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Featured Stories

Dive into the world of science! Read these stories and narratives to learn about news items, hot topics, expeditions underway, and much more. Use an RSS reader, browser extension, or software to get updates when new Featured Stories are posted.

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Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake near Ferndale, California

Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake near Ferndale, California

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck 3 miles offshore in Northern California on December 20, 2022 at 2:34 am local time.

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10 Ways Infrastructure Investments are Helping the USGS Build Resilient Ecosystems

10 Ways Infrastructure Investments are Helping the USGS Build Resilient Ecosystems

From DNA-sampling robots and invasive species maps to genetic libraries and mosquito birth control, USGS scientists are hard at work building up...

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Mauna Loa Has Begun Erupting

Mauna Loa Has Begun Erupting

On Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, Mauna Loa volcano on the island of Hawai‘i began to erupt. The volcano alert level has risen to WARNING/RED.

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Indigenous Knowledge: Providing Insight into Climate Change

Indigenous Knowledge: Providing Insight into Climate Change

Over a decade ago, USGS Research Social Scientist Nicole Herman-Mercer embarked on a journey to study how Indigenous Alaskan populations were...

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Creatures of the Night: The Frightening Threats to Bats

Creatures of the Night: The Frightening Threats to Bats

Bats play important roles in ecosystems around the world, but bat populations are at risk from disease, development, and more. USGS scientists are...

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A Decade of Evolution

A Decade of Evolution

Ten years have passed since Hurricane Sandy ravaged the eastern seaboard, damaging 200,000 homes, cutting power to 8 million residents and causing...

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A Field Guide for Frights: Beware these Seven Wicked Wonders of the West

A Field Guide for Frights: Beware these Seven Wicked Wonders of the West

Looking for a spooky natural hazards travel guide this Halloween? You’ve come to the right place!

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Pecora Awards Honor Excellence in Earth Observation

Pecora Awards Honor Excellence in Earth Observation

Images of Earth are so common these days that it’s easy to forget that these illuminating visuals are actually grounded in remote sensing data that...

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ShakeOut 2022: Earthquake Awareness Enables Community Preparedness

ShakeOut 2022: Earthquake Awareness Enables Community Preparedness

Get ready to shake it like it’s real! ShakeOut 2022: Drop (or Lock), Cover, and Hold On!

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USGS post-Ian science continues

USGS post-Ian science continues

To learn more about USGS’s role in providing science to decision-makers before, during and after Hurricane Ian, visit

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Response and recovery, preparation and prediction

Response and recovery, preparation and prediction

To learn more about USGS’s role in providing science to decision-makers before, during and after Hurricane Ian, visit

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USGS prepares for Hurricane Ian

USGS prepares for Hurricane Ian

As Hurricane Ian continues to move closer to the U.S., the U.S. Geological Survey is preparing for potential landfall. USGS crews are deploying...

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