The University of Texas at Austin has joined leading scientists on a bold new effort to understand Earth’s largest earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The plans were detailed in a new report published Nov. 7 with the backing of 55 universities. Demian Saffer, the director of the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG) and one… Continue Reading Scientists Plan Major Research Program to Understand Earth’s Most Dangerous Hazards – banner

Based on their shared geologic history, one would expect the topography of the Andes mountains to be relatively consistent from one end to the other. But reality defies expectation: the 8,000-kilometer long mountain belt spectacularly widens and narrows (varying from 300 to 900 km in width) as it winds from north to south along the… Continue Reading Study Explores How Tectonic Forces Shape The Andes – Banner

Scientists who drilled deeper into an undersea earthquake fault than ever before have found that the tectonic stress in Japan’s Nankai subduction zone is less than expected, according to a study from researchers at The University of Texas at Austin and University of Washington. Demian wearing protective gear during offshore drillingDemian Saffer, director of the… Continue Reading Deepest Scientific Ocean Drilling Sheds Light on Japan’s Next Great Earthquake – Banner

Below Europa’s thick icy crust is a massive, global ocean where the snow floats upwards onto inverted ice peaks and submerged ravines. The bizarre underwater snow is known to occur below ice shelves on Earth, but a new study shows that the same is likely true for Jupiter’s moon, where it may play a role… Continue Reading Underwater Snow Gives Clues About Europa’s Icy Shell – Banner