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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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Dianne López-Trujillo with Lynne Carrier, FEMA translator.
Dianne López-Trujillo with Lynne Carrier, FEMA translator
Dianne López-Trujillo with Lynne Carrier, FEMA translator
Dianne López-Trujillo with Lynne Carrier, FEMA translator

Dianne López-Trujillo with Lynne Carrier, FEMA translator.

The USGS Recognizes Dianne Lopez-Trujillo During Hispanic Heritage Month

What happens when a 6.4 magnitude earthquake strikes Puerto Rico and the public needs critical information? How does a mostly English-speaking science agency reach a mostly Spanish-speaking public?

Dianne López-Trujillo with Lynne Carrier, FEMA translator.

The USGS Recognizes Dianne Lopez-Trujillo During Hispanic Heritage Month

What happens when a 6.4 magnitude earthquake strikes Puerto Rico and the public needs critical information? How does a mostly English-speaking science agency reach a mostly Spanish-speaking public?

A scientist holds a piece of a coral-reef core that is over 6,000 years old
Various clues determine reliable coral samples
Various clues determine reliable coral samples
Various clues determine reliable coral samples

This piece of a core sample taken from offshore of the Fort Lauderdale region of Florida is from an elkhorn coral that lived 6,200 years ago. Coral type, orientation of corallites, and evidence of other fauna and characteristics within the core sample are used to determine how reliable the coral sample is to use for past sea-level reconstruction.

This piece of a core sample taken from offshore of the Fort Lauderdale region of Florida is from an elkhorn coral that lived 6,200 years ago. Coral type, orientation of corallites, and evidence of other fauna and characteristics within the core sample are used to determine how reliable the coral sample is to use for past sea-level reconstruction.

Color photograph of native Hawaiian plant and fluxmeter
Portulaca sclerocarpa and WEST Systems fluxmeter
Portulaca sclerocarpa and WEST Systems fluxmeter
Portulaca sclerocarpa and WEST Systems fluxmeter

This Portulaca sclerocarpa (‘Ihi mākole) individual (center) surrounded by invasive grass species is a critically endangered plant. The small metal tag to the right notes the plant's permanent identification number for long-term monitoring purposes.

This Portulaca sclerocarpa (‘Ihi mākole) individual (center) surrounded by invasive grass species is a critically endangered plant. The small metal tag to the right notes the plant's permanent identification number for long-term monitoring purposes.

Study area map for Middle Snake River Macrophyte Habitat Suitability
Study area map for Middle Snake River Macrophyte Habitat Suitability
Study area map for Middle Snake River Macrophyte Habitat Suitability
Study area map for Middle Snake River Macrophyte Habitat Suitability

Map showing the study area for an investigation modeling the hydraulic and water-quality habitat suitability for macrophytes in the middle Snake River, south-central Idaho.

Color photograph of scientists
Team investigating critically endangered plant in Puhimau Thermal area
Team investigating critically endangered plant in Puhimau Thermal area
Team investigating critically endangered plant in Puhimau Thermal area

Retired USGS botanist Linda Pratt, USGS research geologists Patricia Nadeau and Jennifer Lewicki, and USGS chemist Tamar Elias (left to right) are part of a team investigating a critically endangered succulent plant, Portulaca sclerocarpa, in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's Puhimau thermal area.

Retired USGS botanist Linda Pratt, USGS research geologists Patricia Nadeau and Jennifer Lewicki, and USGS chemist Tamar Elias (left to right) are part of a team investigating a critically endangered succulent plant, Portulaca sclerocarpa, in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park's Puhimau thermal area.

Photograph of boat and bridge, Allegheny River, Pennsylvania
A beautiful morning for an ADCP measurement on the Allegheny River, PA
A beautiful morning for an ADCP measurement on the Allegheny River, PA
A beautiful morning for an ADCP measurement on the Allegheny River, PA

A beautiful morning for an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler measurement on the Allegheny River, Pennsylvania. 

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Alaska Central North Slope - January 2020
Alaska Central North Slope - January 2020
Alaska Central North Slope - January 2020

ALASKA CENTRAL NORTH SLOPE
January 2020

One of the most productive areas in the world for oil remains rich in the resource, according to the latest USGS assessment. This assessment is for undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in conventional accumulations.

ALASKA CENTRAL NORTH SLOPE
January 2020

One of the most productive areas in the world for oil remains rich in the resource, according to the latest USGS assessment. This assessment is for undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in conventional accumulations.

Color photographs of volcanic gas monitoring
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory volcanic gas monitoring
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory volcanic gas monitoring
Hawaiian Volcano Observatory volcanic gas monitoring

As fissure 8 erupts on Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone in June 2018 (left), a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer measures gas emissions from the lava fountains. At right, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas geochemistry team members collect a sample of gas from Sulphur Banks in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

As fissure 8 erupts on Kīlauea Volcano's lower East Rift Zone in June 2018 (left), a Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometer measures gas emissions from the lava fountains. At right, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory gas geochemistry team members collect a sample of gas from Sulphur Banks in Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.

Photograph of a muskrat liver with pinpoint white and red foci.
Photograph from a muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) found dead in Ohio, USA
Photograph from a muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) found dead in Ohio, USA
Photograph from a muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) found dead in Ohio, USA

Photograph from a muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) found dead in Ohio, USA. The liver contained disseminated pinpoint to 1-mm diameter white foci (arrows). Tyzzer's disease.

Photographs from a muskrat liver with random areas of hepatocellular necrosis indicated.
Photographs from a muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) liver
Photographs from a muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) liver
Photographs from a muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) liver

Photographs from a muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) found dead in Ohio, USA. (A) Throughout the liver are random areas of hepatocellular necrosis (star). H&E stain. (B) Hepatocytes at the periphery of necrotic areas multifocally contain packets of argyrophilic bacterial rods (arrows). Modified Steiner’s stain.

Photographs from a muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) found dead in Ohio, USA. (A) Throughout the liver are random areas of hepatocellular necrosis (star). H&E stain. (B) Hepatocytes at the periphery of necrotic areas multifocally contain packets of argyrophilic bacterial rods (arrows). Modified Steiner’s stain.

A structure made of wooden pilings with a platform around the top stands in water with fog and hills in the far background.
Grizzly Bay dolphin with weather station installed on top
Grizzly Bay dolphin with weather station installed on top
Grizzly Bay dolphin with weather station installed on top

A structure called a dolphin, permanently affixed in the sediment, stands in Grizzly Bay near San Francisco, CA, with a weather station installed on top. The USGS will use the data from the weather station in conjunction with other oceanographic data, in their studies of sediment movement in the bay.

A structure called a dolphin, permanently affixed in the sediment, stands in Grizzly Bay near San Francisco, CA, with a weather station installed on top. The USGS will use the data from the weather station in conjunction with other oceanographic data, in their studies of sediment movement in the bay.

Two people install instruments atop a permanent mooring called a dolphin, large wooden pilings affixed in shallow water.
Installing weather station in Grizzly Bay
Installing weather station in Grizzly Bay
Installing weather station in Grizzly Bay

Pete Dal Ferro and Andrew Stevens, both from the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) in Santa Cruz, California, install a Vaisala WXT weather station in Grizzly Bay, east of San Pablo Bay and northeast of San Francisco.

Pete Dal Ferro and Andrew Stevens, both from the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC) in Santa Cruz, California, install a Vaisala WXT weather station in Grizzly Bay, east of San Pablo Bay and northeast of San Francisco.

A photograph shows a boat sitting at a dock, with tall grasses in the foreground and the setting sun in the distance.
Preparing for a day of sampling on Grizzly Bay
Preparing for a day of sampling on Grizzly Bay
Preparing for a day of sampling on Grizzly Bay

Scientists from the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in their vessel jewell, docked at Belden's Landing Water Access Facility on Montezuma Slough. They are preparing for a day of sampling on Grizzly Bay, where they study how sediment moves through sensitive coastal environments.

Scientists from the USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center in their vessel jewell, docked at Belden's Landing Water Access Facility on Montezuma Slough. They are preparing for a day of sampling on Grizzly Bay, where they study how sediment moves through sensitive coastal environments.

People sit in a small boat floating the water, preparing a sampling device to collect sediment from the bottom of the water.
Preparing the GOMEX on Grizzly Bay
Preparing the GOMEX on Grizzly Bay
Preparing the GOMEX on Grizzly Bay

From left to right, USGS scientists Sam McGill, Lucas WinklerPrins, David Hart, Selina Davila Olivera, and Pete Dal Ferro work on Grizzly Bay on the vessel Jewell, to collect sediment samples using the GOMEX box corer.

From left to right, USGS scientists Sam McGill, Lucas WinklerPrins, David Hart, Selina Davila Olivera, and Pete Dal Ferro work on Grizzly Bay on the vessel Jewell, to collect sediment samples using the GOMEX box corer.

A boat floats on calm waters with some people sitting in it.
Sampling on Grizzly Bay
Sampling on Grizzly Bay
Sampling on Grizzly Bay

On PCMSC vessel Jewell, a team of USGS scientists sit in Grizzly Bay, a baylet of San Francisco Bay in Solano County, California. USGS collects sediment samples to study how sediment moves through sensitive coastal environments like this.

On PCMSC vessel Jewell, a team of USGS scientists sit in Grizzly Bay, a baylet of San Francisco Bay in Solano County, California. USGS collects sediment samples to study how sediment moves through sensitive coastal environments like this.

Five people on a small boat in calm water work on a sampling device being retrieved from the water.
Sediment collected in a GOMEX box corer
Sediment collected in a GOMEX box corer
Sediment collected in a GOMEX box corer

USGS science crew works to free the muddy sediment from a GOMEX box corer. They are on board the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center's vessel Jewell on Grizzly Bay in the San Francisco Bay area.

USGS science crew works to free the muddy sediment from a GOMEX box corer. They are on board the Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center's vessel Jewell on Grizzly Bay in the San Francisco Bay area.

A nondescript white instrument box sits up high atop piers in the water with cables and a small solar panel.
Weather station power supply and modem
Weather station power supply and modem
Weather station power supply and modem

A weather station, installed in the middle of Grizzly Bay east of San Pablo Bay (near San Francisco), gets its power from a small solar panel. Data collected from the station is transmitted via a wireless modem. Far in the background is the city of Benicia, and the plume rising into the sky is water vapor emitted from the Benicia oil refinery.

A weather station, installed in the middle of Grizzly Bay east of San Pablo Bay (near San Francisco), gets its power from a small solar panel. Data collected from the station is transmitted via a wireless modem. Far in the background is the city of Benicia, and the plume rising into the sky is water vapor emitted from the Benicia oil refinery.

Yellowstone wildlife
Yellowstone Wildlife
Yellowstone Wildlife
Yellowstone Wildlife

Wildlife out in force in Yellowstone as streamgagers headed into streamgages on Firehole and Gibbon Rivers. The thermal activity of the area means that the Firehole River is almost always ice free.

Wildlife out in force in Yellowstone as streamgagers headed into streamgages on Firehole and Gibbon Rivers. The thermal activity of the area means that the Firehole River is almost always ice free.

Yellowstone wildlife
Yellowstone Wildlife
Yellowstone Wildlife
Yellowstone Wildlife

Wildlife out in force in Yellowstone as streamgagers headed into streamgages on Firehole and Gibbon Rivers. The thermal activity of the area means that the Firehole River is almost always ice free.

Wildlife out in force in Yellowstone as streamgagers headed into streamgages on Firehole and Gibbon Rivers. The thermal activity of the area means that the Firehole River is almost always ice free.

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