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October 16, 2015
Making a Path for Geologic Maps
Today’s focus for Earth Science Week is Geologic Map Day. The goal of the day is to highlight the importance of maps and how they contribute to improving our quality of life on a daily basis. Maps have more uses than getting us from point A to point B; they are applied to tracking the spread of diseases and monitoring migration patterns, both producing significant public health and safety benefits. …
May 27, 2015
Should NASA be Studying the Earth?
This past spring, Congress took a number of steps that seemed to imply that NASA should be reprioritizing its focus away from the Earth Sciences. For example, during a hearing on March 12, 2015, some members of the Senate Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness suggested to NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden, Jr. that NASA should shift its attention from Earth Science to space exploration and research, which they suggested …
April 30, 2015
Ruptured Science and Policy: The Nepal Earthquake
Geologists have long recognized the potential for a catastrophic earthquake in Nepal. After all, the Himalayas are icy, saw-toothed proof of the power of the region’s tectonic processes. The range is one of the fastest-growing mountain belts in the world, the result of roughly 50 million years of collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates. But the true impact of last Saturday’s magnitude-7.8 earthquake goes beyond geology. The epicenter was …
July 1, 2014
The risky business of climate change
This article was originally posted on AGU’s GeoSpace earth and science blog on 24 June 2014. By Alexandra Branscombe WASHINGTON, DC – Up to $106 billion worth of coastal homes and businesses in the U.S. are likely to be underwater by the year 2050 due to rising sea levels, and up to $507 billion in coastal property will likely be below sea level by 2100, according to a new report …
June 30, 2014
Under Water: Weathering the Colorado Floods
Boulder, Colorado learned a lot about its flood management practices during last September’s historic floods. But the deluge also helped the city learn about the value of less scientific measures, like public art and a good hug, said a top public works administrator at last week’s AGU Science Policy Conference, 16-18 June, 2014.
June 26, 2014
This is how AGU does science policy
By Fushcia Hoover WASHINGTON, DC – We’ve been looking forward to SPC ever since we started planning it at the beginning of the year. The Third Annual AGU Science Policy Conference, held in DC, brings together policy makers and policy shapers; from local, state, and national government who bear the responsibility to implement policy; community and industry leaders; and scientists with vital research findings and perspective on what is happening …
June 13, 2014
Go Local or Go Home
By Beth Bartel, Outreach Specialist, UNAVCO Okay, maybe that title is a bit harsh. When it comes to delivering a message about hazards and risk, there’s certainly benefit in delivering broad messages, to a broad public. But what I’d like to focus on is the power of targeting communication about natural hazards and risk to a local audience, and connecting with your audience through stories. So let’s start with one. …
June 10, 2014
Hypothetically Speaking: Using Scenarios to Anticipate the Unanticipated
Kris Ludwig, Staff Scientist, US Geological Survey Natural Hazards Mission Area We all use some form of hypothetical situations to plan our daily lives: What if it rains? Bring an umbrella. What if you’re in an accident? Buy insurance. What if there’s traffic? Learn alternate routes. On some level, we understand and accept the risk of discrete events like a storm, an accident, or a travel delay that may adversely …
June 6, 2014
Is Hazard Mitigation Really a Priority in Your Community?
By James Schwab, AICP Manager, Hazards Planning Research Center, American Planning Association There is a simple way to find out just how serious a priority hazard mitigation may be in your community. Can you find it in your comprehensive plan? If not, you already have a signal that, even if your community has adopted a local hazard mitigation plan under the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, a requirement for eligibility …
June 2, 2014
The Challenges of Seismic Mitigation in Oregon: Where Science and Policy Meet
By Jeff Rubin, Emergency Manager, Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue, Tigard, OR We’re justifiably concerned about terrorism, but natural hazards still generate far greater risk in terms of number of incidents, geographic spread, casualties, and economic impact. On the positive side, Mother Nature is not an adaptive opponent (Gaiaism notwithstanding), which means that our actions to reduce natural-hazard impact can actually yield useful results. Earthquake Country has a distinctly different …
