Multimedia Gallery

Director of the USGS Nebraska Water Science Center, Robert Swanson, discusses how the drought of 2012 unfolded in Nebraska, the fallout, and what put this drought in a class with other major droughts during the past 100 years.

The next Great ShakeOut earthquake drill will be held on October 18, 2012. During the drill, participants will ‘drop, cover, and hold on’ to practice how to protect themselves during an earthquake.

To give us some details on ShakeOut, we are joined by two guests. First is Mike Blanpied, who is the Associate Program Coordinator for the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program

When bats detect an insect from returned echolocation calls they rapidly increase the pulse rate and raise the frequency of calls in order to gather more information on the insect including location. These calls emitted right before a bat closes in on an insect are called terminal phase calls or "feeding buzzes". The frequency is well above human hearing capabilities at 65

In this episode, high school students from Rosemary Anderson High School in Portland, Oregon, visit the USGS Oregon Water Science Center for a ‘Science Career Day’ event. Scientists work with the students and try to promote the appeal and benefits of a career in science. The day is broken up into two parts: an early morning discussion period, and an afternoon field period

A year after the August 23, 2011 Virginia earthquake, USGS geologist Dr. Mike Blanpied discusses whether a similar event could occur again in the region in the near future, and in an earthquake, what you can do to stay stay safe.

A year after the August 23, 2011 Virginia earthquake, USGS geologist Dr. Mike Blanpied discusses USGS efforts currently underway to learn more about the cause of the event. Dr. Blanpied discusses how scientists are using the August 23 earthquake to inform estimates of the region's seismic hazard.

In this episode, we talk about organic carbon. The benefit of studying carbon extends to many issues, including tracing mercury contamination or investigating disinfection by-products in drinking water treatment. It is amazing what can be discovered by monitoring the volume and flux of carbon through the environment. Learn about the biogeochemistry of carbon from USGS

Los científicos están tomando el pulso de nuestro planeta, estudiando como el cambio climático afecta las plantas y los animales. Y quieren tu ayuda! Escuchar este “podcast” para aprender más sobre este esfuerzo y ver como puedes participar.

(Listen to a Spanish Podcast — Scientists are tracking the pulse of our planet, studying how climate change is impacting

2012 Open House public service announcement

The USGS recently released a new world estimate of undiscovered, conventional oil and gas resources. This podcast is a recording of a press conference held on April 18, 2012, to announce this report. Speakers were Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, USGS Director Marcia McNutt, USGS Energy Resources Program Coordinator Brenda Pierce, and USGS Research Geologist Chris

USGS Scientists Steve Peterson describes the groundwater availability study and its ability to help water-resources managers make the most informed decisions possible for the sustainability of the resource.

The wet, subtropical wilderness of Everglades National Park is home to a diversity of Floridian wildlife, but one invader is causing severe changes in these native animal populations. Many of the park’s mammals are declining dramatically as a result of invasive Burmese pythons, according to a recent study by U.S. Geological Survey scientists and partners. Mid-sized mammals

Scientific integrity runs deep at USGS. What is it exactly, and why is it so important? Find out in this episode of CoreCast. Host Kara Capelli talks with Linda Gundersen, Director of the USGS Office of Science Quality and Integrity.

In this episode, we are going to investigate more than just the substance “water.” We are going to examine what is in our nations’ water, how we at the U.S. Geological Survey monitor it, and what tools we have developed to aid those who want to explore more about our planet’s most abundant resource. This is the USGS Oregon Science Podcast.

Drought in Africa is of increasing concern as millions are suffering from malnutrition and difficulty growing crops and supporting livestock. Stunted growth in children due to malnutrition was also recently linked to climate change. Join us as we talk with USGS scientists Jim Verdin, Jim Rowland and Chris Funk about what is being done to help.

The magnitude 5.8 earthquake that struck Louisa County was among the largest to occur along the eastern seaboard of the United States. It caused extensive damage in central Virginia and was likely felt by more people than any other earthquake in U.S. history. Join USGS scientists Mike Blanpied and Mark Carter on November 2nd to discuss the seismology of the earthquake, its

USGS Research Hydrologist Jim Landmeyer discusses how living plants can be used to clean up contaminated groundwater through a process termed phytoremediation.

The USGS held a Congressional briefing to demonstrate a new and innovative online decision support system used to identify sources of nutrients to downstream waters, such as the Gulf of Mexico, Long Island Sound and others. The decision support system provides access to six newly-developed regional SPARROW models that describe how rivers receive and transport nutrients to

White-nose syndrome is a deadly disease in North American bats that has been spreading rapidly since its 2006 discovery in N.Y. State. Thus far, bat declines in the northeastern U.S. have exceeded 80%. For the first time, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey and partner institutions have identified the cause of WNS as a fungus appropriately known as Geomyces

The U.S. Geological Survey estimates at least 1 million metric tonnes of rare earth element resources within the Khanneshin carbonatite in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. This estimate comes from a 2009-2011 USGS study funded by the Department of Defense's Task Force for Business and Stability Operations.

Zoonotic diseases are those that are spread between wildlife and humans, and are an increasing health threat in the U.S. and throughout the world. As such diseases emerge, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey and other wildlife health agencies must embark upon complex investigative work to determine what these diseases are, where they come from, and how they’re

Within the rivers, streams, and lakes of North America live over 200 species of freshwater mussels that share an amazing life history. To metamorphose from larvae to adult, the mussels must pass through a parasitic phase on the gills of freshwater fish. To trick the fish into accepting their larvae, female mussels have developed a complex array of lures and baits to

North Carolina, like many years before, is responding to flooding in the East and drought in the West. Holly Weyers, USGS North Carolina Water Science Center Director, discusses these extreme events.