EGU Guest blogger

Groundwater springs harbour hidden viruses

Sara Mynott April 10, 2019

Open sewers, such as this one, are common in Kampala, Uganda. Credit: The Sustainable Sanitation Alliance Secretariat.

In many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, groundwater springs are a vital, precious source of water. They are also a reservoir of disease. Research presented at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Vienna reveals that groundwater reservoirs in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda contain diverse communities of viruses – including those that present a risk to human health. The work, carried out by I ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: Double strombolian explosions at Mt. Yasur volcano

Jean-Guillaume Feignon April 1, 2019

Double strombolian explosions at Mt. Yasur volcano, Vanuatu (2011). Credit: Jean-Guillaume Feignon (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

The Yasur volcano located in Vanuatu archipelago is permanently active since its discovery in 1774 by Cpt. James Cook. Its activity consists mainly in moderate regular strombolian explosions within the crater. But sometimes, more powerful explosions throw ash and bombs beyond the crater rim and may represent a hazard for tourists and people living next to the volcano. Otherwise, the Mt Yasur displ ...[Read More]

Public engagement events at the EGU General Assembly

Bárbara Ferreira, Giuliana Panieri, Mathew Stiller-Reeve, and Olivia Trani March 29, 2019

Climate scientist Stefan Rahmstorf presenting at the the inaugural EGU Public Lecture in 2018. Credit: Hischam Momen / Natural History Museum of Vienna

Thousands of scientists gather in Vienna every year to network and to present and discuss their research at the Austria Center Vienna (ACV). Aside from a packed and diverse programme for scientists at the meeting, the EGU also organises events aimed at the local Viennese public, as well as a few public engagement events and sessions for scientists at the ACV. Night at the museum: EGU Public Lectur ...[Read More]

Geosciences Column: Flooded by jargon

Rolf Hut March 28, 2019

Is it a river? A canal? A stream? And would experts and laypeople agree on what it is? Photo credit: Anna Nadolna (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu).

When hydrologists and people of the general public use simple water-related words, are they actually saying the same thing? While many don’t consider words like flood, river and groundwater to be very technical terms, also known as jargon, water scientists and the general public can actually have pretty different definitions. This is what a team of researchers have discovered in recent study, and ...[Read More]