As the National Park Service celebrates its 100th anniversary, we celebrate ongoing Earth and atmospheric research made possible by conservation efforts.
Earth science
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Cold Temperatures Set Off Slow-Moving Landslides
Falling ground temperatures in the cold season are found to trigger shallow, slow-moving landslides on slopes with clayey soil.
Posted inNews
Evidence Found for China's Ancient Origin Story
New geological findings suggest that an ancient flood in a popular legend about the birth of China's civilization might have actually occurred, but some 150 years later than historians thought.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Despite Dryness, Quartz Grains Can Deform in Earth's Crust
A comparison of water content in undeformed and deformed quartz indicates that grains may change shape via weakening processes that cannot be duplicated in laboratory experiments.
Posted inNews
Richard P. Von Herzen (1930–2016)
Richard P. Von Herzen, a pioneer of marine heat flow studies who helped validate plate tectonics and discover oceanic hydrothermal vents, passed away on 28 January 2016. He was 85.
Posted inNews
Gypsum Forms in an Unexpected Way
Scientists spot the "stem cell" building blocks that lay the foundation for gypsum's formation.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Nitrogen Garners Starring Role in Refined Earth System Model
Scientists create a more realistic representation of plant nitrogen uptake and usage to improve global climate simulations.
Posted inNews
A Warm Day Can Trigger Rockfalls
Research on a cliff face in Yosemite National Park finds that when rockfalls happen without an obvious cause, ordinary warming in the Sun could be the culprit.
Posted inScience Updates
Learning About Teaching: Geoscience Educators Share Insights
Earth Educators' Rendezvous; Boulder, Colorado, 13–17 July 2015
Posted inOpinions
Embracing Open Data in Field-Driven Sciences
Allowing data to be reused and research results to be replicated fosters innovation, high-quality research, and public trust in science.