USGS Newsroom

Landmark Volcano Study Brings to Life Huge Alaska Eruption on its Centennial

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:00:00 EDT

100 years ago, in June 1912, the most powerful volcanic eruption of the 20th century took place in what is now Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Preserve. This massive volcanic event once again comes alive for scholars and enthusiasts in a new centennial volume by two U.S. Geological Survey scientists whose work has made major contributions to volcano science

New "Hair of the Bear" Study Launched to Estimate Grizzly Bear Population

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Wed, 23 May 2012 9:00:00 EDT

Bears in the far northwest corner of Montana and northeastern Idaho will soon be part of a new study using "hair of the bear" to estimate their population size

USGS/BOEM Study Identifies Scientific Method to Differentiate between Natural Seepage and Produced Oils in Southern California

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:00:00 EDT

Resource managers now have a scientific method to determine the source of oil found in the waters off Southern California and differentiate between naturally seeped oils and those produced by offshore oil and gas production

USGS Details Effects of Climate Change on Water Availability in 14 Local Basins Nationwide

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Wed, 16 May 2012 6:00:00 EDT

Climate change projections indicate a steady increase in temperature progressing through the 21st century, generally resulting in snowpack reductions, changes to the timing of snowmelt, altered streamflows, and reductions in soil moisture, all of which could affect water management, agriculture, recreation, hazard mitigation, and ecosystems across the nation

Veterans Hospitals Stay Safe with a Healthy Dose of Earthquake Monitoring

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Wed, 9 May 2012 16:40:26 EDT

The U.S. Geological Survey and the Department of Veterans Affairs have equipped over 70 VA medical centers across the country with seismic monitoring systems that monitor in real time what happens to buildings during and after earthquakes.

A Big Day for Science: Citizens Have Contributed One Million Observations to Top Nature Database

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Thu, 3 May 2012 9:00:00 EDT

Thanks to citizen-scientists around the country, the USA National Phenology Network hit a major milestone this week by reaching its one millionth nature observation

Administration Releases 10-Year Global Change Strategic Plan

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:04:14 EDT

The Obama Administration today released a 10-year strategic plan for research related to global change, identifying priorities that will help state and local governments, businesses, and communities prepare for anticipated changes in the global environment, including climate change, in the decades ahead.

Earbones Accurately Record a Fish�s Life Travels

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 9:07:33 EDT

Studying the earbones of trout can reveal their lifetime movements in a large river system, according to a study released in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences

Rise in Asian Tiger Shrimp Sightings Prompts Scientific Look at Invasion Concerns

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EDT

The recent rise in sightings of non-native Asian tiger shrimp off the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts has government scientists working to determine the cause of the increase and the possible consequences for native fish and seafood in those waters.

Media Advisory: Insecticides, Mercury, Toxic Cyanobacteria, Nitrate levels in the Pacific Northwest and Nationwide

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 6:00:00 EDT

The National Water Quality Monitoring Council's Eighth National Monitoring Conference features the latest information about the nation’s water quality from governmental and tribal organizations, academia, environmental groups, and the private sector, including new USGS research. The conference will be held in Portland, Ore., April 30th-May 4th, 2012

Insecticide Contamination Increases with Urbanization

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 10:00:00 EDT

Contamination and toxicity in stream sediments caused by pyrethroid insecticides generally increased with the degree of urbanization in seven metropolitan areas across the U.S, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey study

Medical Fight Against Cancer May Hold Lessons for Battling Aquatic Invasive Species

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 15:09:32 EDT

Lessons learned from the medical community's progress in fighting cancer can provide a framework to help prevent the introduction and spread of harmful aquatic invasive species, according to a study released in American Scientist

Media Advisory: Volcano Detective Kicks Off Centennial Commemoration with Free Public Lecture

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 14:30:00 EDT

Come hear how "volcano detectives" explored the aftermath of one of the five largest eruptions in recent history and why the still-active volcanoes offer important insights about earth processes that shape our world

Historical Maps Go Digital

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 7:00:00 EDT

In keeping with that spirit, The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has publicly released more than 161,000 digitally scanned historical maps spanning in excess of 130 years and covering the conterminous lower 48 states

Media Advisory: USGS to Discuss New World Estimate for Conventional Oil and Gas Resources

OC_Web@usgs.gov (Office of Communications Web Group) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:13:33 EDT

Today at 3:15 p.m., the Department of the Interior will hold a press call regarding a new world estimate for undiscovered, conventional oil and gas resources