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]

Alexandria, VA —- What if we could cheaply and efficiently detect a potent new energy source, while also monitoring for environmental safety? Olivier Carriére, a physicist in the Marine Physical Laboratory at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and other researchers are using the symphony of sound produced in the ocean to do just that. When natural gas is released from the seafloor, it produces bubbles; similarly, gas leaking from a pipeline also produces bubbles. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA - Throughout the Zamfara region in northwestern Nigeria, children are dying at an alarming rate. The cause? The unique geology of the area. Lead-rich gold ores permeate the area, and mining them provides critical income for many families in need. Families get by on small-scale artisanal level mining, which exposes them to lead poisoning. With the rising value of gold, villagers must weigh the socioeconomic impacts against the lethal health repercussions. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — Buried more than a kilometer beneath the East Antarctica Ice sheet, the Gamburstev Sub-glacial Mountains have proven to be a geological puzzle for more than 5 decades. How did these mountains form? When did they form? And what makes this ancient mountain range one of the least-understood tectonic features on Earth? The Gamburstevs lie under the highest point in Antarctica: the 4,000-meter-high Dome Argus Plateau. The mountain range, in the middle of an ancient continental craton, has a thick, crustal root and high topography. [Read More]