GeoLog

EGU Guest blogger

This guest post was contributed by a scientist, student or a professional in the Earth, planetary or space sciences. The EGU blogs welcome guest contributions, so if you've got a great idea for a post or fancy trying your hand at science communication, please contact the blog editor or the EGU Communications Officer to pitch your idea.

Shaking in the city

April 13, 2018
Shaking in the city
Bruce Springsteen plays harmonica and guitar in Washington, D.C. November 11, 2014. (Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Bruce Springsteen was playing at Barcelona’s football stadium on 14th May 2016. 65,000 people were there to hear him as he launched into an encore including “Born in the USA”, “Dancing in the Dark” and “Shout”. But unknown to Springsteen, just 500 metres away, in the basement of the Institute of Earth Sciences Jaume Almera (ICTJA), Jorde Díaz and his colleagues were also listening in via their bro ...[Read More]

How to make a planet habitable

April 11, 2018
How to make a planet habitable
The surface of Venus - a static lithosphere, known as a stagnant lid. Credit: NASA.

Exoplanets without plate tectonics could harbour life, contrary to previous belief For a planet to be habitable, it needs a stable climate. On Earth, the movement of tectonic plates ensures old crust is recycled and new crust is created and weathered. This cycling of rock consequently overturns the planet’s carbon, which keeps the climate in check. While we have plate tectonics on Earth, many othe ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: Iceberg viewing in Cape Spear, Newfoundland, Canada

April 2, 2018
Imaggeo on Mondays: Iceberg viewing in Cape Spear, Newfoundland, Canada
Iceberg viewing in Cape Spear, Newfoundland, Canada. Credit: Simon Massé (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

Cape Spear in Newfoundland, Canada is the easternmost location in North America and one of the few places in the world where you can contemplate icebergs from the shore. Every year, about 400 to 800 bergs journey down to this particular point. These 10,000-year-old ice giants drift along the northern shore of Newfoundland with the Labrador Current. About 90 percent of these icebergs come from west ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: Mount Elgon, a balance between fertility and destruction

March 26, 2018
Imaggeo on Mondays: Mount Elgon, a balance between fertility and destruction
Don't be fooled by the peaceful view . Credit: Jente Broeckx (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

This colourful cropland patchwork is located on the fertile flanks of Mount Elgon, Uganda at an elevation of 2,400 metres above sea level. The extinct shield volcano, the oldest in East Africa, is mostly covered in clouds and provides an infinite flow of wonderful waterfalls. Due to the climate at this elevation, the cultivated crops experience more temperate weather conditions compared to crops m ...[Read More]