Science Features
In honor of Earth Science Week the USGS is taking a look back into history at the scientists who laid the foundation for the innovative earth science research taking place today. Read more
In honor of Earth Science Week the USGS is taking a look back into history at the scientists who laid the foundation for the innovative earth science research taking place today. Read more
Are you prepared for future earthquakes? Sign up and participate in a worldwide earthquake drill. Read more
Critically endangered birds whose numbers grew rapidly after successful translocations by USGS and USFWS biologists likely took a hit from the 2011 event. Read more
Two of the 15 Earthscapes commemorative stamps issued by the U.S. Postal Service are based on Landsat images from space. Read more
Trees Face Rising Drought Stress and Mortality as Climate Warms. Read more
An unprecedented river restoration is already yielding signs of life for ongoing study by USGS scientists and their state, federal and tribal partners. Read more
Saltmarshes may slow the rate of climate change. Read more
USGS vigilant for West Nile virus in wildlife through surveillance, research, and mapping.
USGS science helps people understand and prepare for natural hazards. Read more
The majority of the nation is still experiencing abnormally dry conditions, even after soaking rains from Isaac. Read more
While Hurricane Isaac has passed, scientific work to understand the storm’s impact on Gulf Coast states continues. Read more
A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck near the west coast of Costa Rica on September 5, 2012 at 14:42:10 UTC. Read more
Scientists are setting sail to map the Arctic seafloor and study ocean acidification. Read more
It was one of the largest recorded earthquakes to occur in the east over the last century. Find out what scientists have learned in the past year. Read more
Fifteen years of data illuminate complex interactions driving land change in Puerto Rico. Read more
USGS and its partners are investigating the unusual deaths of New England harbor seals. Read more
While Curiosity investigates the Red Planet, USGS expertise will help protect the rover from hazards and analyze the data it transmits to Earth. Read more
USGS scientists improve systems to monitor and forecast volcanic activity and track volcanic ash to help communities prepare. Read more
USGS scientists look to see if water quality is improving. Read more
These 3 young scientists have forged ahead with innovative research at the frontiers of science. Learn more
The world's longest-running Earth-observing satellite program.
Dust storms July 21-22 blinded motorists, grounded flights and knocked out electricity. What’s causing the dust storms?
The majority of the nation is facing dry conditions; in most areas drought conditions are expected to persist or intensify. Read more
Kati is a USGS student employee studying water and traveling the California coast. Read more
After dams tumble down, what happens next? Click here to find out! Read more
This year, a large dead zone again threatens the Gulf of Mexico. Read more
The new “Did You See It?” website collects citizen observations of landslides. Read more
A contest to celebrate 40 years of Landsat. Read more
Maximizing alternative energy’s potential – how science can help grow the nation’s energy portfolio. Read more
Please comment on the USGS’ draft science strategies! Read more
Are you surprised the water bubbles look so small? Read more
Meet Marnelli Taasin, a student trainee working in Administrative Management with the USGS in Hawaii. Read more
USGS Details how climate change could affect water availability in 14 U.S. Basins. Read more
Western stream temperatures are not warming at the same rate as air temperature.Read more
Citizen volunteers, portable instruments, and real-time maps help improve gathering of and access to earthquake data.Read more
Minerals are elementary to your everyday life, come find out how! Read more
Long polar bear swims provide tantalizing clues.Read more
Travis Gibson shares insight into the life a USGS hydrologic technician for one of the USGS water science centers out west. Read more
The USGS released a new world estimate for conventional oil and gas resources.
The USGS and partners are designing an earthquake early warning system for California to help save lives and property.
The larger and more aggressive Eastern species thrives in a threatened species’ forest habitat.
Science or Soundbite? Is the recent increase in midcontinent earthquakes natural or man-made? Find out here.
The USGS plays an integral role in the new U.S. Water Partnership, which will bring together public and private resources to address water challenges around the world.
While on your spring hike, beware of hitchhiking ticks—they may carry Lyme Disease.
For the first time since its discovery, White-nose syndrome has been found in the West.
The family picnic: food and fun...until unwanted guests show up! Learn what you can do to prevent West Nile virus from infecting your loved ones.
Timing is everything! Consider helping track changes in spring’s arrival
Meet one of the next generation of USGS physical scientists.
A magnitude-8.6 earthquake struck off the west coast of northern Sumatra Wednesday, April 11, 2012, at 8:38 a.m., UTC at the epicenter.
Need a historical map for your genealogy research? You are in luck. We’ve got what you need! Download and view USGS historical maps from the comfort of your own home.
A magnitude-7.4 earthquake struck in the Mexican state of Oaxaca Tuesday, March 20, 2012, at 12:02 p.m., local time at the epicenter.
Flood Safety Awareness Week is March. 12-16. What can you do to prepare?
National Groundwater Awareness Week is Mar. 11-17, 2012. See how USGS science is connecting groundwater and surface water.
Since Japan’s March 11, 2011, Tohoku earthquake and subsequent tsunami, scientists at the USGS have learned much to help better prepare for a large earthquake in the United States.
Five USGS employees honored with Distinguished Service Awards for their service to the nation
The USGS and UNESCO have produced a book that gives us a new way to look at our shared global heritage.
It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Did you know invasive species cost our country more than 100 billion dollars each year? Get to know America’s ten top invaders this week.
Meet a member of the next generation of USGS hydrologic technicians.
It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Did you know invasive species cost our country more than 100 billion dollars each year? Get to know America’s ten top invaders this week.
It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Did you know invasive species cost our country more than 100 billion dollars each year? Get to know America’s ten top invaders this week.
It’s National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Did you know invasive species cost our country more than 100 billion dollars each year? Get to know America’s ten top invaders this week.
For the first time, the USGS has estimated the potential of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in source rocks of the Alaska North Slope.
Groundwater in aquifers on the East Coast and in the Central U.S. has the highest risk of contamination from radium, a naturally occurring radioactive element and known carcinogen.
The proposed USGS budget reflects research priorities to respond to nationally relevant issues, including water quantity and quality, ecosystem restoration, hydraulic fracturing, natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes, and support for the National Ocean Policy, and has a large R&D component.
Four new reports examine the contaminants polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) found in house dust, streams, lakes, soil, and air.
Exploding lakes in Cameroon, Africa, have killed people and livestock. Find out how USGS science is helping prevent such an event from occurring again.
Mid-sized mammals in Everglades National Park are getting a big squeeze from invasive Burmese pythons, according to a USGS co-authored study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
A student geographer shares her experiences and career path with the USGS. Most memorable moment
Everyone is familiar with weather systems on earth like rain, wind and snow. But space weather – variable conditions in the space surrounding Earth – has important consequences for our lives inside Earth’s atmosphere.
Scientists and communities are working together to make science more useful and communities safer. What one emergency manager has to say.
A summer intern turned permanent employee discusses his career path. Most memorable moment
Caribou expert Layne Adams discusses the lives of reindeer — apart from their famous role on Christmas Eve. How they survive the cold.
Modern volcano monitoring in the United States began with the founding of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory in 1912. Living with volcanoes
Climate science is helping to predict food shortages, identify impacts on human health, and prepare for future conditions.
As demand grows, Landsat data can help us track trends in key resources. Remote-sensing satellites help scientists to observe our world, monitor changes, and detect critical trends in forestry, water, crops, and urban landscapes. Learn more.
Shaking from Oklahoma's M5.6 main shock, the largest quake in the State's history, was felt from St. Louis to Lubbock. Number of quakes increasing in Oklahoma
A new study provides crucial information for difficult decisions regarding conservation, economic interests, and food and water security. Projected changes for 2010-2099
Bat populations, which provide valuable insect control, are declining at an alarming rate due to white-nose syndrome. Scientists have definitively identified the cause of this deadly syndrome.
A magnitude-7.2 earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Sunday, October 23, 2011. History of strong earthquakes
It's only the beginning of their careers, but these 3 young scientists have forged ahead with innovative research at the frontiers of science. How they've transformed their fields
Oct. 9-15, 2011, is Earth Science Week, themed "Our-Ever Changing Earth," and Oct. 12, 2011, is International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction. Answers to questions posed by a changing world
By 1936, devastating losses of wildlife populations were threatening the Nation’s natural resource heritage. America's first wildlife research center
A dust storm on Tuesday, October 4, blinded motorists and caused a large string of motor vehicle crashes, multiple injuries, and at least one death. What’s causing the dust storms?
It’s not just the U.S. military working to bring a better future to Afghanistan. How the USGS is helping
As the team of responders struggled to end the worst oil spill in our Nation’s history, USGS scientist Paul Hsieh provided the critical scientific information needed to make a crucial decision.
The movie Contagion dramatizes the scenario of a global pandemic that begins with the spread of a disease from animals to humans. What are real-life experts doing to prevent a pandemic that originates with wildlife?
After years of planning, the Department of the Interior has begun removing two dams on the Elwha River in Washington. But how will the removal of these dams impact the river’s sediments, waters, and fish?
Fire managers and the public can access online maps of current wildfire locations, thanks to a Web-based mapping application provided by the USGS and its partners.
On Feb. 7, 1812, at about 3 a.m., a third, and probably most widely felt of three major earthquakes, occurred in the central Mississippi River Valley. Similar risk today.
Rivers and streams are reaching record levels as a result of Hurricane Irene’s rainfall, with more than 80 USGS streamgages measuring record peaks.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 01:51 PM a 5.8 Earthquake occurred 38 miles outside of Richmond, VA.
Secretive and rare stream-dwelling amphibians are difficult to find and study. Scientists at the US Geological Survey and University of Idaho have developed a way to detect free-floating DNA from amphibians in fast-moving stream water.
USGS scientists are working to characterize the contaminants and habitats for a number of aquatic species along the lower Columbia River.
The effects of drought are felt throughout the United States and the world, and USGS science has a prominent role in understanding the causes and consequences of this hydrological phenomenon.
In support of the Famine Early Warning Systems Network, USGS scientists use satellite remote sensing to assess agricultural conditions that foretell famine.
Forests play a significant role in removing carbon from the atmosphere by absorbing one-third of carbon emissions annually. This is according to a new U.S. Forest Service study conducted in collaboration with USGS scientists.
New USGS research shows that rice could become adapted to climate change and some catastrophic events by colonizing its seeds or plants with the spores of tiny naturally occurring fungi. The DNA of the rice plant itself is not changed; instead, researchers are re-creating what normally happens in nature.
To better understand and reduce tsunami hazards, USGS scientists examined sediment deposited by the tsunami in and around Sendai, Japan, as part of an international tsunami survey team organized by Japanese scientific cooperators.
Follow the Pacific Nearshore Project as researchers from the USGS, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and other institutions sail Alaskan waters to study sea otters and investigate coastal health.
USGS science supports management, conservation, and restoration of imperiled, at-risk, and endangered species.
The effects of the March 11 magnitude 9.0 earthquake and resulting tsunami on Japan are being monitored using Landsat satellite data from the USGS.
It's time to celebrate the essential role wetlands play in giving us food and water; sheltering us from storms, floods, and coastal erosion; providing habitat for birds, fish, and other wildlife; and cleaning and storing water.
In a unique application of data, this year's report provides the nation's first assessment of birds on public lands and waters.
Magnetic storms can cause loss of radio communication, affect global-positioning systems, damage satellite electronics and cause electrical blackouts. USGS scientists are constantly collecting geomagnetic data, and you can view new updates in near-real time.
For reliable information about amphibians and the environmental factors that are important to their management and conservation, visit the new USGS Amphibian Monitoring and Research Initiative website.
Please answer questions about USGS Energy & Minerals science.
On Midway Island, Wisdom, a 60-year-old albatross, and her chick made it through the tsunami that resulted from the magnitude 9.0 earthquake off of Japan on March 11.
Volcanic activity continues in the Pu`u `O`o crater on Kilauea Volcano's east rift zone and in the Halema`uma`u Crater vent at Kilauea’s summit. Visit the USGS Hawaii Volcanoes Observatory site to get detailed Kilauea and Mauna Loa activity updates, recent volcano photos, recent earthquakes, and more.
Groundwater is one of our most vital natural resources. The USGS studies the quantity and quality of the nation's groundwater. Learn about USGS research in an aquifer near you.
Please answer questions about USGS Ecosystems science.
Learn how 3-D modeling is used to examine groundwater and how this cutting edge science is used to solve tomorrow's problems today.
Increased dust storm activity may result from enhanced aridity in the Southwest, according to a USGS study.
Ten gangly, adolescent whooping cranes have been released in Louisiana, marking a milestone for the USGS, the State of Louisiana, and the whooping cranes. The USGS has the largest breeding flock in the U.S., at about 60 birds. About half of these USGS-raised birds are returned to the wild each year.
The need for multiple sources of energy, including the increasing demand for renewable energy, leads USGS scientists to study geothermal energy resources.
Provide your input on the draft USGS Global Change Science Strategy by April 8, 2011.
Glen Canyon Dam High-Flow Experiments Provide Insights for Colorado River Management.
The Great Lakes are the largest freshwater system on Earth. However the basin has the potential for local shortages, according to a new basin-wide water availability assessment by the USGS.
Demand for alternative energy sources leads scientists to consider microbes as potential sources of power.
The Department of the Interior has established a new website to find and share websites that provide water conservation and sustainability information.
A new identification guide provides images and geographic distributions of diatoms, an important group of algae.
Science earns prominent focus in the new Department of the Interior Five-Year Strategic Plan.
Scientists unveil a catastrophic winter storm scenario that could possibly overwhelm California's flood protection system, and significantly disrupt Statewide social and economic systems.
A new USGS video highlights five decades of photographic documented change in coral reef conditions in the Florida Keys.
The USGS National Wildlife Heath Center is working with state agencies in investigating the death of thousands of birds in Arkansas and Louisiana.
Combining traditional ecological knowledge with empirical studies allows the the USGS, Tribal governments, and native organizations to increase their mutual understanding of the current health of Tribal lands and waters.
Heavy rainfall could potentially destabilize hillsides. The USGS Landslide Hazards Web site has what you need to know if you live in an area prone to landslides.
Scientists have found that the fungus associated with white-nose syndrome in bats is unlike that of any known fungal skin pathogen in land mammals. It is extremely destructive to bats wing skin and may cause catastrophic imbalance in life-support processes.
Sea-ice habitats essential to polar bears would likely respond positively should more curbs be placed on global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new modeling study published today in the journal, Nature.
Three USGS researchers are recipients of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. This award is the highest recognition granted by the United States government to scientists and engineers in the early stages of their research careers.
Chemistry students beware! The atomic weights of some chemical elements are about to get a more complicated.
Remotely triggered thermal-imagery cameras will be used in a new non-invasive way to study mange in wolves.
Landscape photos taken in the same place but many years apart reveal dramatic changes due to human and natural factors. The USGS Desert Laboratory Repeat Photography Collection, the largest archive of its kind in the world, is 50 years old.
Decreasing pH and warming temperatures are changing ocean conditions and affecting coral and algal growth in South Florida. USGS scientists are conducting field measurements to learn more.
The USGS is providing information on arsenic levels at the town level in Maine to protect human health and further promote citizen participation in State well-testing programs.
Many coastal wetlands worldwide including several on the U.S. Atlantic coast may be more sensitive than previously thought to climate change and sea-level rise in the this century.
Efforts are underway to restore the Greater Everglades Ecosystem, which has been profoundly altered by development and water management practices. Join us on December 1st when Dr. Lynn Wingard shares USGS research that is helping restoration management agencies develop realistic and attainable restoration goals for the region.
http://www.facebook.com/USGeologicalSurvey
Water Security is the protection of adequate water supplies for food, fiber, industrial, and residential needs for expanding populations, which requires maximizing water-use efficiency, developing new supplies, and protecting water reserves in event of scarcity due to natural, manmade, or technological hazards.
USGS findings support recent predictions that climate change will stress ecosystems at lower elevations more than higher elevations. This information may guide future conservation efforts in helping decision makers develop regional landscape predictions about biological responses to climate changes.
The Earth as Art 3 collection, the latest set of Landsat satellite images selected for their artistic quality, reveals an intricate beauty in Earth’s natural patterns.
Eight specially trained whooping crane chicks hatched in May have now embarked on their first southward migration, with an ultralight airplane leading them. USGS researchers who hatched, raised, and trained the chicks at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, are eagerly following the cranes on their journey.
Beak abnormalities, which make it difficult for birds to feed and clean themselves, are occurring in large numbers of Black-capped Chickadees, Northwestern Crows, and other species in the Pacific Northwest and may signal a growing environmental health problem.
The USGS strongly supports the national celebration of Geography Awareness Week, November 14-20, and this year’s theme: Freshwater. The “where” factor of geography integrates USGS studies in many fields of science.
Two new tools that enable the public to report sick or dead wild animals could also lead to the detection and containment of wildlife disease outbreaks that may pose a health risk to people.
USGS scientists are investigating sea turtles and their habitats in Dry Tortugas National Park to provide insight that will be used as decision-support tools for managing coral ecosystems.
Decreases in stream flow, which are often caused by human activities, affect the integrity of aquatic life in streams, according to a new USGS study.
The USGS and the National Weather Service have developed a new flood inundation map tool that enables management officials and residents to see where the potential threat of flooding is the highest along the Flint River near Albany, Georgia.
Volcanic eruptions have always been a part of human history; the American experience is no exception. On November 3rd, USGS’s Dr. John Eichelberger discusses new USGS programs which establish monitoring networks on all hazardous US volcanoes, to reduce the effects of volcanic hazards on communities.
Kilauea is Hawaii's youngest volcano and one of the world's most active. Get daily updates on ongoing eruptions from Kilauea's summit and east rift zone.
Looking for information on natural resources, natural hazards, geospatial data, and more? The USGS Education site provides great resources, including lessons, data, maps, and more, to support teaching, learning, K-12 education, and university-level inquiry and research.
The Chesapeake Bay has long been an R&R destination for DC residents. However, the watershed’s overpopulation contributes to its decline. Join us when USGS’s Scott Phillips and Peter Claggett discuss new science efforts applied to restoring the Nation's largest estuary on October 6th.
The "Flood and high flow" map shows the location of streamgages where the water level is currently above or near flood stage. Find out what rivers and creeks near you are doing.
The USGS PAGER system (Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response) will now include estimated economic loss and casualty information. This system is used by emergency responders, government and aid officials, and the public to understand the scope of the disaster to develop the best response.
Nutrient sources in both agricultural and urban areas contribute to elevated nutrient concentrations in streams and groundwater across the Nation.
The timing of animal migration and reproduction, and observing when plants send out new leaves and bear fruit, is increasingly important in understanding how climate change affects biological and hydrologic systems. Photo credit Copyright C Brandon Cole.
The USGS has been researching manatees in Florida and the Caribbean for decades, but little is known about Cuban manatees. A USGS biologist recently visited Cuba with a team of international manatee experts working to conserve manatees around the Caribbean.
USGS is playing a critical role in the federal government's coordinated Deepwater Horizon response efforts.
Population growth in the Kabul Basin, Afghanistan, due in part to returning refugees, is estimated to lead to a six-fold increase in drinking water needs by 2057. The USGS has worked in partnership with the Afghanistan Geological Survey to address questions of future water availability.
Flash flooding is one of the major causes of natural hazard-related deaths in the United States and is hard to predict, but data collected by the USGS is crucial to formulating better predictive models.
USGS scientists help land managers determine if fire is the appropriate strategy for controlling or enhancing specific plant species.
Did you know that contaminant-ridden dust from Africa may be harming coral reefs in the Caribbean? Scientists at the USGS are examining the air in Africa and in the Caribbean to determine what kinds of nutrients, microbes, and contaminants are traveling across the ocean.
Pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities can be a significant source of pharmaceuticals in surface water. The USGS is working with water utilities to try to reduce the release of pharmaceuticals and other emerging contaminants to the environment.
The United States Group on Earth Observations (USGEO) is working to connect Earth observations with public health, agriculture, climate, and data management and dissemination.
USGS studies the relationships among earth surface processes, ecological systems, understanding current changes in the context of prehistoric and recent earth processes, distinguishing between natural and human-influenced changes, and recognizing ecological and physical responses to changes in climate.
The USGS Science Strategy is a comprehensive report to critically examine the USGS's major science goals and priorities for the coming decade. The USGS is moving forward with these strategic science directions in response to the challenges that our Nation's future faces and for the stewards of our Federal lands.
Join us on February 1 to view the Earth from space, and discuss the profound impact Landsat has on many facets of our economy, safety, and environment.
Over the next 10 years, the USGS plans to conduct a new assessment of water availability and use. This national Water Census will address critical aspects of recent Federal legislation, including the need to establish a national water assessment program.
On Nov. 3, USGS scientists Patrick Barnard and William Ellsworth will present a public lecture in Menlo Park, CA, providing Bay Area residents information about USGS research in the San Francisco Bay Area, including recent discoveries beneath San Francisco Bay and ongoing studies to better understand earthquake probabilities and the potential hazards associated with strong ground shaking.
Join USGS scientists on November 2nd to discuss the seismology of the M5.8 Virginia earthquake, its effects, and its context in the geology of Virginia.