One of our geologists, Rich Giraud, talks about the landslide dangers in Utah in this brief article. Check it out!

kutv.com

In Utah talk of mudslides dredges up memories of the thistle slide that wiped out the small Utah town in 1983.The historic Utah slide unlike the one in Washington did not see a loss of life, no one was even hurt.

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The second edition of this awesome book is now available—check out the article for more details!

tahoedailytribune.com

Sierra College Earth Science Professor Frank DeCourten recently released the second edition of his book “Dinosaurs of Utah.” The first edition was released in 1998.

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The Wedge overlook, Emery County, Utah
Photographer: Ken Krahulec; © 2012

Little Grand Canyon from The Wedge overlook, Emery County.

heraldextra.com

A week after a hillside collapse swept away homes in the small town of Oso, Washington, it now appears the death toll could rise into the dozens.

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And another article that further explains the landslide risk in Utah—

Experts discuss landslide danger in Utah

fox13now.com

With the recent deadly landslide in Washington, and the recent wet weather in Utah, FOX 13 News asked local geology experts about a similar landslide risk in northern Utah, a region prone to landslides in the past.

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Factory Butte, Wayne County, Utah
Photographer: Stevie Emerson; © 2012

The Muley Canyon Sandstone Member of the Cretaceous-age Mancos Shale forms a protective cap at the top of Factory Butte, allowing it to tower 1,500 feet above badlands of the easily erodible Blue Gate Shale Member. These rocks record the existence of an inland sea covering much of Utah around 90 million years ago.

sunad.com

After years of lying around looking dead, herbivores and carnivores are interacting.

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It’s Thursday, and that means “Spot the Rock”!

Can any of you geo-sleuths tell us where this is?

The 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake happened 50 years ago today. It was the largest quake in U.S. history. Watch this interesting video by the U.S. Geological Survey.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lE2j10xyOgI

Good information to know, as Utah is also prone to landslides.

bustle.com

The death toll from last weekend’s mudslide in Washington state rose to 16 Wednesday, with at least 176 others still unaccounted for. The rescue operation is ongoing, but prospects appear grim: No survivors have been found since Saturday, when the landslide occurred, and rain is expected to further inhibit the search. But how common are landslides like this one? Where and when do they occur? And how can you possibly avoid them?

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Can mudslides be predicted? Washington site’s history highlights challenge. (+video)

csmonitor.com

The mile-long mudslide that buried homes along a bend in the Stillaguamish River near Oso, Wash., some 55 miles north of Seattle, leaving at least 14 dead and more than 100 missing, occurred at a site that was known to be landslide-prone.

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mnn.com

I the massive supervolcano underneath Yellowstone National Park ever erupted, it could spew ash over most of the United States. Of course, the Yellowstone Caldera (as it is formally known) hasn’t erupted in about 70,000 years — and it only seems to erupt around every 700,000 years — so it seems unlikely that it will happen again anytime soon. All the same, researchers constantly study the underground volcano looking to understand its behavior. You know, just in case.

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