All News

Photo & Video Chronology — Kīlauea summit GPS survey

U.S. Geological Survey — Fri, 13 Nov 2026 21:00:09 EST

On November 13, 2026, USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory geologists surveyed the pu‘u that has formed on the summit crater rim from tephra fallout from the ongoing episodic eruption at Kīlauea's summit.

Media Alert: Low-level Flights to Image Geology over U.S. Virgin Islands

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 12 Nov 2026 15:25:00 EST

RESTON, Va. – The U.S. Geological Survey will begin low-level airplane flights in November over the U.S. Virgin Islands to image geology using airborne geophysical technology.

Volcano Watch — Beneath the boardwalk: the scientific legacy of Haʻakulamanu

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 12 Nov 2026 15:20:58 EST

Just off the boardwalk at Haʻakulamanu (Sulphur Banks) in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, beneath an unassuming pile of rocks and rubble, lies the beginning of over 100 years of geochemical research at Kīlauea.

Volcano Minute — Where does Kīlauea's geochemistry story begin?

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 12 Nov 2026 14:43:36 EST

Hiking on the boardwalk at Haʻakulamanu, also known as Sulphur Banks, in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, is a multisensory experience.

USGS Projects World Production Capacity for 8 Critical Minerals from 2026 to 2030

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 12 Nov 2026 10:57:52 EST

RESTON, Va. — The U.S. Geological Survey released projections of world production capacity for eight critical minerals for the next five years in the second World Minerals Outlook. This is a forward-looking assessment that is part of a larger effort to provide forecasts and scenarios for global mineral supply chains, as directed by the Energy Act of 2020.

California has lost 60% of its coastal dunes since the 1800s, new study finds

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 10 Nov 2026 16:52:34 EST

California’s coastal sand dunes are disappearing. A new statewide assessment finds that the state has lost approximately 60% of its coastal dune area since the mid-1800s, as urban development, coastal erosion and changing land uses have dramatically reshaped these important ecosystems.

Photo & Video Chronology — Overflight of the summit of Kīlauea

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 10 Nov 2026 13:37:50 EST

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists conducted a monitoring overflight of Kīlauea summit on November 10, 2026.

USGS Awards $1.7 Million to 26 States to Preserve Data for Energy, Groundwater, Minerals Exploration

U.S. Geological Survey — Mon, 9 Nov 2026 15:55:56 EST

RESTON, Va. — The U.S. Geological Survey announced $1,685,806 in matching grants to 26 state geological surveys to inventory, catalog and preserve historic geoscientific data and physical samples critical to understanding the nation's energy, groundwater and mineral resources, and mapping geologic hazards like landslides.

Where do those mesmerizing beautiful blue colors in Yellowstone’s pools come from?

U.S. Geological Survey — Mon, 9 Nov 2026 00:30:00 EST

What’s behind the magnificent clear blue of Sapphire Pool in Biscuit Basin? Or those gorgeous milky blues in the namesake features of Norris Geyser Basin’s Porcelain Terrace?

Media Alert: Low-level Flights to Image Geology over Northeastern Iowa and Southeastern Minnesota

U.S. Geological Survey — Fri, 6 Nov 2026 12:33:08 EST

RESTON, Va. – Low-level airplane flights will begin as soon as early November over northeastern Iowa and southeastern Minnesota to image geology using airborne geophysical technology.

Volcano Watch — Such great heights: measuring Kīlauea’s lava fountains

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 5 Nov 2026 18:30:20 EST

“How tall is the fountain?”

This is the question that volcano watchers keep coming back to once the lava fountains start at Kīlauea. And there have been plenty of opportunities to ask this, as we’ve now had 56 lava fountains over the past two years at the summit of Kīlauea.

Volcano Minute — How tall is that fountain?

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 5 Nov 2026 18:02:21 EST

When lava fountains have erupted at the summit of Kīlauea, one question always quickly follows: How tall is that fountain?

Photo & Video Chronology — Episode 56 of lava fountaining at the summit of Kīlauea

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 5 Nov 2026 17:11:08 EST

On November 5, 2026, the summit of Kīlauea erupted lava fountains for six hours during the fifty-sixth episode of the eruption that began on December 23, 2024. A lava fountain from the north vent reached up to 660 feet (200 meters) above the ground.

Mercury exposure to northern elephant seal pups in utero is high and affected by the oceanic foraging behavior of their moms

U.S. Geological Survey — Wed, 4 Nov 2026 20:16:29 EST

USGS researchers led a 10-year collaborative research effort to see how maternal foraging strategies affect the transfer of mercury to their offspring.

Wildfires Increased Feather River Water Flow

U.S. Geological Survey — Wed, 4 Nov 2026 14:29:44 EST

A new study led by U.S. Geological Survey scientists estimates that the 2020 and 2021 wildfires in northern California increased the amount of water moving through the upper Feather River watershed. With fewer plants using water after the fires, more water stayed in the soil or flowed into streams. The watershed feeds Lake Oroville, which helps supply water to more than 27 million people.

Mercury contamination interacts with stress hormones to influence the immune and endocrine systems of adult northern elephant seals

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 3 Nov 2026 19:11:47 EST

A 10-year USGS collaborative study explores the interactive effects of mercury contamination and stress on northern elephant seals.

Media Alert: Low-level Flights to Image Geology over Central Texas

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 3 Nov 2026 13:55:41 EST

RESTON, Va. – Low-level airplane flights will begin in early November over central Texas to image geology using airborne geophysical technology.

Picturing the Unimaginable: Two Artists’ Early Journey into Yellowstone's Untamed Wonders

U.S. Geological Survey — Mon, 2 Nov 2026 00:30:00 EST

How can a landscape of vividly colored hot springs and erupting geysers be conveyed when it defies imagination? As part of Ferdinand Hayden’s 1871 survey of Yellowstone, artist Thomas Moran and photographer William Jackson brought Yellowstone’s unimaginable wonder to the world through their paintings and photographs.

New USGS data release on Kīlauea lava fountain heights

U.S. Geological Survey — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 15:02:15 EDT

A new Data Release by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory provides measurements of lava fountain heights during episodes 1–50 of the ongoing episodic eruption in Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea, which began December 23, 2024.

Webinar Series - Fueling Discovery with USGS Wildland Fire Science

U.S. Geological Survey — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 10:54:03 EDT

Fueling Discovery with USGS Wildland Fire Science is a public webinar series hosted by USGS Wildland Fire Science and the Ecosystems Mission Area. These webinars are meant to provide information on the breadth of USGS fire science used by stakeholders to make decisions before, during, and after wildfires in ecosystems across the U.S.

A True Halloween Story Treat: The dirt on Oppy’s demise!

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 21:38:13 EDT

On Launch Complex 17-B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the Delta II Heavy launch vehicle jetted toward Mars on 7 July 2003 at 11:18:15 PM, Eastern daylight time. A robotic rover formally named Opportunity, and dearly nick-named “Oppy” was a passenger on the rocket. Oppy’s profession was a robot geologist on assignment for NASA to find water and evidence for past life on Mars.

Towards Continental Conservation: A Metapopulation Strategy to Support Collaborative Bison Restoration and Management

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 16:27:22 EDT

Join us for a bison-centric Friday's Findings in honor of National Bison Day (November 7)! Tune in to learn how USGS scientists are helping to inform bison restoration and management.

Volcano Minute — A Quiet Eruption Beneath the Pacific

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 16:08:07 EDT

Beneath the ocean’s surface, submarine volcanoes carry out about 75 percent of Earth’s volcanic activity, but much of what they do remains hidden from view.

Modernizing Landsat Notifications: SNS Topics Replace RSS Feeds

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 11:37:56 EDT

The USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center uses Amazon Simple Notification Service (SNS) topics to notify users when new Landsat Collection 2 data and science products are added to the archive’s cloud-based inventory.

Podcast Explores the Links Between Storms and Invasive Species in the Pacific Region

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 08:54:25 EDT

A new podcast episode examines how storms increase the risks posed by invasive species on islands and highlights efforts by the Pacific Islands CASC and the Pacific RISCC Management Network to strengthen regional preparedness and response capacity.

Volcano Watch — Ruby seamount: A glimpse into the secret life of a submarine volcano

U.S. Geological Survey — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 13:50:53 EDT

Submarine volcanoes are enigmatic and mysterious because they are cloaked by the overlying ocean, yet their activity represents 75% of earth’s volcanism.

Branching out: New study reveals when invasive pythons take to the trees

U.S. Geological Survey — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 11:32:30 EDT

Effective management of invasive species often depends on not only understanding where the species lives, but how it behaves. In Big Cypress National Preserve, USGS scientists are uncovering new insights into the behavior of one of Florida’s most prolific invasive snakes – the Burmese python. A new study provides important context for understanding and managing this formidable snake.

USGS Study Outlines Scope and Severity of Bat Fatalities at US Wind Energy Facilities

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:34:23 EDT

A new USGS study reveals that an estimated 18.7 million bats have been killed at U.S. onshore wind energy facilities since 1981, far more than previously understood. By analyzing data from hundreds of wind projects, researchers identified the species most vulnerable to turbine collisions and uncovered patterns that could help reduce future bat fatalities.

SAWSC Hydrologist Presents at the Biennial Okefenokee Science Symposium

U.S. Geological Survey — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 13:28:02 EDT

SAWSC Hydrologist Greg Cherry was invited to speak at the Biennial Okefenokee Science Symposium. Cherry presented on the Floridan aquifer system in Coastal Georgia and issues with saltwater intrusion in the Savannah/Hilton Head area and near downtown Brunswick, Georgia.

Crystal clues: The case of the Lava Creek Tuff’s missing members

U.S. Geological Survey — Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:30:00 EDT

Recent studies are changing the way geologists think about the Lava Creek Tuff—the deposit that was created during the formation of Yellowstone Caldera 631,000 years ago. That eruption seems to have been even more complex than originally thought.