Clarice Perryman, University of New Hampshire - M.S., expected May 2018, studies biogeochemistry at the University of New Hampshire’s Department of Earth Science. She investigates carbon dynamics of peatlands and wetlands, specifically studying geochemical controls of methane oxidation in thawing permafrost. She will be conducting field research at Stordalen Mire, a permafrost peatland in Abisko, Sweden, this summer to continue her research. Results from her research will help further validate biogeochemical models of peatland and wetland systems to ultimately produce more accurate model predictions of total carbon emissions. [Read More]

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 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]

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]

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]

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]