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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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Two women stand together smiling on a boat wearing life jackets and sun hats with other safety gear.
Fieldwork in the Delta
Fieldwork in the Delta
Fieldwork in the Delta

Shruti Khanna (left, California Department of Fish and Wildlife) and Judy Drexler (USGS California Water Science Center) on the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center’s research vessel Parke Snavely during fieldwork in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Shruti Khanna (left, California Department of Fish and Wildlife) and Judy Drexler (USGS California Water Science Center) on the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center’s research vessel Parke Snavely during fieldwork in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Beach with large rock rip-rap lining the low bluff near homes, sand has footprints going to and fro.
Footprints in mud overlaying beach sand
Footprints in mud overlaying beach sand
Footprints in mud overlaying beach sand

Footprints in mud layer deposited on the sand at Miramar Beach in Montecito, California, by January 9 flood waters coming down San Ysidro Creek.

Footprints in mud layer deposited on the sand at Miramar Beach in Montecito, California, by January 9 flood waters coming down San Ysidro Creek.

Installing the linear potentiometer on the USGS Nansemond extensometer.
Installing the linear potentiometer on the USGS Nansemond extensometer
Installing the linear potentiometer on the USGS Nansemond extensometer
Installing the linear potentiometer on the USGS Nansemond extensometer

Installing the linear potentiometer on the USGS Nansemond extensometer. The linear potentiometer is used to measure land-surface movement in response to aquifer system deformation at the USGS Nansemond extensometer.

Installing the linear potentiometer on the USGS Nansemond extensometer. The linear potentiometer is used to measure land-surface movement in response to aquifer system deformation at the USGS Nansemond extensometer.

An object of two circular pieces of mixed materials are partially covered with mud and plant debris.
Instrument package for river data collection
Instrument package for river data collection
Instrument package for river data collection

Patches of dark sand cling to an instrument package that collected data for approximately two weeks at the Mokelumne River site—evidence that currents at the site were strong enough to carry sand, which is heavier than mud, probably during elevated river flows following two storms in the watershed.

Patches of dark sand cling to an instrument package that collected data for approximately two weeks at the Mokelumne River site—evidence that currents at the site were strong enough to carry sand, which is heavier than mud, probably during elevated river flows following two storms in the watershed.

USGS scientist preparing to measure cyanotoxins in water samples using an automated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
USGS scientist preparing to measure cyanotoxins in water samples
USGS scientist preparing to measure cyanotoxins in water samples
USGS scientist preparing to measure cyanotoxins in water samples

USGS) scientist preparing to measure cyanotoxins in water samples using an automated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) instrument

USGS) scientist preparing to measure cyanotoxins in water samples using an automated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) instrument

WHISPers 1.0 screen shot showing map of North America with colored circles mapping disease events.
WHISPers 1.0 screen shot
WHISPers 1.0 screen shot
WHISPers 1.0 screen shot

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center developed WHISPers, a partner driven tool that provides a dynamic, timely, searchable web-based system, to increase public awareness of wildlife disease events and promote collaboration and data sharing among wildlife professionals. This is a screen shot of the web-based tool. 

The USGS National Wildlife Health Center developed WHISPers, a partner driven tool that provides a dynamic, timely, searchable web-based system, to increase public awareness of wildlife disease events and promote collaboration and data sharing among wildlife professionals. This is a screen shot of the web-based tool. 

Leetown Fish Mural Bottlecap Paint Setup
Leetown Fish Mural Bottlecap Paint Setup
Leetown Fish Mural Bottlecap Paint Setup
Leetown Fish Mural Bottlecap Paint Setup

Leetown Fish Mural Bottlecap Paint Setup

Biologist indicates the location of an acoustic monitoring unit
Biologist Points to Acoustic Monitoring Device
Biologist Points to Acoustic Monitoring Device
Biologist Points to Acoustic Monitoring Device

A biologist indicates the location of an acoustic monitoring unit deployed on an island in Humboldt County to listen for Ashy storm-petrels that nest in burrows on the grassy slopes below. 

A biologist indicates the location of an acoustic monitoring unit deployed on an island in Humboldt County to listen for Ashy storm-petrels that nest in burrows on the grassy slopes below. 

Fresh excavation of a storm-petrel nesting burrow on an island in Humboldt County.
Fresh Storm-Petrel Nesting Burrow
Fresh Storm-Petrel Nesting Burrow
Fresh Storm-Petrel Nesting Burrow

Fresh excavation of a storm-petrel nesting burrow on an island in Humboldt County. Note the fresh dirt that has been scraped by the bird onto grass in front of the burrow entrance.

Fresh excavation of a storm-petrel nesting burrow on an island in Humboldt County. Note the fresh dirt that has been scraped by the bird onto grass in front of the burrow entrance.

Color photograph of a plastic box containing electronics
HVO volcano-monitoring station "health monitor" developed by CJ Moniz
HVO volcano-monitoring station "health monitor" developed by CJ Moniz
HVO volcano-monitoring station "health monitor" developed by CJ Moniz

A volcano-monitoring station "health monitor" developed by CJ Moniz at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). It consists of three programmable circuit boards (bottom row), voltage sensors (top row), a current sensor (top right corner), and a custom-made voltage sensor for a 48VDC system (tan circuit board on the bottom right).

A volcano-monitoring station "health monitor" developed by CJ Moniz at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO). It consists of three programmable circuit boards (bottom row), voltage sensors (top row), a current sensor (top right corner), and a custom-made voltage sensor for a 48VDC system (tan circuit board on the bottom right).

View of the new (2018) instrument laboratory at the Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL), Lawrence, Kansas
New (2018) instrument laboratory at the OGRL
New (2018) instrument laboratory at the OGRL
New (2018) instrument laboratory at the OGRL

View of the new (2018) instrument laboratory at the Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL), Lawrence, Kansas. View of a row of instruments in the laboratory.

View of the new (2018) instrument laboratory at the Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL), Lawrence, Kansas. View of a row of instruments in the laboratory.

View of the new (2018) sample processing laboratory at the Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory (OGRL), Lawrence, Kansas
New (2018) sample processing laboratory at the OGRL
New (2018) sample processing laboratory at the OGRL
New (2018) sample processing laboratory at the OGRL

Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory — Lawrence, Kansas. Sample processing laboratory.

Pressurized fluid extractor used to extract organic compounds from solid samples
Pressurized fluid extractor used to extract organic compounds
Pressurized fluid extractor used to extract organic compounds
Pressurized fluid extractor used to extract organic compounds

Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory — Lawrence, Kansas. Pressurized Fluid Extractor

Research Vessel (R/V) Polaris pilot house interior view.
Research Vessel (R/V) Polaris Pilot House
Research Vessel (R/V) Polaris Pilot House
Research Vessel (R/V) Polaris Pilot House

A view of the Research Vessel (R/V) Polaris' pilot house and wheel.

A view of the Research Vessel (R/V) Polaris' pilot house and wheel.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists working on a time-of-flight mass spectrometer used for the analysis of pesticides
Time-of-flight mass spectrometer used for the analysis of pesticides
Time-of-flight mass spectrometer used for the analysis of pesticides
Time-of-flight mass spectrometer used for the analysis of pesticides

Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory — Lawrence, Kansas. Scientists working on at time-of-flight mass spectrometer

Organic Geochemistry Research Laboratory — Lawrence, Kansas. Scientists working on at time-of-flight mass spectrometer

Biologists accessing the upper slopes of False Klamath Rock to place an acoustic monitoring unit.
WERC Seabird Biologists on False Klamath Rock
WERC Seabird Biologists on False Klamath Rock
WERC Seabird Biologists on False Klamath Rock

USGS biologists with the Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) climb the upper slopes of False Klamath Rock, off the California coast.

USGS biologists with the Western Ecological Research Center (WERC) climb the upper slopes of False Klamath Rock, off the California coast.

Wild horses in the Virginia City Highlands, Nev.
Wild horses in the Virginia City Highlands, Nev.
Wild horses in the Virginia City Highlands, Nev.
Wild horses in the Virginia City Highlands, Nev.

Wild horses in the Virginia City Highlands, Nev. 

Dive Safety Officer (DSO) Jake Emmert from Moody Gardens Aquarium enters a flooded coastal cave beneath the tropical forest
Cave diving scientists
Cave diving scientists
Cave diving scientists

Dive Safety Officer (DSO) Jake Emmert from Moody Gardens Aquarium enters a flooded coastal cave beneath the tropical forest of the Yucatan Peninsula through a small open-water pool, locally known as a cenote.  Cave diving scientists John Pohlman (USGS) and David Brankovits (USGS/WHOI) will use these entrances over the coming days to access a vast network o

Dive Safety Officer (DSO) Jake Emmert from Moody Gardens Aquarium enters a flooded coastal cave beneath the tropical forest of the Yucatan Peninsula through a small open-water pool, locally known as a cenote.  Cave diving scientists John Pohlman (USGS) and David Brankovits (USGS/WHOI) will use these entrances over the coming days to access a vast network o

Flow Measurement on Little Missouri River near Watford City, ND (06337000)
Flow Measurement on Little Missouri River
Flow Measurement on Little Missouri River
Flow Measurement on Little Missouri River

USGS Civil Engineer Brent Hanson measuring the streamflow of the Little Missouri River near Watford City, ND (streamgage 06337000). More information about this streamgage is available at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site_no=06337000

USGS Civil Engineer Brent Hanson measuring the streamflow of the Little Missouri River near Watford City, ND (streamgage 06337000). More information about this streamgage is available at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv/?site_no=06337000

Image-based flow cytometer for cell population analysis
Image-based flow cytometer for cell population analysis
Image-based flow cytometer for cell population analysis
Image-based flow cytometer for cell population analysis

Image-based flow cytometer for cell population analysis

Skeletons of junipers (old trunks leftover from chaining) dot a rangeland.
Juniper Skeletons
Juniper Skeletons
Juniper Skeletons

Thinning rangelands by removing trees such as juniper is a common mangement action done across the intermountain west. The goals of this type of vegetation treatment typically are to increase forage and habitat for grazing animals, improve soil conditions, and/or reduce risks of catastrophic fire.

Thinning rangelands by removing trees such as juniper is a common mangement action done across the intermountain west. The goals of this type of vegetation treatment typically are to increase forage and habitat for grazing animals, improve soil conditions, and/or reduce risks of catastrophic fire.