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Browse images from a wide range of science topics covered by USGS. All items in this gallery are considered public domain unless otherwise noted.

Filter Total Items: 1585
A fourhorn sculpin sits in a net pen underwater Beaufort Sea, Alaska.
A fourhorn sculpin
A fourhorn sculpin
A fourhorn sculpin

Fourhorn sculpin, Beaufort Sea, Alaska. A fourhorn sculpin sits in a net pen underwater.

Fourhorn sculpin, Beaufort Sea, Alaska. A fourhorn sculpin sits in a net pen underwater.

An eroding and slumping shoreline adjacent to a fyke net fishing site in Lion Bay, Beaufort Sea, Alaska.
Eroding and slumping shoreline, Beaufort Sea, Alaska
Eroding and slumping shoreline, Beaufort Sea, Alaska
Eroding and slumping shoreline, Beaufort Sea, Alaska

An eroding and slumping shoreline adjacent to a fyke net fishing site in Lion Bay, Beaufort Sea, Alaska.

Close up of 10 Common Murres on Gull Island. Center murre is looking at you with capelin (small forage fish) in bill.
Common Murre holding a capelin
Common Murre holding a capelin
Common Murre holding a capelin

A Common Murre holding a capelin at a breeding colony on Gull Island, in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Capelin are an important, energy rich forage fish for many marine predators.

A Common Murre holding a capelin at a breeding colony on Gull Island, in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Capelin are an important, energy rich forage fish for many marine predators.

Six slender eelblennys and two fourhorn sculpin lie on a measuring board with ruler. One fourhorn sculpin is upside down.
Slender eelblennys and fourhorn sculpin
Slender eelblennys and fourhorn sculpin
Slender eelblennys and fourhorn sculpin

Six slender eelblennys (Lumpenus fabricii) and two fourhorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus quadricornis) lie on a measuring board. Fish collected from Beaufort Sea, Alaska.

Six slender eelblennys (Lumpenus fabricii) and two fourhorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus quadricornis) lie on a measuring board. Fish collected from Beaufort Sea, Alaska.

Tufted Puffin flying with three capelin in orange bill. Black body, white head and orange feet with wings spread.
Tufted Puffin carrying capelin
Tufted Puffin carrying capelin
Tufted Puffin carrying capelin

A Tufted Puffin carrying a bill load of capelin back to its chick on Gull Island, in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Capelin are an important, energy rich forage fish for many marine predators.

A Tufted Puffin carrying a bill load of capelin back to its chick on Gull Island, in Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Capelin are an important, energy rich forage fish for many marine predators.

Tufted Puffin with wings spread as it flies. Black body, white head, orange feet with large triangular red and orangish bill.
A Tufted Puffin flies over Gull Island
A Tufted Puffin flies over Gull Island
A Tufted Puffin flies over Gull Island

A Tufted Puffin flies over the Gull Island breeding colony in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

 Scientist talking with students students participating in 2022 Brown University Environmental Leadership Lab.
Heather Johnson speaks to Brown University Environmental Leadership Lab Students
Heather Johnson speaks to Brown University Environmental Leadership Lab Students
Heather Johnson speaks to Brown University Environmental Leadership Lab Students

Staff from the USGS Alaska Science Center and Volcano Science Center met with a group of high school students on August 3, 2022, in Anchorage who are participating in the 2022 Brown Environmental Leadership Lab. The students traveled throughout southcentral Alaska with a team of instructors to learn ab

Staff from the USGS Alaska Science Center and Volcano Science Center met with a group of high school students on August 3, 2022, in Anchorage who are participating in the 2022 Brown Environmental Leadership Lab. The students traveled throughout southcentral Alaska with a team of instructors to learn ab

Scientist talking with students participating in 2022 Brown University Environmental Leadership Lab.
Todd Atwood speaks to Brown University Environmental Leadership Lab Students
Todd Atwood speaks to Brown University Environmental Leadership Lab Students
Todd Atwood speaks to Brown University Environmental Leadership Lab Students

Staff from the USGS Alaska Science Center and Volcano Science Center met with a group of high school students on August 3, 2022, in Anchorage who are participating in the 2022 Brown Environmental Leadership Lab. The students traveled throughout southcentral Alaska with a team of instructors to learn ab

Staff from the USGS Alaska Science Center and Volcano Science Center met with a group of high school students on August 3, 2022, in Anchorage who are participating in the 2022 Brown Environmental Leadership Lab. The students traveled throughout southcentral Alaska with a team of instructors to learn ab

Hillside fall colors on the North fork of the Agashashok River. The foreground shows dead shrubs from iron seep.
Iron seep on the North fork of the Agashashok River
Iron seep on the North fork of the Agashashok River
Iron seep on the North fork of the Agashashok River

Iron seep on the North fork of the Agashashok River, Noatak National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Recent observations from Arctic Alaska indicate that waters draining permafrost landscapes may be susceptible to iron and carbon mobilization following thaw.

Iron seep on the North fork of the Agashashok River, Noatak National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Recent observations from Arctic Alaska indicate that waters draining permafrost landscapes may be susceptible to iron and carbon mobilization following thaw.

Scientists on large rock in Australia with desert in the background.
USGS scientists on CMMI field trip
USGS scientists on CMMI field trip
USGS scientists on CMMI field trip

USGS scientists George Case, Garth Graham, Anne McCafferty, and Josh Coyan visited Australia while participating in a Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI) field trip.  The CMMI is a collaborative effort between the USGS, Geological Survey of Canada, and Geoscience Australia to conduct research on mineral systems that contain critical commodities.

USGS scientists George Case, Garth Graham, Anne McCafferty, and Josh Coyan visited Australia while participating in a Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI) field trip.  The CMMI is a collaborative effort between the USGS, Geological Survey of Canada, and Geoscience Australia to conduct research on mineral systems that contain critical commodities.

Lab photo of the Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP) - a mass spectrometer.
Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP)
Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP)
Sensitive High Resolution Ion Microprobe (SHRIMP)

Scientists use the SHRIMP or sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe to measure the ration of lead to uranium (Pb/U) in order to calculate the age of the mineral grain.

Scientists use the SHRIMP or sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe to measure the ration of lead to uranium (Pb/U) in order to calculate the age of the mineral grain.

Charred remains of cans amongst ashes and wood. Cans are reddish in color.
Historic Cans
Historic Cans
Historic Cans

Historic cans from a refuse pile that were scorched by the combustion of nearby fuels during the Caldor Fire, California. Copyright: photo taken by Grant Snitker, New Mexico Consortium. 

Historic cans from a refuse pile that were scorched by the combustion of nearby fuels during the Caldor Fire, California. Copyright: photo taken by Grant Snitker, New Mexico Consortium. 

Scientists in hard hats and vest among charred and uncharred trees, grass and pink flag on ground. Blue skies in background.
Setting up Fuel Transects
Setting up Fuel Transects
Setting up Fuel Transects

Setting up fuel transects within an archaeological site at Sequoia National Park to understand potential future fire behavior and how it could affect artifacts within the site. Pictured: Grant Snitker (foreground) and Alex Fetteroff (background), New Mexico Consortium. Copyright: Photo by Grant Snitker, New Mexico Consortium. 

Setting up fuel transects within an archaeological site at Sequoia National Park to understand potential future fire behavior and how it could affect artifacts within the site. Pictured: Grant Snitker (foreground) and Alex Fetteroff (background), New Mexico Consortium. Copyright: Photo by Grant Snitker, New Mexico Consortium. 

Sample of Jack Hills Conglomerate from Western Australia. Oldest known zircon grains on Earth.
Jack Hills Conglomerate from Western Australia
Jack Hills Conglomerate from Western Australia
Jack Hills Conglomerate from Western Australia

This is the Jack Hills Conglomerate from Western Australia, which yielded the oldest known zircon grains on Earth at about 4.4 billion years old. 

This is the Jack Hills Conglomerate from Western Australia, which yielded the oldest known zircon grains on Earth at about 4.4 billion years old. 

Map of Arctic rivers study sites with six stars marking sites. Three aerial images with orange streams below map.
Map of orange stream observations across ARCN parks in northern Alaska
Map of orange stream observations across ARCN parks in northern Alaska
Map of orange stream observations across ARCN parks in northern Alaska

Map of orange stream observations across Arctic Inventory and Monitoring Network (ARCN) parks in northern Alaska.

Charred remains of trees with pink flags marking artifacts on ground with grass. Large boulder behind tree on left side.
A Precontact Rockshelter and Associated Artifacts
A Precontact Rockshelter and Associated Artifacts
A Precontact Rockshelter and Associated Artifacts

A precontact rockshelter and associated artifacts impacted by the combustion of heavy fuels during the KNP Complex Fire, California. Copyright: photo by Grant Snitker, New Mexico Consortium. 

A precontact rockshelter and associated artifacts impacted by the combustion of heavy fuels during the KNP Complex Fire, California. Copyright: photo by Grant Snitker, New Mexico Consortium. 

Scientist with hard hat, yellow vest with pockets programming equipment on tripod in charred forest. Some trees not burned.
Using Terrestrial LiDAR
Using Terrestrial LiDAR
Using Terrestrial LiDAR

Using terrestrial LiDAR to characterize fuels within an archaeological site at Sequoia National Park site to understand potential future fire behavior and its effects on artifacts. Copyright: Photo by Grant Snitker, New Mexico Consortium. 

Using terrestrial LiDAR to characterize fuels within an archaeological site at Sequoia National Park site to understand potential future fire behavior and its effects on artifacts. Copyright: Photo by Grant Snitker, New Mexico Consortium. 

Two Horned Puffins looking to the left on rock cliffs. Black and white, orange-and-yellow bill, fleshy spike above eyes.
Horned Puffins on Gull Island
Horned Puffins on Gull Island
Horned Puffins on Gull Island

A pair of Horned Puffins on the Gull Island breeding colony in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

A pair of Horned Puffins on the Gull Island breeding colony in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

Two breeding tufted puffins on rocks, leafy green plant and blue sky in background. One puffin looking directly at you.
Tufted Puffins on Gull Island
Tufted Puffins on Gull Island
Tufted Puffins on Gull Island

A pair of Tufted Puffins stand above their burrows on the Gull Island breeding colony in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

A pair of Tufted Puffins stand above their burrows on the Gull Island breeding colony in Kachemak Bay, Alaska.

Pacific capelin in clear container with ruler at bottom for scale.
Pacific capelin (Mallotus villosus)
Pacific capelin (Mallotus villosus)
Pacific capelin (Mallotus villosus)

A pacific capelin (Mallotus villosus) from the Beaufort Sea, Alaska. This study will evaluate the nearshore marine feeding areas of breeding adult red-throated loons and assess the response of loon reproductive success and nutritional content of nearshore fish communities.

A pacific capelin (Mallotus villosus) from the Beaufort Sea, Alaska. This study will evaluate the nearshore marine feeding areas of breeding adult red-throated loons and assess the response of loon reproductive success and nutritional content of nearshore fish communities.

A juvenile Dolly Varden in clear container with ruler at bottom for scale.
A juvenile Dolly Varden
A juvenile Dolly Varden
A juvenile Dolly Varden

A juvenile Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) from the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, during the first summer at sea following freshwater rearing. Dolly Varden return to freshwater overwinter areas each winter because freshwater temperatures are warmer.

A juvenile Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) from the Beaufort Sea, Alaska, during the first summer at sea following freshwater rearing. Dolly Varden return to freshwater overwinter areas each winter because freshwater temperatures are warmer.

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