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Science Snippets

Want some fun facts and interesting snippets of science? Then you came to the right place. Use an RSS reader, browser extension, or software to get updates when new Science Snippets are posted.

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Rocks in unusual positions hold secrets to northeastern U.S. earthquakes

Rocks in unusual positions hold secrets to northeastern U.S. earthquakes

USGS scientists are studying precariously balanced rocks, or rocks that seem on the brink of falling over (but haven’t yet), to estimate the strongest...

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Redwood Tree Stumps Offer Clues to Past Earthquakes

Redwood Tree Stumps Offer Clues to Past Earthquakes

Researchers are studying slices of tree stumps to study past earthquakes.

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In Blue Water: Tracking Animals in the Open Ocean

In Blue Water: Tracking Animals in the Open Ocean

Scientists are attaching tracking tags to marine animals at Palmyra Atoll to learn how marine protected areas can best serve diverse species. 

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Volcanic eruption? Earthquake? Stay calm and laugh on.

Volcanic eruption? Earthquake? Stay calm and laugh on.

New research demonstrates how laughter can be an effective way to help agencies connect with the people they serve during natural hazard events, like...

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Ancient methods of preventing desertification and recovering from drought

Ancient methods of preventing desertification and recovering from drought

Around the world, land degradation causes significant loss of biodiversity, impacts food security and water purification. Unsustainable land-use...

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Marine Biodiversity Data: How USGS and NOAA are collaborating to make data more accessible now and into the future

Marine Biodiversity Data: How USGS and NOAA are collaborating to make data more accessible now and into the future

USGS and NOAA have partnered through the Ocean Biodiversity Information System-USA and National Centers for Environmental Information to streamline...

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Everything Old is New Again

Everything Old is New Again

“Everything old is new again” is a truism in fashion, but it can also be true in minerals science. Areas that were once mined for certain mineral...

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Bird Mortality at Renewable Energy Facilities have Population-Level Effects

Bird Mortality at Renewable Energy Facilities have Population-Level Effects

A recent study shows nearly half of bird species studied were vulnerable to population-level effects from fatalities at renewable energy facilities. 

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History of Lake Powell Written in Sediment

History of Lake Powell Written in Sediment

Declining water levels in Lake Powell since 2000 provide a unique opportunity to study the sediments along previous shorelines. Researchers from the...

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Invasive Green Crabs Pose Threat to Washington’s Shellfish Industry and Tribal Culture

Invasive Green Crabs Pose Threat to Washington’s Shellfish Industry and Tribal Culture

In recognition of National Invasive Species Awareness Week (Feb. 28-March 4), we wanted to call attention to a relatively new threat in the waters off...

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The Hidden Cost of Disease for Bighorn Sheep—Smaller Horns

The Hidden Cost of Disease for Bighorn Sheep—Smaller Horns

Male bighorn sheep have spectacular horns, making them popular among hikers, photographers and hunters. However, disease threatens the magnificence of...

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The Case of the Misplaced Skunk

The Case of the Misplaced Skunk

Curators’ Casebook is our ongoing series in which we look at some of the curious cases USGS curators at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural...

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