Alexandria, VA - What is the lifespan of a natural gas deposit? How quickly is our planet’s permafrost melting? And does life exist on other planets? Although seemingly unrelated issues, the answers to these questions are linked. In this month’s issue of EARTH Magazine, scientists show that we may be closer to answering them than we think. Ten years ago, John Eiler, a geochemist at Caltech, couldn’t convince anyone to build him his dream machine. [Read More]

Geologists, armed with rock hammers and accompanied by Marines, traverse the rugged expanse of the Helmand Province in southern Afghanistan. They are searching for untouched mineral wealth. Although the nature of Afghanistan’s mineral deposits is not unique in the world, the country’s deposits are largely untapped. Join EARTH Magazine in our January issue as we examine Afghanistan’s mineral wealth and the implications it holds for the country’s future. Since 2007, the Department of Defense, the U. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) welcomes the Canadian Federation of Earth Sciences (CFES) as the third member of the International Associates Program. Established in 2010, AGI’s International Associates (IA) Program provides professional geoscience organizations based outside of the United States with a way to develop a formal collaborative and informational relationship with the Institute. Previously, AGI had only accepted member societies that resided within the United States or that had a large number of their members within the U. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) has expanded eligibility for the Edward C. Roy, Jr. Award for Excellence in K-8 Earth Science Teaching. Teachers from the United Kingdom are now eligible to compete for this award, which recognizes leadership and innovation in Earth science education. About the Award The Edward C. Roy, Jr. Award is named after Dr. Edward C. Roy, Jr., a past president of AGI, who was a strong supporter of Earth science education. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — What would you do without your cell phone and computer? How about your car? Could you function in modern society without these contemporary devices? All of these technological marvels require no fewer than 60 different elements to function, and these elements come from a finite supply of mineral commodities. These critical minerals are defined by their dollar value, the availability of substitutes, and their ever increasing demand. In a new EarthNote, the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) outlines what makes a mineral “critical” and how the sudden loss of these resources could impact both the U. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — “You know you are from Christchurch when…” you manage to keep your sense of humor through a year of nonstop hardship. This phrase, coined by Christchurch native Bruce Raines, exploded on Facebook and takes on a multitude of equally morose and light-hearted endings. These phrases accurately capture the spirit of the local inhabitants after a series of earthquakes and aftershocks rocked the city, dramatically changing life for all Cantabrians. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — Is the United States entering its “Lost Decade”? A crunch on natural resources coupled with a crippling economic crisis and an aging workforce threaten to hurl us into a decade— or more—of grudgingly slow development akin to that of the Japanese after their own real estate bust a few decades ago. Will the United States learn from past mistakes in order to reconcile economic growth with environmental safety? [Read More]

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce the release of Glossary of Geology, Fifth Edition (revised) with ISBN: 978-0-922152-89-6. This comprehensive reference tool draws on the expertise of more than 100 geoscientists representing a range of specialties that reviewed definitions and added new terms. The Glossary contains nearly 40,000 entries, including 3,600 new terms and nearly 13,000 revised definitions from the previous edition published in 2005. In addition to definitions, many entries include background information and aids to syllabication. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — What do geology and textiles have in common? More than you might think. Since the 1980s, coastal, ocean and hydraulic engineers have been reinforcing coastlines and cleaning up contaminated water from dredge materials and other sludges and slurries with a revolutionary fabric that combines the strength of certain textiles with geoscientific know-how. So far, geotextile structures have been an integral tool in protecting our delicate coastlines; however, the relative infancy of the innovation leaves many questions unanswered about how these geotechnical marvels will interact with the natural environments they are built to protect. [Read More]

Alexandria, VA — What do energy resources for the future, understanding earthquakes to improve resiliency, and educating the next generation of geoscientists all have in common? Federal policymaking informed by the geosciences. If you are passionate about the role geoscience plays in the federal legislative process, consider applying for the American Geosciences Institute’s William L. Fisher Congressional Geoscience Fellowship for 2012-2013. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to spend a year on Capitol Hill working in a congressional office and learning about the legislative process. [Read More]