Happy International Soil Day (5 December)! Today, we’re celebrating the incredible capacity of soil organic carbon (SOC) to fight climate change. But hold the celebratory cake! A paper in the journal SOIL by Raza et al. (2025) has exposed an unexpected scientific blind spot, and it’s a bit surprising! The paper, titled “Missing the input: the underrepresentation of plant physiology in ...[Read More]
GeoLog
On hidden disabilities: An Oceanographer’s guide to thriving with autism in STEM
Hi! I am Fernanda Matos, an Oceanographer and autistic! Autism is considered a hidden disability, but it is not at all an easy disability. Unlike popular opinion, I am not like Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory, nor am I like my autistic peers. I am unique and part of a spectrum. When we talk about disability, we’re talking about conditions like autism, blindness, hearing impairment, or a mot ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Your visa guide for the EGU General Assembly 2026: Navigating the Schengen process
Attending the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly in Vienna is an invaluable experience, where scientists, researchers, and professionals come together from all over the world to share knowledge, expand networks, and strengthen the geosciences community. However, if you’re coming from a non-EU country and require a visa, preparing for your trip may feel overwhelming. As a former visa ...[Read More]
GeoLog
The living skin of our planet: Why a world soil health index is our next great global scorecard
Next time you’re outdoors, in a park or anywhere where there is no pavement, look down at the patch of earth beneath your feet. To many people, it’s just mud, dirt, or maybe soil, something passive that things grow in. But to a soil scientist, that handful of soil represents a dynamic ecosystem that supports an incredible 95% of all the food we eat, filters every drop of our drinking water, ...[Read More]
GeoLog
GeoRoundup: the highlights of EGU Journals published during November!
Each month we feature specific Divisions of EGU and during the monthly GeoRoundup we put the journals that publish science from those Divisions at the top of the Highlights section. During this month, we are featuring Natural Hazards (NH), Biogeosciences (BG), and Soil System Science (SSS). They are represented by the journals Geoscientific Model Development (GMD), SOIL, Natural Hazards and Earth ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Top 5 Gifts for Geoscientists (2025 edition!)
There is a chill in the air, and yes, even some snow here in Munich as winter draws close in the Northern Hemisphere, and at this time of the year, you are probably thinking about what gifts to get that special geoscientist in your life! We know finding the kind of gift that can delight and entertain your favourite rock-botherer, lab-denizen, or star-gazer can sometimes be a challenge, so we in th ...[Read More]
GeoLog
GeoTalk: Anjana Khatwa, author of ‘The Whispers of Rock’
This month for GeoTalk we were lucky enough to speak with Anjana Khatwa, the author of a new geoscience book ‘The Whispers of Rock’. Dr Anjana Khatwa is an award-winning Earth Scientist, science communicator, writer, presenter and advocate for diversity in natural heritage spaces. For over twenty years, Anjana has worked as a learning and engagement professional in the natural heritage ...[Read More]
GeoLog
On LGBTQIA+ Challenges and Allyship in STEM
During November, several important dates are recognised, including the International LGBTQIA+ in STEM Day on November 18. This month is also designated as Transgender Awareness Month, culminating in the recognition of Transgender Day of Remembrance yesterday, November 20. In celebration of our LGBTQIA+ community, this blog highlights some of the activities we undertook throughout the last year. Be ...[Read More]
GeoLog
It’s more than just a date: Unpacking the importance of the International Day of LGBTQIA+ in STEM – Perspectives of a queer woman in science
We cannot solve the world’s most complex problems, from climate change to curing disease, if scientists must leave parts of themselves at the laboratory door. This is a reality that we must acknowledge in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The demand for conformity, the fear of judgment, and the reality of discrimination act as invisible barriers that can limit innovat ...[Read More]
GeoLog
Making earthquakes understandable: How “Near Me” search behavior can guide better risk communication
When a tremor shakes the ground, the first thing many people do isn’t check a scientific database: they reach for their phone. Within seconds, searches like “earthquake near me” surge across Google. This simple phrase captures something profound: a universal need not to understand seismic mechanics, but to know “Am I safe?” Over the past few years, this “near me” framing has quietly reshaped how t ...[Read More]