Entries by Utah Geological Survey

Glad You Asked: June 19, 2014

So you think you’ve found a meteorite; is it really a meteorwrong? You found a strange rock. It is heavy, dark-colored, and magnetic; so you are thinking it must be from outer space. Find out more about meteorites in our “Glad You Asked” article HERE.

Colorado River researchers find signs of ancient, devastating floods

In more recent times, focus has been on the drought conditions affecting Southern Utah and the Colorado River. But what if the Colorado River were flooding? An interesting insight to the river’s extreme flood history, and research for better understanding of the rare events. latimes.com Scientists say it would have been a catastrophe of unprecedented […]

Discover Dinosaur Utopia: Utah

A great video short that talks about Utah’s expansive fossil record and dinosaur findings due in part to our wide variety of geology. Watch it to find out more about Utah’s contribution to dino discoveries.

Science corner: The problem with the fossil record

thedalleschronicle.com By the early 1800s, many scientists already recognized life on Earth was ancient, had changed over time, and fossils represented prehistoric extinct creatures. Evolution wasn’t a new idea, but understanding how it worked awaited Charles Darwin’s 1859 publication of “On the Origin of Species.” READ MORE

Found! Hidden Ocean Locked Up Deep in Earth's Mantle

Could water be found in minerals from Earth’s mantle? New research shows a possibility. livescience.com Deep within the Earth’s rocky mantle lies oceans’ worth of water locked up in a type of mineral called ringwoodite, new research shows. READ MORE

Maybe Dinosaurs Were A Coldblooded, Warmblooded Mix

New ideas that dinosaurs had a “Goldilocks” lifestyle with a mix of both warm and cold blood. Check it out! upr.org If you go to a zoo on a cold day and watch the snakes, you’ll see what it means to be coldblooded. Not much action going on — most reptiles and other coldblooded creatures […]

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'Reminder' quake shakes up Davis Count

Perhaps some of you felt the shaking late last night in Salt Lake Valley. The University of Utah seismographs recorded a Magnitude 3.3 earthquake 11 Miles ESE of Centerville, UT, at 10:34 PM. standard.net Although Wednesday night’s earthquake wasn’t particularly impressive, seismically speaking, it sent a shock wave — both literally and figuratively — throughout […]