Welcome to Stanford Earth Sciences
The Earth sciences have been at the heart of Stanford's academic program since the university's beginnings, nearly 120 years ago. Those early geologists focused on the search for and extraction of natural resources, an important endeavor during that age of expanding industrialization. Today the School of Earth Sciences works to gain a better understanding of our planet's history and its future, the energy and resource base that supports society, geologic hazards that impact a growing population, a changing climate, and the challenge of sustainability.
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Featured News
Generation Anthropocene
Generation Antropocene compiles interviews conducted by students in an Earth Systems class called Podcasting the Antropocene. As part of their experiment in interdisciplinary science communication, students talked with geologists, engineers, ecologists, doctors, project managers, oceanographers, and historians on the theme of life in the Antropocene age.
Climate change may create price volatility in the corn market, say researchers from Stanford and Purdue
Researchers from Stanford and Purdue universities found that climate change's impact on corn price volatility could far outweigh the volatility caused by changing oil prices or government energy policies mandating biofuels production from corn and other crops. "Frankly, I was surprised that climate had the largest effect of these three influences," said Noah Diffenbaugh, assistant professor of environmental Earth system science at the School of Earth Sciences and a fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. "These are substantial changes in price volatility that come from relatively moderate global warming."
Global Climate and Energy Project awards $8.4 million to develop innovative energy technologies
"These awards support fundamental research on a broad range of potentially game-changing energy technologies – from an all-carbon solar cell to a soot-free diesel combustion process," said GCEP Director Sally Benson, a research professor of energy resources engineering at Stanford.
News Clips
Stanford researchers question whether biofuel is the answer to U.S. energy independence
Addressing a room of Stanford affiliates and a remote audience of policymakers in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, Food Security and the Environment Director Rosamond Naylor and colleague Siwa Msangi described the evolution of the biofuels industry from its hopeful past to what they believe is a more sinister present.
Why was a huge 'rogue earthquake' not destructive?
On April 11 of this year, one of the 10 biggest earthquakes ever recorded struck off the coast of Indonesia. It was felt from Bangladesh to Australia. You may not have even heard of this magnitude 8.6 quake. It barely made the news in the U.S. because it did very little damage. Two people died, but there was no massive tsunami.
Sierra Nevada mountains still reaching for the sky
The mountains of the Sierra Nevada are still rising, and they're a lot younger than most scientists previously thought.
Earth Sciences and TSC
The Stanford Challenge (TSC) fundraising campaign raised $6.2 billion for a new model of research and teaching on the environment, human health, international affairs and other issues. Learn more about the School of Earth Sciences and TSC.
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