davisclipper.com

An earthquake is due to hit in Davis and Salt Lake counties sometime between Nov. 3-6 and the National Guard, Davis Hospital and Medical Center, fire departments and utilities are already planning what they will do when the big one hits.

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As a Halloween special, we’re taking you beyond Utah and overseas to London, England’s cemeteries. How is geology shaping and evolving those old headstones? Read more in this great piece to find out!

www.ucl.ac.uk

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UGS paleontologists Jim Kirkland and Don DeBlieux spent last week assisting a crew from Utah State Parks and the Escalante Petrified Forest State Park in moving a large petrified tree to the park for display. The park received permission from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to move the tree from land they manage just outside the town of Escalante, and they called in UGS paleontologists to consult with and oversee the move. Several pieces of heavy equipment were needed to lift the log, which was already separated into sections, onto a flatbed truck for the several-mile drive to the park. Eighteen sections were moved, including the base of the tree that was estimated to weigh over 2 tons, and lifted back into place in the sand-filled concrete enclosure that had been constructed to house the tree. The park is known for its large number of petrified logs eroding out of the 150-million-year-old Morrison Formation rocks. These logs are found on a plateau above the park entrance that can only be accessed by a fairly rugged hike, so not all visitors will have the time or the ability to see them. By having a large tree on display near the visitors center, many more people, including those with physical challenges, will be able to view and learn about the fossils found in this region. The cooperation of the BLM and State Parks for the benefit of Utah citizens and visitors was well exemplified during this project.

Incised petroglyphs, Canaan Gap, Washington County, Utah
Photographer: Tyler Knudsen; © 2013

From hot cocoa to cold-bugs, many things seem to join us as we move indoors in the winter season. Radon gas is among this indoor migration, and it increases as temperatures drop outdoors. Check out this good read, and great reminder, to check the amount of Radon gases present in your homes.

Find more information on Radon gas HERE

upr.org

The onset of colder weather brings things indoors, including unwanted radon gas.

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Check out this read for your mid-morning break—last week Utah State Paleontologist James Kirkland and UGS Paleontologist Don DeBlieux led the move of a 150-million-year-old petrified tree from nearby BLM land to the visitor center in Escalante Petrified Forest State Park. Stay tuned as we compile footage from the move!

sltrib.com

Escalante Petrified Forest State Park has one of the best collections of petrified wood in a natural setting in the country. But not everyone who stops at the park has the time, or the desire, to make a relatively short hike to see the collection.

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time.com

Scientists in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert have unearthed fossils that have allowed them for the first time to build a complete picture of one of the more bizarre-looking dinosaurs.

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Cooler weather is on its way, so we’ve got a cool “Glad You Asked” article to compliment the changing seasons! It’s a beautiful time of the year to get out into Utah’s geology. Maybe some of you have noticed these groovy rocks out on your outdoor adventures. What are those grooves in the rocks, and how did they get that way?

Read more about Glacial Striations and Slickensides HERE!

Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Garfield County, Utah
Photographer: Michael Vanden Berg; © 2013

Iron concretions from the Navajo Sandstone, Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Garfield County

A couple of our geologists, Gregg Beukelman and Adam McKean, talk about new knowledge of fault lines west of Salt Lake International Airport thanks to advances in technology. Read more about it!

ksl.com

Geologist Adam McKean said experts knew there were some faults in the earth west of the Salt Lake International Airport.

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