Volcano Watch: It’s all about perspective: How to interpret an interferogram
Interferograms are images created by radar satellites that show how the ground has changed shape, or deformed, over time. Today, we’ll dive into one of the trickiest parts of interpreting interferograms: the perspective of satellites.
Rick Steves: Andorra: Not lost in the Pyrenees
High in the mountains where France and Spain come together, I drove and drove. My goal: to stand atop a ridge looking into a rugged mountain-ringed basin where nature cradles an ancient tribe. There was an age when these pint-sized kingdoms were commonplace. But today, only a few survive. I finally reached my destination, deep in the rugged Pyrenees Mountains. Before me stretched the principality of Andorra.
Where it isn’t Christmas until the city shoots lasers at 20,000 crows
In Rochester, New York, there are telltale signs that the holiday season is underway.
Tropical Gardening: Gifts for Christmas that go on giving
It is fun to receive gifts for Christmas. As we become adults, it is more about giving rather than getting. Some gifts we enjoy are ones that are satisfying for a short time. Others are with us for the long haul. But when you think about it, gifts are over rated, since Christmas really isn’t only about gift giving or getting.
Ready for the Next Extreme-Weather Catastrophe? Here’s How to Pack a ‘Go Bag.’
Extreme weather is happening more frequently across the country, as we have seen this year with Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic impact on Asheville, North Carolina, November’s wildfires in New York and New Jersey and this month’s fast-spreading Malibu, California, fire. Nearly 20% of all Americans have had to evacuate their homes because of unexpected severe weather, according to a new study by the analytics firm YouGov.
Let’s Talk Food: Soup dumplings
Din Tai Fung Restaurant is a Taiwanese restaurant with 16 locations in the United States (but not in Hawaii). That is only a fraction of its 165 locations around the world, which include Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
Christmas in three European countries
In Europe, “Christmas” (or the local word for it) refers not to the day but the whole season, which stretches well over a month — not to extend the shopping season, but to fit in the many holy days and festivities.
Volcano Watch: How have eruptions shaped Hawaii? Volcano Awareness Month 2025, with a twist
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory monitors the six currently active volcanoes in Hawaii, but past eruptions have shaped all of the Hawaiian Islands. Join us in January 2025 for Volcano Awareness Month, an opportunity to learn about volcanic activity in Hawaii over the past year and beyond, or — new for this upcoming edition — submit art or poetry recognizing Hawaii’s volcanic history.
Tropical Gardening: Tropical pines sometimes hard to find
Christmas is less than three weeks away, but it seems like most folks are a bit slow in getting their trees up this year. Don’t delay any longer since trees that are shipped in early are best.
Their fertilizer poisons farmland. Now, they want protection from lawsuits.
For decades, a little-known company now owned by a Goldman Sachs fund has been making millions of dollars from the unlikely dregs of American life: sewage sludge.
Let’s Talk Food: Foods of Australia
My son Reid had to work in Sydney, Australia, so at the end of his work week, he had planned to take a few days off so he could show me around and meet up with some of his fellow workers.
Steves: Turkey has plenty to explore beyond Istanbul
Turkey is changing fast. And it’s modernizing fast. For a recent vacation, I hit the road in Turkey, with romantic memories (from my backpacker days) of horse-drawn carriages and villages with economies powered by hay, dung, and ducks. While that rustic old world is tougher to find, the deep traditions and warm hospitality of the region are as endearing as ever, especially if you venture past the predictable sights and tourist zones.
Volcano Watch: What sounds the (automated) alarms at HVO?
The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory keeps its eyes on active volcanoes in many ways. While old fashioned eyes and a notebook are used when field teams are near a volcano, modern volcano observatories also utilize rapidly collected data and computers to support monitoring.
Tropical Gardening: Nature heralds glad tidings of Christmas
Short cool days make conditions ideal for colorful poinsettias and its close relative Euphorbia leucocephala sometimes called Snow on the Mountain. Our holiday season usually begins with Halloween and extends to Easter, but it is also the time for colds, flu bugs, pneumonia, and even variants of Covid. This means we need to be a little careful of large crowds like wild parties around New Year’s Eve. Perhaps a safer endeavor would be to focus on enjoying the fresh air of our gardens!
Let’s Talk Food: Thanksgiving is Thursday
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love preparing all the traditional food for that special day, having family and friends over to celebrate, and then having leftovers for a couple of days.
Steves: Château-hopping near Paris is a royal treat
I always feel like a king when I get to explore the splendid châteaux that only France can offer.
Volcano Watch: Quantifying corrosion downwind of Kilauea
In December 2022, a team of scientists from Aotearoa, New Zealand teamed up with scientists from the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) to carry out a small pilot study of atmospheric corrosion rates on the island of Hawaii. The purpose was to expand our knowledge base of how metal corrodes in different environments — specifically metal that is often used as building and roofing material.
Inside the deadliest job in America
COOS BAY, Ore. — Mostly employed in densely forested pockets of the Pacific Northwest and the South, loggers have the highest rate of fatal on-the-job injuries of any civilian occupation in the nation, outpacing roofers, hunters and underground mining machine operators.
Tropical Gardening: Happy Thanksgiving! Lucky we live Hawaii
Thursday is Thanksgiving and giving thanks for the many blessings we have in Hawaii should be a daily event.
Why sitting all day may shorten your life
We’ve all heard that sitting too long is bad for you. We’re not evolved to do it, it can undermine our exercise gains, it causes dead butt syndrome. Sitting might not quite be “the new smoking,” but too much of it can still shorten your life.
