"Eternal flames" fueled by hydrocarbon gas could shine a light on the presence of natural gas in underground rock layers and conditions that let it seep to the surface, according to research by geologists at the Department of Geological Sciences and the Indiana Geological Survey at Indiana University Bloomington.

An Indiana University geophysical experiment detected seismic signals from the reported nuclear device that North Korea detonated this week. Michael Hamburger, professor in the Department of Geological Sciences, said some seismographs in the experiment detected the North Korean blast about 13 minutes after it was detonated.

The Indiana Geological Survey has published an extensive collection of research papers about the reclamation of abandoned Indiana coal mine lands and the effects reclamation has on ground and surface water.

A solid majority of Indiana residents think it's a good idea to address concerns about climate change by capturing carbon dioxide from coal-burning power plants and storing it underground, according to a recently published study by Indiana University researchers. But most Hoosiers didn't know about the approach, called carbon capture and storage, before being contacted for the study.

What's it like to experience an earthquake that registers 8.0 on the Richter Scale? Hoosiers can find out first-hand from the Quake Cottage, an earthquake simulator that's being deployed by the Indiana Geological Survey in an outreach effort to raise awareness of the dangers of quakes.

"A Guide to Caves and Karst of Indiana," a new field guide published by Indiana University Press, explains how caves are created, examines the different geological features seen in them and tells about the types of animals that inhabit them.

The Indiana Geological Survey is celebrating the 175th anniversary of its founding this year. Now a research institute of Indiana University, the survey was formed to conduct the first geological study of the state.

Marcia McNutt, the first woman to serve as director of the U.S. Geological Survey, will present two lectures Feb. 6 at Indiana University Bloomington: one on fossil fuel resources, the other on earthquakes and community resiliency. The lectures are free and open to the public.

Considered a treasure trove of American history sought after by genealogists, urban planners, sociologists and a gamut of other researchers, Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, first created beginning in 1867 for assessing fire insurance liability for buildings in U.S. cities, are now available to the public for more than 300 locations in Indiana. The Sanborn Company designated Indiana University's Herman B Wells Library Map Collections as the repository for the original Indiana Sanborn paper maps which the company produced between 1883 and 1966. A recent joint project between IU and Historical Information Gatherers Inc. now provides digital color versions of the maps to the Indiana Spatial Data Portal (ISDP).

Considered a treasure trove of American history sought after by genealogists, urban planners, sociologists and a gamut of other researchers, Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, first created beginning in 1867 for assessing fire insurance liability for buildings in U.S. cities, are now available to the public for more than 300 locations in Indiana.

An impressive speaker series on climate change and energy, titled by organizers "The Grand Energy Challenge," received a successful launch yesterday (Sept. 15) as part of Indiana University's fall 2010 Themester: "sustain•ability: Thriving on a Small Planet."

The Indiana Geological Survey, a research institute of Indiana University, is a member of a large, new U.S. Department of Energy project to assess the geothermal potential of most American states. The IGS, along with 40 other state geological surveys, have formed a coalition to populate a new National Geothermal Data System with relevant, state-specific geothermal data. Over the three-year life of the project, the Geothermal Data Consortium will receive $17.79 million from the DOE with the IGS receiving $300,000.

The Geological Society of America has named Indiana University Bloomington geologist Maria Mastalerz the winner of the 2008 Gilbert H. Cady Award. Mastalerz, 51, is the youngest person ever to receive the award, and only the second woman to be so honored. Mastalerz is a senior scientist at the Indiana Geological Survey, a research institute of Indiana University, and is a graduate faculty member in IU's Department of Geological Sciences, where she advises graduate students.

Indiana Geological Survey scientists at Indiana University will participate in a new $67 million U.S. Department of Energy project to test the feasibility of storing carbon dioxide at underground sites in Ohio and Indiana. The evaluations are being carried out with the Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership, a research consortium of government, academy and industry researchers led by Columbus, Ohio-based Battelle Memorial Laboratories.

The Indiana University Department of Geological Sciences has quickly mobilized, sending two field teams to deploy instruments in the region of Friday morning's earthquakes. The seismographs and Global Positioning System (GPS) units being deployed will record aftershocks, half a dozen of which have already occurred.

A new report by Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the Indiana Geological Survey at IU describes Indiana's energy consumption and production by sector and fuel type, drawing comparisons between the state and the rest of the U.S. The "Indiana Energy Report 2007" is intended as a resource for decision makers and other citizens concerned with Indiana's energy needs and the impact of its energy-related activities.

Lake and watershed management professionals from around the world will meet in Union Station, in Indianapolis, on Nov. 8-10 for the 26th Annual International Symposium of the North American Lake Management Society (NALMS). Bill Jones, who is chairing this year's program, is a professor at Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA). The theme of the conference is "Making Connections -- Land, Water, People." The Opening Plenary will feature talks by Todd Thompson of the Indiana Geological Survey, a research institute at Indiana University, who will discuss the geological history of the changing Great Lakes' shorelines.

Indiana University will receive a $4.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to help improve TeraGrid -- a network of advanced computing, storage, visualization systems and instruments connected by high speed conduits. The grid allows scientists across the nation to share data, collaborate and accomplish difficult computing tasks.