Alexandria, VA - The idea that the Arctic is changing is not breaking news. Sea-ice extent has been declining by 12 percent per decade since 1979, and the ice is thinning too. Because of this, new shipping routes are becoming accessible during the summer months, and the Arctic is beginning to attract parties interested in resource exploration, scientific research and tourism. Therefore, a more accessible Arctic not only means environmental changes, but also changes in our economy and our national security. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA - Dr. Sven Treitel has been named the 2012 recipient of the Marcus Milling Legendary Geoscientist Medal. David Monk, President Elect for the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), will accept this prestigious award on behalf of Treitel as part of the awards ceremony at the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Meeting in Long Beach, California on April 22. The Marcus Milling Medal is awarded to senior geoscientists who have contributed consistent scientific achievements and service to the Earth sciences with lasting, historic value. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — Meg Town, a teacher at Redmond Junior High School in Redmond, Washington, has been named the 2012 recipient of the Edward C. Roy, Jr. Award for Excellence in K-8 Earth Science Teaching. Town, who earned her master’s degree in education from the University of Washington, has spent her career challenging middle and junior high school students with inquiry-based, hands-on learning in the Earth sciences. Earth science is, she says, “the most touchable science. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA - Tornadoes are notoriously difficult to forecast, with often deadly results: In 2011 in the U.S., more than 550 people were killed, a higher death toll than in the past 10 years combined. A new study on short-term climate trends offers a fresh approach to tornado forecasting that may give tornado-prone regions more warning that twisters may soon be descending. By sorting through average atmospheric conditions in tornado-prone regions, Michael Tippett, a climate scientist at Columbia University, may have found a way to predict tornado trends. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce that institutional subscribers to EARTH Magazine can now register for IP-based access for their users to view the full content of EARTH Magazine digitally. This option allows for seamless IP-based access for library users to PDF copies of all issues of EARTH. Print copies of the magazine will continue to be provided to all institutional subscribers unless they specify that they no longer wish to receive print copies. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA - What do changes in weather and stressed-out birds have to do with your health? In a study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Jeffry Shaman of Columbia University and Marc Lipsitch of Harvard University are beginning to see a new link between La Niña conditions and outbreaks of the flu that could help governments and public health officials determine when the next pandemic will strike. [Read More]

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce the publication of the new edition of its cornerstone reference, The Directory of Geoscience Departments. The 47th edition is now available as an e-book for the Kindle, iBookstore, and Nook, and will be available in print directly from AGI’s website or through amazon.com starting April 2, 2012. The Directory of Geoscience Departments, 47th edition is the most comprehensive directory of geoscience departments and researchers available. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA - Beautiful views and exotic thrills draw millions of tourists to volcanic sites each year. Previously frequented by smaller numbers of experienced hikers and trained tour guides, today’s volcanic sites are plagued by throngs of novice hikers, who are often ill-prepared and uneducated about the risks of volcano geotourism. These groups of vacation-goers often display a lackadaisical attitude about safety that can put their lives at risk. The most obvious hazard is exposure to lava, but other hidden dangers put tourists at even more risk, including unexpected eruptions, sudden landslides and scalding hot springs. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — Since last July, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft has been orbiting the asteroid Vesta, and capturing images and other data that are providing surprising results to the delight and amazement of researchers. Dawn’s mission is to help reveal the processes and conditions that marked the first few million years — the dawn — of the solar system; and the information the spacecraft has collected about Vesta is changing the way scientists think about the formation of our early universe. [Read More]

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is proud to support National Groundwater Awareness Week, which promotes the responsible stewardship of groundwater through education and outreach initiatives. Groundwater is a crucial source of fresh water for society, accounting for roughly 90% of all freshwater on Earth. In the United States alone, 79.6 billion gallons of groundwater are used per day for various purposes, including public and private drinking water, irrigation, livestock, manufacturing, mining, thermoelectric power, and other uses. [Read More]