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Explore our planet through photography and imagery, including climate change and water all the way back to the 1800s when the USGS was surveying the country by horse and buggy.

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 lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater about 3 weeks before magma began to withdraw from beneath the crater.
lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater about 3 weeks before magma began
lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater about 3 weeks before magma began
lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater about 3 weeks before magma began

The active lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater about 3 weeks before magma began to withdraw from beneath the crater. Visible in the middle left of the photo behind the plume, is the old Overlook parking area, closed since 2008. The parking area slumped into the crater by June 21. View is toward the southwest.

The active lava lake within Halema‘uma‘u crater about 3 weeks before magma began to withdraw from beneath the crater. Visible in the middle left of the photo behind the plume, is the old Overlook parking area, closed since 2008. The parking area slumped into the crater by June 21. View is toward the southwest.

3DR Solo quadcopter is collecting imagery at Chimney Bluffs State Park in NY
3DR Solo quadcopter collecting imagery
3DR Solo quadcopter collecting imagery
3DR Solo quadcopter collecting imagery

A 3DR Solo quadcopter is collecting imagery at Chimney Bluffs State Park in NY. Using photogrammetric techniques, a 3D surface model was created providing elevation data. 

A 3DR Solo quadcopter is collecting imagery at Chimney Bluffs State Park in NY. Using photogrammetric techniques, a 3D surface model was created providing elevation data. 

USGS personnel control chain as it went through a block on recovery of a seafloor platform.
Chain of Command
Chain of Command
Chain of Command

 USGS personnel control chain as it went through a block on recovery of a seafloor platform. The platform had been deployed off Matanzas Inlet, FL in winter 2018 to assess storm effects on coastal inlet dynamics.

 USGS personnel control chain as it went through a block on recovery of a seafloor platform. The platform had been deployed off Matanzas Inlet, FL in winter 2018 to assess storm effects on coastal inlet dynamics.

Molecular Devices ImageXpress† High-Content Imaging System
Molecular Devices ImageXpress† High-Content Imaging System
Molecular Devices ImageXpress† High-Content Imaging System
Molecular Devices ImageXpress† High-Content Imaging System

High-Content Screening Laboratory — Columbia, Missouri. Molecular Devices ImageXpress High-Content Imaging System

High-Content Screening Laboratory — Columbia, Missouri. Molecular Devices ImageXpress High-Content Imaging System

USGS team and R/V Savannah crew prepare to lower the quadpod deployed at the nearshore site onto the deck
Quadpod Recovery
Quadpod Recovery
Quadpod Recovery

USGS team and R/V Savannah crew prepare to lower the quadpod deployed at the nearshore site onto the deck during recovery operations.  Note all the hairy encrusting organisms that grew in 3 months and how close to the shoreline the ship is.

USGS team and R/V Savannah crew prepare to lower the quadpod deployed at the nearshore site onto the deck during recovery operations.  Note all the hairy encrusting organisms that grew in 3 months and how close to the shoreline the ship is.

Survey Analysis via Visual Exploration rock cores
Survey Analysis via Visual Exploration rock cores
Survey Analysis via Visual Exploration rock cores
The zebrafish developmental cardiovascular toxicity high-content screening assay uses a 384-well plate format
TZebrafish developmental cardiovascular toxicity high-content screen
TZebrafish developmental cardiovascular toxicity high-content screen
TZebrafish developmental cardiovascular toxicity high-content screen

The zebrafish developmental cardiovascular toxicity high-content screening assay uses a 384-well plate format to maximize number of treatments and replicates possible on each plate.

The zebrafish developmental cardiovascular toxicity high-content screening assay uses a 384-well plate format to maximize number of treatments and replicates possible on each plate.

Attribution of storm-weighted potential contaminant hazard ranks to sampling locations
Attribution of storm-weighted potential contaminant hazard ranks
Attribution of storm-weighted potential contaminant hazard ranks
Attribution of storm-weighted potential contaminant hazard ranks

Geospatial Analyses and Applications — Salt Lake City, Utah. Attribution of storm-weighted potential contaminant hazard ranks to sampling locations in the Sediment-Bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) network.

Geospatial Analyses and Applications — Salt Lake City, Utah. Attribution of storm-weighted potential contaminant hazard ranks to sampling locations in the Sediment-Bound Contaminant Resiliency and Response (SCoRR) network.

Explosive eruptions at the summit of Mauna Loa: When did they occur...
Explosive eruptions at the summit of Mauna Loa: When did they occur?
Explosive eruptions at the summit of Mauna Loa: When did they occur?
Explosive eruptions at the summit of Mauna Loa: When did they occur?

This light gray block of rock (backpack for scale) is part of the approximately 830-year-old explosion deposit on the northwest rim of Moku‘āweoweo, the summit caldera of Mauna Loa. USGS photo by F.A. Trusdell.

This light gray block of rock (backpack for scale) is part of the approximately 830-year-old explosion deposit on the northwest rim of Moku‘āweoweo, the summit caldera of Mauna Loa. USGS photo by F.A. Trusdell.

Screen capture of primary hepatocytes isolated from experimental smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) visualized
Primary hepatocytes isolated from experimental smallmouth bass
Primary hepatocytes isolated from experimental smallmouth bass
Primary hepatocytes isolated from experimental smallmouth bass

Screen capture of primary hepatocytes isolated from experimental smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) visualized following image-based flow cytometric analysis

Screen capture of primary hepatocytes isolated from experimental smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) visualized following image-based flow cytometric analysis

Reston Stable Isotope Lab staff 1
Reston Stable Isotope Lab 1
Reston Stable Isotope Lab 1
Reston Stable Isotope Lab 1

Reston Stable Isotope Lab staff 1

Reston Stable Isotope Lab staff 2
Reston Stable Isotope Lab 2
Reston Stable Isotope Lab 2
Reston Stable Isotope Lab 2

Reston Stable Isotope Lab staff 2

Reston Stable Isotope Lab staff 3
Reston Stable Isotope Lab 3
Reston Stable Isotope Lab 3
Reston Stable Isotope Lab 3

Reston Stable Isotope Lab staff 3

Sunrise over the Atlantic near Matanzas Inlet, F
Sunrise over the Atlantic near Matanzas Inlet, FL
Sunrise over the Atlantic near Matanzas Inlet, FL
Sunrise over the Atlantic near Matanzas Inlet, FL

Sunrise over the Atlantic near Matanzas Inlet, FL. USGS was recovering seafloor platforms deployed to quantify storm effects on coastal inlet dynamics.

Sunrise over the Atlantic near Matanzas Inlet, FL. USGS was recovering seafloor platforms deployed to quantify storm effects on coastal inlet dynamics.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist preparing plates for yeast bioassay screening of surface water extracts
USGS scientist preparing plates for yeast bioassay screening
USGS scientist preparing plates for yeast bioassay screening
Six USGS Scientists hold up a poster they presented in front of the U.S. Capitol.
USGS Scientists at Capitol Hill Roundtable on Extreme Events
USGS Scientists at Capitol Hill Roundtable on Extreme Events
USGS Scientists at Capitol Hill Roundtable on Extreme Events

On April 12, the USGS, together with the American Fisheries Society (AFS), hosted a roundtable discussion with congressional staff centered on the impacts of extreme weather events like hurricanes, floods, droughts, and wildfires on inland fish. Scientists with the USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center (NCASC) are investigating how climate-relate

On April 12, the USGS, together with the American Fisheries Society (AFS), hosted a roundtable discussion with congressional staff centered on the impacts of extreme weather events like hurricanes, floods, droughts, and wildfires on inland fish. Scientists with the USGS National Climate Adaptation Science Center (NCASC) are investigating how climate-relate

Dead Run, an urban creek
Dead Run is a typical urban creek in the Baltimore area (photo 1)
Dead Run is a typical urban creek in the Baltimore area (photo 1)
Dead Run is a typical urban creek in the Baltimore area (photo 1)

Dead Run is an urban creek in Catonsville, Maryland, near Baltimore. Research has found that about half of the bed sediment originates as particulate matter on pavement that then is washed into the creek via storm drains.

Dead Run is an urban creek in Catonsville, Maryland, near Baltimore. Research has found that about half of the bed sediment originates as particulate matter on pavement that then is washed into the creek via storm drains.

Dead Run, an urban creek
Dead Run is a typical urban creek in the Baltimore area (photo 2)
Dead Run is a typical urban creek in the Baltimore area (photo 2)
Dead Run is a typical urban creek in the Baltimore area (photo 2)

Dead Run is an urban creek in Catonsville, Maryland, near Baltimore. Research has found that about half of the bed sediment originates as particulate matter on pavement that then is washed into the creek via storm drains.

Dead Run is an urban creek in Catonsville, Maryland, near Baltimore. Research has found that about half of the bed sediment originates as particulate matter on pavement that then is washed into the creek via storm drains.

Dead Run, a typical urban creek, and precipitation station
Dead Run is a typical urban creek in the Baltimore area (Photo 3)
Dead Run is a typical urban creek in the Baltimore area (Photo 3)
Dead Run is a typical urban creek in the Baltimore area (Photo 3)

Dead Run is an urban creek in Catonsville, Maryland, near Baltimore. Research has found that about half of the bed sediment originates as particulate matter on pavement that then is washed into the creek via storm drains.

Dead Run is an urban creek in Catonsville, Maryland, near Baltimore. Research has found that about half of the bed sediment originates as particulate matter on pavement that then is washed into the creek via storm drains.

Downcutting in Dead Run, an urbanized creek
Dead Run is a typical urban creek in the Baltimore area (Photo 4)
Dead Run is a typical urban creek in the Baltimore area (Photo 4)
Dead Run is a typical urban creek in the Baltimore area (Photo 4)

Dead Run is an urban creek in Catonsville, Maryland, near Baltimore. Research has found that about half of the bed sediment originates as particulate matter on pavement that then is washed into the creek via storm drains.

Dead Run is an urban creek in Catonsville, Maryland, near Baltimore. Research has found that about half of the bed sediment originates as particulate matter on pavement that then is washed into the creek via storm drains.