Geosciences Column

Geosciences Column: The Oldest Eurypterid

David Marshall September 1, 2015

Artists reconstruction of Pentecopterus decorahensis in the Ordovician seas of what is now Iowa, USA. Image by Patrick Lynch.

The name of a newly found fossil of sea scorpion draws inspiration from ancient Greece warships and is a unique example of exceptional preservation, shedding light on the rich life of this bygone sea critter, explains David Marshall of Palaeocast fame. To learn more about the importance of giving new fossils names and what Pentecopterus decorahensis (as the new fossil is formally called) teaches u ...[Read More]

Geosciences Column: The calamity of eruptions, or an eruption of benefits?

Laura Roberts-Artal August 7, 2015

Mt. Bromo Panorama. Credit: Jimmy McIntyre (distributed via Wikimedia Commons)

So here is a question: why would anyone want to live in the vicinity of an active volcano? The risks are well known, with hazards arising from lava flows, lahars, ash falls, debris avalanches, and pyroclastic density currents, with many often having deadly consequences. But despite the danger, more than half a billion people live in the direct vicinity of volcanoes. Could it be that communities pr ...[Read More]

Geosciences Column: When water is scarce, understanding how we can save it is important

Laura Roberts-Artal July 17, 2015

Desert Water. Credit: Andreas Kallioras (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

Supplies of water on Earth are running dry. The rate at which an ever growing population consumes this precious resource is not matched by our Planet’s ability to replenish it. Water scarcity is proving a problem globally, with regions such as California and Brazil facing some of the most severe water shortages on record. Used for drinking, agriculture and industrial processes, water forms an fund ...[Read More]

Geosciences Column: Recent and future changes in the Greenland Ice Sheet

Laura Roberts-Artal June 5, 2015

Greenland ice sheet. Credit: Andrew Sole (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu )

Over the past few decades, the Arctic region has warmed more than any other on Earth. The Greenland Ice Sheet is losing mass faster than ever before, and is expected to keep melting with consequences for global sea-level rise and ocean circulation. At a media briefing, during the EGU’s General Assembly in April (stream it here), researchers presented new results on the factors that influence the G ...[Read More]