All News

Photo & Video Chronology — Kīlauea summit monitoring overflight

U.S. Geological Survey — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 18:31:49 EDT

USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory staff conducted a lava sampling mission and monitoring overflight of Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea the morning of October 22, 2026, following episode 55 which occurred on October 17, 2026.

Volcano Watch — A look back at recent Kīlauea eruptions and intrusions

U.S. Geological Survey — Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:18:35 EDT

A caldera intrusion from September 30-October 1, amidst the ongoing episodic lava fountaining eruption at Kīlauea summit, has a lot of people wondering what will come next. Eruptions and magmatic intrusions are not unusual, and Kīlauea has experienced many of these in the summit region and along the rift zones over the past few years.

Volcano Minute — Patterns of eruptions and intrusions at Kīlauea

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 20:05:58 EDT

If you've been wondering what Kīlauea's recent caldera intrusion means, you're not alone.

USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center at the 2026 Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry North America Meeting

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 14:03:25 EDT

USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC) scientists and collaborators are presenting findings from hazard and risk studies at the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) North America 47th Annual Meeting in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from November 2-5, 2026.

Summer Drought May Increase Human-Bear Interactions

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 10:27:55 EDT

By mapping where human-bear interactions are most likely to occur under normal and drought conditions in Maryland, National CASC research can help wildlife managers support coexistence.

The Global Food-and-Water Security-support Analysis Data (GFSAD) Project held its 5th Workshop

U.S. Geological Survey — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 19:04:30 EDT

Summary of the Global Food-and-Water Security-support Analysis Data (GFSAD) Project Workshop held on October 15th-16th, 2026 at the U. S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Flagstaff Science Center

USGS Releases Assessment of Undiscovered Natural Gas Resources in Alaska’s North Slope

U.S. Geological Survey — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 16:06:27 EDT

RESTON, Va. — The U.S. Geological Survey released an assessment estimating 96 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable, undiscovered natural gas resources on Alaska’s North Slope.

New Improvements to Burn Severity Portal Announced

U.S. Geological Survey — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 10:39:00 EDT

Improvements to the Burn Severity Portal, including increased consistency to previously released maps and expanded data access, have been released, strengthening tools that are used for wildfire response and analysis.

2026 Best Student Geologic Map Competition Winners

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 18:55:32 EDT

The U.S. Geological Survey National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program (NCGMP) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2026 Best Student Geologic Map Competition, which took place at the annual Geological Society of America (GSA) Connects meeting in Denver, CO this past October.

New publication on geochemistry of Kīlauea lava fountains

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 18:09:11 EDT

A new paper led by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory tracks the geochemistry of the first year of lava fountains (episodes 1–39) erupted during the ongoing episodic eruption in Halema‘uma‘u at the summit of Kīlauea, which began December 23, 2024.

Media Alert: Low-level Flights to Image Geology over Eastern Oregon

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 15:19:56 EDT

RESTON, Va. – Low-level helicopter flights will begin in October over eastern Oregon to image geology using airborne geophysical technology.

The Slime Trail: How USGS eDNA Efforts Are Revealing What Lives in the Deep Gulf

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 14:54:52 EDT

USGS scientists are using eDNA to piece together the story of deep-water ocean life in the Gulf and monitor the health of this unique ecosystem.

USGS monitors California's coastal hazards during the 2026-2027 El Niño event

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 13:21:57 EDT

To improve assessments of the beach erosion hazards of U.S. coastlines, the USGS conducts coastal monitoring of these vulnerable beach landforms. This monitoring results in better understanding of the seasonal, event-based, and long-term changes to the coast and helps with planning for impacts from storms, such as those related to El Niño.

Landsat Science Team: Dead Vegetation Tells a Story

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:18:35 EDT

Brown, dead grass and leaves can tell a story – whether it’s one of wildfire danger, disease or drought.

To help understand the connection between nature’s hazards and plants, University of Utah researchers Phil Dennison and Mickey Campbell want to track non-photosynthetic vegetation, or NPV, which refers to dead or weathered plant material, including plant litter, leaves, needles and branches.

Landsat Science Team: Tracking Snow Crucial in Water Supply Monitoring

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:17:07 EDT

Snow, covering more than one-third of the Earth’s land surface seasonally, is a crucial water source for more than 1.2 billon people across the globe.

As significant as it is to the world’s water supply, snow is also one of the most difficult elements to monitor with remote sensing due to its brightness, challenging terrain, ever-changing nature and depth, along with cloud cover and topography.

Landsat Science Team: Landsat 10 to Improve Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:15:40 EDT

Harmful algal blooms, or HABs, occur when algae or cyanobacteria grow rapidly. These blooms can wreak havoc in aquatic ecosystems, killing hundreds of thousands of fish, harming people and animals and costing up to $100 million annually in the United States.

Landsat Science Team: Helping Farmers Monitor Water Use

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:10:44 EDT

Agriculture and the Landsat program have a long history together. The satellite Earth observations that began in 1972 provided a vital ability to monitor how crops were growing around the world—and whether shortages might be looming that would affect the food supply.

Landsat Science Team Focuses on Advanced Satellite Technology

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:00:00 EDT

Landsat 10 promises improved scientific discovery and innovation with better imaging capabilities for the next generation of Earth observation, continuing the 54-year legacy of the remote sensing program.

The newest satellite, with 26 spectral bands and enhanced resolution, is planned to launch in 2031.

SPCMSC Repairs Madeira Beach, FL Coastal Camera

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 10:18:14 EDT

The USGS coastal camera at Madeira Beach, FL was recently repaired by staff at the SPCMSC. Near real-time images are again available to be viewed on USGS webpages.

SPCMSC Scientists Perform Fieldwork on the Coral-Rubble Keys Protecting Dry Tortugas National Park

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 08:21:48 EDT

A team of U.S. Geological Survey scientists and National Park Service staff recently conducted fieldwork in Dry Tortugas National Park aimed at improving understanding of how coastal islands evolve over time and how severe storms influence their growth and erosion.

Was that Yellowstone earthquake volcanic or tectonic?

U.S. Geological Survey — Mon, 19 Oct 2026 00:30:00 EDT

There are lots of earthquakes in the Yellowstone region. How do scientists know if they are volcanic events, driven by magma, or tectonic events, caused by fault motion?

Photo & Video Chronology — Kīlauea summit episode 55

U.S. Geological Survey — Sat, 17 Oct 2026 12:24:28 EDT

Episode 55 of lava fountaining in Halemaʻumaʻu began at the summit of Kīlauea began at 3:19 a.m. HST on October 17, 2026.

Bats of the California Coast and Beyond!

U.S. Geological Survey — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 13:15:03 EDT

Join us for a Friday's Findings to kick off Bat Week! Tune in to learn how USGS scientists are studying bat migratory activity in coastal and offshore environments.

Powell Center Seminar: FresH2O Zoops

U.S. Geological Survey — Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:17:32 EDT

Join us for a Powell Center seminar on Thursday, October 22 from 1-2 pm MT / 3-4 pm ET.

Volcano Minute — Learning from lava erupted at the summit of Kīlauea

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 15:21:43 EDT

The six new eruptive vents that opened along the western wall of Halemaʻumaʻu between September 14th and 16th, offered scientists a new glimpse into Kīlauea's evolving magma system.

CRU Alum Honored for Coastal Bird Conservation Leadership

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 14:45:59 EDT

Felicia Sanders, an alum from the South Carolina Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, is recognized as one of the nation’s leading coastal bird conservationists. She recently earned several major awards celebrating her innovative, impactful work protecting vulnerable bird populations.

Volcano Watch — Where did the September fissure vent lava at Kīlauea's summit come from?

U.S. Geological Survey — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 14:06:25 EDT

On September 14–16, 2026, a set of six new eruptive fissure vents opened at Kīlauea summit along the western wall of Halemaʻumaʻu. These vents opened after a period of repressurization of the summit magma storage system that had taken place since the end of episode 54 of the ongoing summit eruption in August.

October 2026 ScienceBase Data Release Training for USGS Authors and Data Managers

U.S. Geological Survey — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 15:54:02 EDT

The USGS Science Data Management Branch will be hosting an upcoming Metadata 101 training for USGS authors and data managers. Please share this email with other researchers at your science center.

The vital flow: Understanding water’s essential role in thermoelectric power generation

U.S. Geological Survey — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 10:00:00 EDT

USGS reports critical data on water usage in thermoelectric power plants

Imagery Topo Base Map Retirement

U.S. Geological Survey — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 12:51:11 EDT

The United States Geological Survey's (USGS) National Geospatial Program (NGP) will retire the USGS Imagery Topo Base Map that combines aerial imagery with topographic map features like roads, place names, and contour lines into a single map view. It has been a popular resource for users who want to view topographic details on top of real-world imagery.