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Featured Stories

The science that transformed a dry streambed into an oasis

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50 Years of USGS Headquarters Building in Reston, Virginia

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5 Geomagnetic Storms That Reshaped Society

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Rapid Response Seafloor Seismology

New Small Ocean-Bottom Seismographs Enable Rapid Response to Earthquakes and Other Marine Geohazards

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Illuminating the Night: How Minerals in Fireworks Power Our Lives

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Five Years After the Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence

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USGS and Germany signal continued partnership for Landsat Next mission

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Dive into the world of science! Read these stories and narratives to learn about news items, hot topics, expeditions underway, and much more. Use an RSS reader, browser extension, or software to get updates when new Featured Stories are posted.

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Past Climates Provide a Roadmap to the Future

Past Climates Provide a Roadmap to the Future

A new USGS Paleoclimate Research website details our latest research around the world in this intriguing field.

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Magnitude 6.1 and 5.5 Italy Earthquakes

Magnitude 6.1 and 5.5 Italy Earthquakes

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Italy on October 26, 2016 at 19:18:08 UTC (9:18 pm local). A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck earlier at 17:10:37 UTC...

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A River Ran Through It and Brought Life, At Least for a While

A River Ran Through It and Brought Life, At Least for a While

In 2014, a large pulse of water was released into the mostly dry delta of the Colorado River along the U.S.-Mexico border. U.S. Geological Survey...

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The Science of Harmful Algal Blooms

The Science of Harmful Algal Blooms

Building knowledge to protect ecological and human health

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Post Hurricane Matthew: USGS Continues Efforts to Document How High Floodwaters Reached

Post Hurricane Matthew: USGS Continues Efforts to Document How High Floodwaters Reached

The heavy rains and storm surge Hurricane Matthew produced caused severe flooding in many parts of the south east, resulting in almost 40 peak flood...

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After the Storm – Hurricane Matthew and the Floods

After the Storm – Hurricane Matthew and the Floods

In the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew, USGS crews have been collecting the record number of storm-tide sensors deployed prior to the storm and are now...

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Imaging the Past

Imaging the Past

Looking into the past to see the future on Earth Observation Day

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Record Number of USGS Sensors Deployed for Hurricane Matthew

Record Number of USGS Sensors Deployed for Hurricane Matthew

The U.S. Geological Survey is using many forms of technology to track and document Hurricane Matthew’s effects on the eastern seaboard. Here is an in...

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Into the Storm – Hurricane Matthew

Into the Storm – Hurricane Matthew

USGS is engaged in research, monitoring, sampling and coastal change forecasting associated with Hurricane Matthew from Florida north up into Virginia...

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A Vision to Observe Earth

A Vision to Observe Earth

Toward a space-based perspective of our planet in the 1960s

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Comprehensive Study finds Widespread Mercury Contamination Across Western North America

Comprehensive Study finds Widespread Mercury Contamination Across Western North America

Mercury contamination is widespread, at various levels across western North America in air, soil, sediment, plants, fish and wildlife.

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Possible Explosion of Magnitude 5.3 in North Korea

Possible Explosion of Magnitude 5.3 in North Korea

A possible explosion of magnitude 5.3 occurred in North Korea on September 9, 2016 at 00:30:01 UTC (9:00 am local time).

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