Science Olympiad State Competition #NorthDakota #geologic mapping #geology

The thing about #borders humans mostly forget is that, in terms of human timescales, they are all only temporary, always changing, and in terms of #geologic timescales, they have never existed at all.

Environmental Impacts of #Geothermal Energy

Published Mar 5, 2013
Union of Concerned Scientists

"The most widely developed type of geothermal power plant (known as #hydrothermal plants) are located near #geologic “#HotSpots” where hot molten rock is close to the earth’s crust and produces hot water. In other regions enhanced geothermal systems (or hot dry rock geothermal), which involve drilling into Earth’s surface to reach deeper geothermal resources, can allow broader access to geothermal energy."

[...]

"Some geothermal plants also produce small amounts of #mercury emissions, which must be mitigated using mercury filter technology. Scrubbers can reduce air emissions, but they produce a watery #sludge composed of the captured materials, including #sulfur, #vanadium, #silica compounds, chlorides, #arsenic, mercury, #nickel, and other heavy metals. This #ToxicSludge often must be disposed of at hazardous waste sites."

[...]

"Land #subsidence, a phenomenon in which the land surface sinks, is sometimes caused by the removal of water from geothermal reservoirs. Most geothermal facilities address this risk by re-injecting wastewater back into geothermal reservoirs after the water’s heat has been captured.

"Hydrothermal plants are sited on geological “hot spots," which tend to have higher levels of #earthquake risk. There is evidence that hydrothermal plants can lead to an even greater earthquake frequency. Enhanced geothermal systems (hot dry rock) can also increase the risk of small earthquakes. In this process, water is pumped at high pressures to fracture underground hot rock reservoirs similar to technology used in natural gas hydraulic #fracturing. (See How Natural Gas Works for more information.) Earthquake risk associated with enhanced geothermal systems can be minimized by siting plants an appropriate distance away from major fault lines. When a geothermal system is sited near a heavily populated area, constant monitoring and transparent communication with local communities is also necessary."

https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/environmental-impacts-geothermal-energy

Beneath the Ice: Greenland’s Geology Revealed in New Map
https://eos.org/research-spotlights/beneath-the-ice-greenlands-geology-revealed-in-new-map #greenland #geologic #map

Naturally occurring underground pockets of pure hydrogen are generating attention as a potentially unlimited source of carbon-free power.
 
One interested party is the U.S. Department of Energy, which last month awarded $20 million in research grants to 18 teams from laboratories, universities, and private companies to develop technologies that can lead to cheap, clean fuel from the subsurface.
 
#Geologic #hydrogen, as it’s known, is produced when water reacts with iron-rich rocks, causing the iron to oxidize. 
 
The U.S. Geological Survey estimates there are potentially billions of tons of geologic hydrogen buried in the Earth’s crust.
Accumulations have been discovered worldwide, and a slew of startups are searching for extractable deposits.
One of the grant recipients, MIT Assistant Professor Iwnetim Abate’s research group, will use its $1.3 million grant to determine the ideal conditions for producing hydrogen underground
— considering factors such as catalysts to initiate the chemical reaction, temperature, pressure, and pH levels.
The goal is to improve efficiency for large-scale production, meeting global energy needs at a competitive cost.
Abate is looking to jump-start the natural hydrogen production process, implementing “proactive” approaches that involve stimulating production and harvesting the gas.
https://news.mit.edu/2024/iwnetim-abate-aims-extract-hydrogen-rocks-0408

Scientists suggest that despite not officially entering the #Anthropocene, our impact on the planet will be etched in history. The diverse imprints left by #humans on #nature over a vast timeframe pose a challenge for #geological classification. The intricate web of influences we have exerted on the environment defies a singular starting point for this new #epoch.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/05/climate/anthropocene-humans-climate.html No Paywall: https://archive.ph/V9RNT #humankind #geologic #climate

A vast, flat, "featureless" plain on #Mars surprised researchers by revealing a much more tumultuous #geologic past than expected, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Arizona. Enormous amounts of #lava have erupted from numerous fissures as recently as one million years ago
#SpaceScience #sflorg
https://www.sflorg.com/2023/12/sn12182301.html

This #video taught me that 100 years ago, #science had no idea there were other #galaxies beyond our own

Already knowing how much of our current knowledge of everything is still brand new (in #human, #geologic, and #astronomical terms), and under regular revision, is what makes me eye roll at almost every assertion in literally any science that any one concept is absolutely true and fundamentally unchanging.

https://youtu.be/I9q-7GPQr1Y

What’s on deck this morning? A #HiRise image of amazing folded #geologic rock formations on #Mars! I have five 8x8” paintings to do by Labor Day for the Central Art Gallery Square Show, so they might as well be space (or abstract depending on the viewer. )

More evidence that our collective thinking is too narrow and shallow causing us to mistakenly believe in #human #supremacy in #intelligence, #sentience, #consciousness, and #communication over all other things on #Earth.

What makes people, and #science in general, believe we can #communicate with #entities from other #worlds when we can't even recognize the traits of, and communicate with, our fellow #terrestrials in the #animal, #plant, and #fungal (#geologic?) worlds?

https://nautil.us/what-plants-are-saying-about-us-264593/?_sp=0a49ee37-294b-4fe0-a77a-2e2098e5d2a3.1679486257001

USGS #Storymap: "At the #SaltonSea, changes in #ecology, #agriculture, & #water rights intersect with human #health, #geothermal energy production, & #geologic #hazards."
Beautiful images, great #maps & highly #educational!
https://geonarrative.usgs.gov/saltonsea/
Recommend for undergrad #geoscience classes