Rock Drilling ‘Threatens’ Scotland’s Geology

Irresponsible drilling of holes into rocks to extract samples threaten to “annihilate” geological features in Scotland, with the general public experiencing defaced outcrop in every setting imaginable – remote beaches and islands, mountain tops, and, lamentably, classic geological sections within statutory protected areas.

Caffeinated Coastal Waters

A new study finds elevated levels of caffeine at several sites in Pacific Ocean waters off the coast of Oregon, though not necessarily where researchers expected.

Red Tide Species Is Deadlier Than First Thought

Scientists have discovered that a species of tiny aquatic organism prominent in harmful algal blooms sometimes called “red tide” is even deadlier than first thought, with potential consequences for entire marine food chains.

Satellites See Unprecedented Greenland Ice Sheet Surface Melt

For several days this month, Greenland’s surface ice cover melted over a larger area than at any time in more than 30 years of satellite observations. Nearly the entire ice cover of Greenland, from its thin, low-lying coastal edges to its two-mile-thick center, experienced some degree of melting at its surface.

Researchers Monitor Volcanic Activity At Santorini

As tourists gambol around the Greek islands this summer, an international team of geoscientists is embarking on a research cruise to deploy instruments on the sea floor near one of the region’s most famous holiday destinations, Santorini. The team hopes to keep tabs on a massive volcano there that showed signs of unrest last year.