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What’s life got to do with it? How geobiological feedbacks make some Yellowstone pools acidic

What’s life got to do with it? How geobiological feedbacks make some Yellowstone pools acidic

Yellowstone hydrothermal features can be acidic or basic depending not only on the source of the feeding fluids, but also bacteria that might resemble...

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Yellowstone’s Famous Biscuits

Yellowstone’s Famous Biscuits

Yellowstone's Upper Geyser Basin hosts the legendary Old Faithful, but it's also home to an isolated thermal group famous for its biscuits.  Though...

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The 2022 Yellowstone Volcano Observatory annual report—hot off the (virtual) presses!

The 2022 Yellowstone Volcano Observatory annual report—hot off the (virtual) presses!

Interested in knowing more about Yellowstone’s activity, as well as research results, from the past year?  We’ve got you covered—the Yellowstone...

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A Hawaiian-style lava flow in southwestern Montana

A Hawaiian-style lava flow in southwestern Montana

The Timber Hill basalt tells a story of bygone days, when southwestern Montana looked very different and was a site of vigorous volcanic eruptions.

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How do the hot springs on the floor of Yellowstone Lake compare to deep seafloor hydrothermal vents?

How do the hot springs on the floor of Yellowstone Lake compare to deep seafloor hydrothermal vents?

Hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor, like the famous “black smokers,” and those on the floor of Yellowstone Lake have some general similarities, but...

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The oldest igneous rocks in Yellowstone

The oldest igneous rocks in Yellowstone

Much of the geological attention at Yellowstone National Park is on the young volcanic rocks. But the geologic history of the region and the ages of...

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Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing at Yellowstone 201: Processing the images

Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing at Yellowstone 201: Processing the images

Thermal infrared images not only make nice pictures, they also give us quantitative information about thermal energy being radiated from Earth’s...

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Pink snow: Algae blooms high in the mountains of Yellowstone (and around the world)

Pink snow: Algae blooms high in the mountains of Yellowstone (and around the world)

When one thinks of life in extreme environments, Yellowstone hot springs may be one of the first places to come to mind. Another extreme?  The...

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A better understanding of Yellowstone hot springs and hydrothermal systems thanks to the outstanding achievements of Robert O. Fournier

A better understanding of Yellowstone hot springs and hydrothermal systems thanks to the outstanding achievements of Robert O. Fournier

Robert Fournier, who passed away in January 2023, was a pioneer in studying the hydrothermal system of Yellowstone National Park, laying the...

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Ashton to Island Park: 2.1 million years of volcanic history in 30 minutes

Ashton to Island Park: 2.1 million years of volcanic history in 30 minutes

A 30-minute drive along U.S. Route 20 in Idaho between Ashton and Island Park will take you through the history of the first two caldera systems that...

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Tracing the sources of ancient volcanoclastic rocks in Yellowstone using crystals

Tracing the sources of ancient volcanoclastic rocks in Yellowstone using crystals

Geologists are very much like detectives—they use a variety of investigative tools to understand how a landscape develops. Geochemistry is one such...

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Hypoliths: Life thriving under the bleach-white sinters of Yellowstone’s hydrothermal areas

Hypoliths: Life thriving under the bleach-white sinters of Yellowstone’s hydrothermal areas

While most attention is given to the hot springs, geysers, fumaroles, and mud pots in Yellowstone’s hydrothermal areas, there are lessons just beneath...

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