Geological Sciences | Science Communication
Boulder, Colo.: While wildfires over recent years have raged across much of the western United States and pose significant hazards to wildlife and local populations, wildfires have been a long-standing part of Earth’s systems without the influence of humans for hundreds of millions of years. “Wildfire has been an integral component in earth-system processes for… Continue reading Earliest record of wildfires provide insights to Earth’s past vegetation and oxygen levels
Boulder, Colo.: While much of public attention on Yellowstone focuses on its potential to produce large supereruptions, the hazards that are much more likely to occur are smaller, violent hydrothermal explosions. Hydrothermal explosions occur when near-boiling water suddenly flashes into steam, releasing large amounts of energy. The energy release fractures the rock downward, often leaving… Continue reading Yellowstone’s History of Hydrothermal Explosions over the Past 14,000 Years
via Fossil discovery reveals that trilobites had clasper-like limbs used for mating Boulder, Colo., USA: Thanks to their easily fossilized exoskeleton, trilobites largely dominate the fossil record of early complex animal life. However, trilobite appendages and the anatomy of the underside of their body are typically not well preserved, which makes it difficult to infer… Continue reading Fossil discovery reveals that trilobites had clasper-like limbs used for mating
via Rapid glacial advance reconstructed during the time of Norse occupation in Greenland Boulder, Colo., USA: The Greenland Ice Sheet is the second largest ice body in the world, and it has the potential to contribute significantly to global sea-level rise in a warming global climate. Understanding the long-term record of the Greenland Ice Sheet,… Continue reading Rapid glacial advance reconstructed during the time of Norse occupation in Greenland
via Nealtican lava flow field, Popocatépetl volcano: A window to the past and future hazards Boulder, Colo., USA: The Popocatépetl volcano, located southeast of Mexico City, stands as the second highest peak in Mexico and is considered to be one of the potentially most dangerous volcanoes in the world, given its record of highly explosive… Continue reading Nealtican lava flow field, Popocatépetl volcano: A window to the past and future hazards
via GSA TODAY | March-April 2022 By Emily Zawacki, 2021–2022 GSA Science Communication Fellow Previously unnamed impact craters on the south polar region of the moon are being named to honor three former Geological Society of America (GSA) members. These craters were discovered while studying the south pole of the moon in advance of NASA’s… Continue reading Three Former GSA Members Honored with Lunar Crater Names
via Discovering sources of Roman silver coinage from the Iberian Peninsula Boulder, Colo., USA: Despite its prior status as a luxury commodity, silver became widely used for coinage in the Roman world from the 7th century BCE onward and provided a standardized monetary system for ancient Mediterranean civilizations. However, the sources of silver used to… Continue reading Discovering sources of Roman silver coinage from the Iberian Peninsula
via Lake Formation and Expansion Due to Sea-Level Rise Causes Freshwater Resource Depletion on Small Islands Portland, Ore., USA: Coastal regions and small ocean islands face significant risks from rising sea levels due to climate change, because waters can flood and inundate low-lying land surfaces. “Climate change has become a more critical issue recently, especially… Continue reading Lake Formation and Expansion Due to Sea-Level Rise Causes Freshwater Resource Depletion on Small Islands
via Dams disproportionately removed from areas with more non-Hispanic white residents Portland, Ore., USA: Since the 1970s, dams have been removed from the U.S. at an increasing rate, with the aim to improve the ecology of river ecosystems, fish migration pathways, water quality, and recreation spaces. “We have about 90,000 dams here in the United States… Continue reading Dams disproportionately removed from areas with more non-Hispanic white residents
via Rocks on Floor of Jezero Crater, Mars, Show Signs of Sustained Interactions with Water Portland, Ore., USA: Since the Perseverance rover landed in Jezero crater on Mars in February, the rover and its team of scientists back on Earth have been hard at work exploring the floor of the crater that once held an… Continue reading Rocks on Floor of Jezero Crater, Mars, Show Signs of Sustained Interactions with Water
Emily Zawacki, Ph.D. 