A former U.S. Geological Survey research scientist reflects on the Trump administration’s sweeping changes in the agency.
Scientific research
Posted inMarch 2026: The Uncertainty of Farming in the Colorado River Basin
Coyotes and cougars and rats, oh my!
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inMarch 2026: The Uncertainty of Farming in the Colorado River Basin
As a caribou herd crashed, wildlife managers turned to killing predators
The controversial culling program reveals the messy politics behind reviving a struggling Alaska herd.
Posted inArticles
The farther the walk, the fatter the deer, study finds
New research shows the importance of intact migration pathways for Wyoming deer.
Posted inArticles
Trump’s EPA decided climate change doesn’t endanger public health. Evidence says otherwise.
Extreme heat, severe weather and air pollution are proven to cause negative health impacts.
Posted inFebruary 2026: The Recording Artists
What’s needed to protect sage grouse?
The Burns Paiute and Shoshone-Bannock tribes are proving that reducing grazing may be the key to saving the iconic bird.
Posted inFebruary 2026: The Recording Artists
Wise-guy wolves, trekking in drag, talented tarantulas and Bigfoot takes a bow
Mishaps and mayhem from around the region.
Posted inFebruary 2026: The Recording Artists
Where giant kangaroo rats — and other critters — thrive
Thanks to concerted conservation, California’s Carrizo Plain is once again home to rare wildlife.
Posted inJanuary 2026: Deep Time in the West
The Grand Canyon and Meteor Crater have a surprising link
Mysterious driftwood high in Grand Canyon caves hints at the legacy of Arizona’s huge impact crater.
Posted inJanuary 2026: Deep Time in the West
‘My history is a blip’
#iamthewest: Giving voice to the people that make up communities in the region.
Posted inJanuary 2026: Deep Time in the West
How pronghorn outran the ice age
Can they outrun an uncertain climate future?
Posted inJanuary 2026: Deep Time in the West
How geology not only shapes the world, it shapes us
A geologist’s daughter reflects on deep time and her father’s influence.
Posted inJanuary 2026: Deep Time in the West
What does ‘time immemorial’ really mean?
An overused phrase goes under the microscope.
Posted inJanuary 2026: Deep Time in the West
Meet the oldest rock in the West
Wyoming’s 3.5 billion-year-old geologic history reminds us that Earth is ever-changing.
Posted inArticles
Americans generally like wolves − except when reminded of politics
Recent studies found that attitudes toward wolves became more polarized when people’s political identities were activated.
Posted inJanuary 2026: Deep Time in the West
An age-old monument faces modern threats
Scientists say Grand Staircase-Escalante isn’t reaching its full research potential.
Posted inJanuary 2026: Deep Time in the West
How plate tectonics revolutionized our understanding of Earth
And how scientist Tanya Atwater was at the center of it all.
Posted inDecember 2025: Wild Harvest
Cascades frogs vanished from Lassen Volcanic National Park in 2007. Now, they’re back.
With careful site selection and antifungal baths, scientists are staging a frog comeback in the park.
Posted inFebruary 2026: The Recording Artists
Mexican wolves are rebounding, but are they ready for delisting?
A new bill from Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar looks to remove endangered species protections.
Posted inArticles
Washington approves over 99% of archaeological permits, records show
As tribes struggle to protect their heritage, the nation’s leading state archaeologist says she lacks the authority to stop development projects.