Alexandria, VA - The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) welcomed a new member organization to its ranks in January 2014. The Geological Association of Canada (GAC) was officially added by AGI’s Member Society Council. Natural systems that make up the North American continent do not stop at political boundaries. Issues like the Cascadia megathrust fault, capable of producing earthquakes and tsunamis across the US-Canadian border; energy and mineral development across the continent, the possibility of an ice-free arctic, and a common cause in fostering geoscience are factors in the decision-making processes of the public and policymakers in both countries. [Read More]

Much of the national data related to the geosciences in higher education come from federal datasets through the National Science Foundation and the Department of Education. Minority data are typically found through the Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). While this dataset is useful, it is important to understand the functional definitions used for collecting the data, particularly when looking at minority enrollments and awarded degrees. Before collecting data for the 2010-2011 academic year, the Department of Education changed their definitions related to the different racial groups, which in turn, changed the data. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — It has often been said that individual weather events cannot be attributed to global climate change, but recent advances in the science of attribution are challenging that notion. A recent report from 18 different research teams that analyzed 12 extreme weather events in 2012 suggests that climate change was a contributing factor in about half of them. How geoscientists reached these conclusions and how experts are using statistical analyses to predict the likelihood of extreme weather events is detailed in the January issue of Earth Magazine. [Read More]

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce that the theme of Earth Science Week 2014 will be “Earth’s Connected Systems.” This year’s event will promote awareness of the dynamic interactions of the planet’s natural systems. Earth Science Week 2014 learning resources and activities will engage young people and others in exploring the ways that geoscience illuminates natural change processes. By deepening our understanding of interactions of Earth systems – geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere – Earth science helps us manage our greatest challenges and make the most of vital opportunities. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — What goes into a great wine and what role does geology play? Wine experts use the word terroir to describe the myriad environmental influences, including climate, that go into growing winegrapes. Climate is arguably the most influential factor and it produces the most identifiable differences among wines. So how is climate change affecting wines globally? And how do other factors, such as the bedrock below the vineyard and the soil, produce subtle expressions of terroir? [Read More]

Alexandria, VA - The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is extending the deadline for nominations for the Edward C. Roy Award for Excellence in Earth Science Teaching. To be eligible, applications must be postmarked by February 7, 2014. Given annually, this award is presented to one full-time K-8 teacher in the U.S. or U.K. whose excellence and innovation in the classroom elevates students’ understanding of the Earth and its many processes. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — Yesterday, 52 scientists, journalists and tourists were rescued from frozen Antarctic waters, where their ship, the MV Akademik Shokalskiy, had been stuck in ice since December 24th, 2013. Everyone was safe but what would make people travel in such perilous conditions to the southernmost part of the planet? Adventure, history and tremendous scientific research opportunities is what continually draws people to explore the frigid continent. There, people can see species that exist nowhere else on Earth, can see the remains of ancient supercontinents and can walk in the footsteps of scientific giants like Darwin and Shackleton — experiencing an environment incomprehensible, and far too inhospitable for most. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA - When individuals die in a natural disaster or property damage is costly, can anyone be blamed? After the 2012 conviction of six Italian geoscientists on manslaughter charges related to communication about the hazards prior to the Aquila earthquake in 2009, scientists worldwide are keen to understand the risks of their hazards research. EARTH Magazine investigates the complicated and often nuanced risks scientists face in hazard research. From the meaning of liability - defined on an international spectrum - to the legal lessons learned from climate scientists, researching the point at which Earth’s hazards impact society’s economic or morbidity appraisals requires a balancing act. [Read More]

On March 11, 2011, Norwegian citizens living along fjord coastlines were perplexed as rare waves sloshed along local docks and seawalls. The waves almost seemed like tsunami waves. Naturally, the residents grabbed their cell phones to document. The video and photo coverage of the rare waves would eventually help scientists identify and describe the phenomenon: seismically generated water waves called seiches, which had been set in motion by the massive Tohoku earthquake half a world away. [Read More]

The Critical Issues program, part of the American Geosciences Institute’s (AGI’s) Center for GEducation and Public Understanding, has just released the preliminary results of the “Defining Critical Issues” survey. The survey results can be accessed from the Critical Issues program website. The majority of responses to the web-based survey were from geoscientists in the post-secondary academic sector, while the number of responses from the public and the decision-making community was substantially smaller. [Read More]