The selection committee received over 600 photos for this year’s EGU Photo Contest, covering fields across the geosciences. Participants at the 2018 General Assembly have been voting for their favourites throughout the week of the conference and there are three clear winners. Congratulations to 2018’s fantastic photographers! ‘Foehn clouds in Patagonia,’ by Christoph Mayr (dist ...[Read More]
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]
Geosciences Column: The science behind snow farming
A layer of sawdust and wood chips hides a massive pile of snow in South Tyrol. The thick cover protects the snow from the summer heat. Winter sport destinations have been 'farming' snow as a way to guarantee white winters. Credit: Grünewald et al.
For roughly the last decade, some ski resorts and other winter sport facilities have been using a pretty unusual method to ensure white slopes in winter. It’s called snow farming. The practice involves collecting natural or artificially made snow towards the end of winter, then storing the frozen mass in bulk over the summer under a thick layer of sawdust, woodchips, mulch, or other insulating mat ...[Read More]
Open Positions on the EGU Education and Outreach Committees
Do you have experience in science education or outreach? Are you looking to get more involved with the EGU community? The EGU Committee on Education and the EGU Outreach Committee are both searching for members interested in promoting the geosciences as well as engaging with the groups inside and outside the science community. The Committee on Education, who is seeking a new committee chair, coord ...[Read More]