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Science Snippets

Want some fun facts and interesting snippets of science? Then you came to the right place. 

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Mapping, Mine Wastes and More Critical Minerals Science:

Mapping, Mine Wastes and More Critical Minerals Science:

In 2024, the USGS developed new directions in critical mineral supply chain analysis, innovated new methods for assessing undiscovered mineral...

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USGS releases assessment of undiscovered oil and gas in Southwest Wyoming, Northwest Colorado

USGS releases assessment of undiscovered oil and gas in Southwest Wyoming, Northwest Colorado

A new USGS report estimated 473 million barrels of oil and 27 trillion cubic feet of natural gas are undiscovered and technically recoverable in the...

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Interior Highlights Critical Mineral Prospectivity on the Seafloor

Interior Highlights Critical Mineral Prospectivity on the Seafloor

The Interior Department highlighted USGS seafloor mineral science and a new factsheet on the potential for critical minerals on the global seafloor.

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Almost 1,000 sea turtles returned to the wild after being saved from frigid water in Florida

Almost 1,000 sea turtles returned to the wild after being saved from frigid water in Florida

After about a week of recovering from frigid temperatures that hit much of the Florida panhandle in late January, around 1,000 sea turtles rescued...

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Securing the Nation’s Need for Native Seed

Securing the Nation’s Need for Native Seed

A new progress report showcases how partnership and federal investment have advanced the National Seed Strategy, a pragmatic tool for restoring...

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U.S. Geological Survey marks progress tracking nation's supply of critical minerals

U.S. Geological Survey marks progress tracking nation's supply of critical minerals

This week the White House released the first Quadrennial Supply Chain review, detailing supply chains critical for national and economic security. 

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Ghost forests: Learn more as Halloween sneaks up!

Ghost forests: Learn more as Halloween sneaks up!

Have you ever walked through a forest and felt a little spooked? Well, that’s definitely the vibe of ghost forests!

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Loma Prieta Earthquake 35th Anniversary Compilation

Loma Prieta Earthquake 35th Anniversary Compilation

On October 17, 1989, at 5:04 PM, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit near Loma Prieta, CA., shaking the San Francisco and Monterey Bay regions. The...

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A new strategy to help unleash USGS eDNA capabilities

A new strategy to help unleash USGS eDNA capabilities

Imagine you could use just a few drops of water to know what sorts of animals and plants were present in an area. What an incredible tool this would...

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Teenage citizen-scientist helps USGS confirm unique population of threatened turtle

Teenage citizen-scientist helps USGS confirm unique population of threatened turtle

The discovery of a previously-unknown population of threatened Ringed Map Turtles was released April 30

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Trout, beavers, drought, and a “precious” frog

Trout, beavers, drought, and a “precious” frog

Around the West, efforts to conserve and restore riparian habitats have primarily focused on trout and salmon. USGS science is showing that some...

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Earthquakes can strike faster than a New York minute – What to do when the ground shakes...

Earthquakes can strike faster than a New York minute – What to do when the ground shakes...

Nearly 75 percent of the U.S. could experience damaging earthquake shaking, including the possibility of damaging earthquakes along the northeastern...

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