Alexandria, VA — In 1859, the largest recorded coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun, known as the Carrington Event, disrupted what little electrical technology was used at the time. Back then, that meant the temporary disruption of the telegraph system. Today, without an effective warning mechanism in place, a solar storm of that magnitude could wreak havoc on our technology-dependent world. And with the solar maximum predicted to occur later this year, scientists and policymakers are scrambling to prepare us for when the next big solar storm hits. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA - For more than 35 years, scientists from the Antarctic Search for Meteorites (ANSMET) program have been scouring glacial landscapes in search of meteorites. Since 1976, teams of physicists, meteorite specialists, and mountaineers have recovered thousands of untouched specimens from meteoroids, the moon and even Mars. Despite subzero temperatures and razor-sharp winds, scientists are lining up for the chance to experience the ultimate hunt for alien objects in the alien environment. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — Hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” has changed the energy landscape. We can now affordably produce natural gas from previously inaccessible rock formations, which has led to increasing natural gas consumption. Thanks to its low prices and abundant domestic supply, natural gas may have a chance to overtake coal as the primary energy source for electricity in the United States. Natural gas has been a part of our energy economy for more than a century; however, it wasn’t until recently that it started to play a key role. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — We have entered an era of stark realization. Although Earth’s resources once seemed abundant and resilient, we have come to understand the limitations of a planet as small and crowded as our own. In Dawn of the Anthropocene: Humanity’s Defining Moment, author George A. Seielstad explores the challenges associated with building a sustainable future in a world struggling to meet society’s needs. The technology and innovation that have allowed humanity to manipulate the planet on a massive scale have also been accompanied by repercussions. [Read More]

Considered individually, 2012’s record high temperatures, droughts, wildfires, storms, and diminished snowpack are not necessarily alarming. But combined, the fact that the first seven months of 2012 were hotter than the hottest on record, more than half of the U.S. counties were declared disaster areas due to drought, and the snowpacks were at all-time lows, these indicators are much more significant from a climate standpoint. Two questions then remain: Will we see the same thing in 2013? [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — Big science often requires big tools. Until recently, earth scientists have been using relatively small-scale instruments to unlock some of our planet’s biggest mysteries. Now, geoscientists across the country are teaming up to use an “Earth Telescope” capable of peering deep into the planet with unprecedented resolution. This new technology called USArray is helping us learn more about how the deep Earth works. Part of the NSF-funded EarthScope project, USArray consists of an expansive grid of individual seismometers moving across the entire United States. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is accepting applications for the new Harriet Evelyn Wallace Scholarship for the 2013-2014 academic year. The scholarship will be awarded to a thesis-based, full time female student pursuing either a Master’s or a Doctoral degree in the geosciences, and must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. The Harriet Evelyn Wallace Scholarship is merit-based, and applicants will be evaluated on the probability of successfully completing their geoscience graduate program and transitioning into the geoscience workforce following graduation. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA - The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) welcomes three new Executive Committee members: Berry H. (Nick) Tew, Jr., President-Elect; Dorian Kuper, Secretary; and Jacqueline Huntoon, Member-At-Large. The new members of the AGI Executive Committee will be installed at the Friends of AGI Reception during the Geological Society of America Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina. Berry H. (Nick) Tew, Jr. is the State Geologist of Alabama and Director of the Geological Survey of Alabama. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — The American Geosciences Institute’s (AGI) Geoscience Policy program has launched a new webpage detailing the estimated impacts of the impending sequestration on federal geoscience funding. The sequestration, set to take effect on January 2, 2013 unless Congress agrees on a path to avoid it, could severely impact geoscience research and development (R&D) across the board. The new Geoscience Policy page outlines data acquired from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) R&D Budget and Policy Program brief, “Federal R&D and Sequestration in the First Five Years. [Read More]

On October 22, 2012, in L’Aquila, Italy, six seismologists and one Italian government official were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to six years in prison. The seismologists and official had been on trial for not adequately warning the public about the danger of a potential earthquake prior to the L’Aquila earthquake in April 2009 that killed 309 people. Central to the question of manslaughter was whether there was a direct link between the reassuring statements of the commission on which the defendants served and the deaths from the earthquake. [Read More]