Antarctica is covered by a 1.6 kilometer (1 mile) deep sheet of ice, but not quite all of it. The McMurdo Dry Valleys form an unusual region, resembling the surface of Mars. The ice-free valleys stand out with striking contrast…
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Many rock collectors prize a special variety of tourmaline called “buergerite.” This mineral remained unidentified for centuries and it possesses an interesting history. Today, “rock hounds” around the globe compete to obtain samples. What makes buergerite so appealing to so many…
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The Earth’s surface is comprised of numerous major and minor plates which are continuously in motion. This movement causes volcanic and seismic activity at the borders of the plates and accounts for the majority of all volcanic activity on the…
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Estuaries are protected places that have rivers and streams that provide fresh water for a wide variety of wildlife and birds. Estuaries can be found all across the world. In and around estuaries is a variety of habitats that attract…
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Why should people care whether an endangered snail goes extinct, or that another forest disappeared from earth today? Sustainability has been called the most important idea of the 21st century. It means, in the simplest terms possible, that any resource,…
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The loss of biodiversity means the loss of all life supported by inter-connected dynamics which supply air, water and nutrients. Biodiversity is in effect, everything evolved on earth that is not mere mineral or inanimate chemical. In school, many students…
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Climate change disrupts Eco-systems, and life on earth, or biodiversity, depends on eco-systems. It really is just that easy. It just does not happen as a Hollywood blockbuster would portray, so few people pay much attention to it. Right now,…
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Biodiversity decreases in old growth forests for a variety of reasons, but first what exactly is an “old growth forest”? An aging forest is arguably composed of trees that are over 100 to 120 years old. However, “The Index of Old…
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We tend to think older is better, but often do not define what we mean by better. There are those ecologists who put great importance on biodiversity. Thus it is understandable they may assume mature forests are better and thus…
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Minerals are the “stuff” of which all rocks are made. Whether Igneous, Metamorphic, or Sedimentary, all rocks are composed of assorted sizes and unique combinations of minerals. Every rock tells a story. Geologists are scientists who have learned to read…
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