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These publications showcase the significant science conducted in our Science Centers.

Filter Total Items: 16743

Global amphibian declines: perspectives from the United States and beyond Global amphibian declines: perspectives from the United States and beyond

Over recent decades, amphibians have experienced population declines, extirpations and species-level extinctions at an alarming rate. Numerous potential etiologies for amphibian declines have been postulated including climate and habitat degradation. Other potential anthropogenic causes including overexploitation and the frequent introductions of invasive predatory species have also been...
Authors
Christine L. Densmore

Mineral resource of the month: tantalum Mineral resource of the month: tantalum

The article offers information on a rare transition metal called tantalum. It says that the blue-gray mineral resource was discovered in 1801 or 1802 and was used for capacitors in 1940. It adds that the tantalite ore and other minerals in the ore should be separated in order to generate concentrates of tantalum. The use of tantalum are also cited.
Authors
Water Resources Division U.S. Geological Survey

Mineral resource of the month: molybdenum Mineral resource of the month: molybdenum

The article offers information about the mineral molybdenum. Sources includes byproduct or coproduct copper-molybdenum deposits in the Western Cordillera of North and South America. Among the uses of molybdenum are stainless steel applications, as an alloy material for manufacturing vessels and as lubricants, pigments or chemicals. Also noted is the role played by molybdenum in renewable...
Authors
Desire E. Polyak

Magnesium compounds Magnesium compounds

Seawater and natural brines accounted for about 54 percent of U.S. magnesium compounds production in 2010. Dead-burned magnesia was produced by Martin Marietta Magnesia Specialties from well brines in Michigan. Caustic-calcined magnesia was recovered from seawater by Premier Magnesia in Florida, from well brines in Michigan by Martin Marietta and from magnesite in Nevada by Premier...
Authors
D.A. Kramer

Common clay and shale Common clay and shale

The article discusses the latest developments in the global common clay and shale industry, particularly in the U.S. It claims that common clay and shale is mainly used in the manufacture of heavy clay products like brick, flue tile and sewer pipe. The main producing states in the U.S. include North Carolina, New York and Oklahoma. Among the firms that manufacture clay and shale-based...
Authors
R.L. Virta

Nomenclatural notes and identification of small-eared shrews (Mammalia: genus Cryptotis) from Cobán, Guatemala, in The Natural History Museum, London Nomenclatural notes and identification of small-eared shrews (Mammalia: genus Cryptotis) from Cobán, Guatemala, in The Natural History Museum, London

A small series of shrews collected in Guatemala and registered in the British Museum between 1843 and 1907 includes parts of type series for three species: Corsira tropicalis Gray (1843), Sorex micrurus Tomes (1862), and Blarina tropicalis Merriam (1895). These three names are now considered equivalent, but my recent review of the specimens comprising the series indicates that they...
Authors
Neal Woodman

Asbestos Asbestos

The term asbestos is a generic designation referring usually to six types of naturally occurring mineral fibers that are or have been commercially exploited. These fibers belong to two mineral groups: serpentines and amphiboles. The serpentine group is represented by a single asbestiform variety-chrysotile. There also are five commercial asbestiform varieties of amphiboles-anthophyllite...
Authors
Robert Virta

Mineral resource of the month: gypsum Mineral resource of the month: gypsum

You may not realize it, but the walls of your office are probably made from a mineral: gypsum. Gypsum is an abundant, evaporite-derived sedimentary mineral with deposits located throughout the world. It is often associated with paleoenvironmental lake and marine environments. In its pure form, gypsum consists of calcium sulfate dihydrate, although most crude gypsum naturally occurs in...
Authors
Robert D. Crangle

Electrofishing and the effects of depletion sampling on fish health: A review and recommendations for additional study Electrofishing and the effects of depletion sampling on fish health: A review and recommendations for additional study

Depletion sampling in combination with multiple-pass electrofishing is an important fisheries management tool for wadeable streams. This combination of techniques has been used routinely by federal and state fishery management agencies for several decades as a reliable means to obtain quantitative data on trout populations or to describe fish community structure. In this paper we review...
Authors
F. M. Panek, Christine L. Densmore

Prominent emerging diseases within the United States Prominent emerging diseases within the United States

This manuscript reviews disease syndromes that have become significant aquatic animal health issues within the United States since 2003. The emergence of Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) disease among wild fish in the Great Lakes is probably the most problematic and political issue. The emergence of this pathogen resulted in the issuance of a 2006 VHSV Federal order that placed...
Authors
R. C. Cipriano, A. Bowser, A. Dove, A. Goodwin, C. Puzach
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