Articles
Witness Posts
Witness posts are signs that alert visitors to the presence of a nearby survey marker.
Witch’s Broom in Trees: Dense Clump of Leaves and Branches
Witch's broom affects trees like birch, spruce, and pine, causing dense twig and leaf clusters due to pathogens, parasites, and environmental stressors.
Mapping Heatwaves from Space: How Extreme Temperatures Are Modeled
The Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) model can help researchers predict and map heatwaves around the world.
Venezuela Becomes the First Country to Lose its Glaciers
Venezuela became the first country to lose all of its glaciers as the last remaining ice on Pico Humboldt shrank to less than two hectares.
Understanding Fast Ice in Polar Ecosystems and Climate Dynamics
Fast ice, found in both polar regions, is sea ice that attaches to coasts, icebergs, ice shelves, or the ocean floor.
Mapping Coral Reef Health with Sound
Scientists used artificial intelligence and passive acoustic monitoring to assess coral reef health by analyzing the sounds of the ocean.
A Guide to the Geography of U.S. National Parks
Find out the answers to geography trivia questions and more in this article about the geography of U.S. National Parks.
Explore U.S. National Parks: Fun Map and Geography Trivia
This interactive map lets you browse interesting geographical facts and trivia about the 61 U.S. national parks.
What’s in a Map? Exploring the Elements of Cartography
Maps visualize geographic data, and contain elements like data frames, legends, titles, north arrows, scale bars, citations, borders, and inset maps.
Nunataks: Glacial Islands
Nunataks are isolated mountain peaks visible above ice sheets in polar and high-altitude regions.
Study Models How Well Marine Protected Areas Overlap Fish Habitat
A study found that most marine protected areas (MPAs) don't adequately cover key habitats of diadromous fish with only 50% of core habitats protected.
Understanding the Earth’s Structure: A Guide to Tectonic Plates
The Earth's lithosphere is divided into tectonic plates, which are in constant motion. Learn where to find GIS data on tectonic plates.
Using GIS to Design Child-Friendly Cities
Using GIS, cities can design child-friendly pedestrian pathways that prioritize children's interests and safety, promoting urban living and sustainability.
What is an Ice Arch?
An ice arch forms when sea ice buckles under pressure, creating a natural arch-shaped structure in polar regions, often blocking the movement of ice.
Polynyas: Natural Openings in Polar Ice
Explore the geography of polynyas, unique open water areas in polar ice, and learn about their formation, ecological impact, and role in climate dynamics.
What is at Zero Degrees Latitude and Zero Degrees Longitude?
What can be found at zero degrees latitude and zero degrees longitude?
Urban Tree Canopy Affects How Heat Stress Impacts Residents
Minority and low-income neighborhoods have 11% fewer trees, are 1.5°C hotter, and have 14% more impervious surfaces than wealthier, whiter areas.
Types of GIS Data Explored: Vector and Raster
Explore the key differences between GIS vector and raster data, and how each type supports diverse spatial analysis tasks.
Building a GIS Career
Geospatial technology is widely used across industries, with evolving GIS skills. Here are tips to prepare for a GIS career.
Acequias in the Southwest U.S.
In New Mexico and other Southwestern states, acequias are channels that are dug to divert water from snow runoff and rivers in order to irrigate fields.
Latitude and Longitude Explained: How to Read Geographic Coordinates
Learn more about lines you see on a map running east-west and north-south called latitude and longitude.
Tracking Penguin Colonies Through Their Droppings
Researchers are using satellite imagery to map Antarctica’s penguin population by estimating their numbers based on the large guano stains left behind.
When Rivers Become Ice Roads
During the cold winter months, parts of Canada's Mackenzie River become a ice road that trucks up to 22,000 pounds can navigate.
Will Cool Air Pooling Protect Some Forests from Climate Change?
Researchers looked at the link between cool air pooling and cold-adapted forest composition.
5 Ways GIS Users Can Expand Their Geospatial Skills
Listed here are five practical strategies that GIS users can adopt to further develop their geospatial capabilities.
Forecasting Phytoclimates
A study of 135,153 vascular plant species predicts that by 2070, 33-68% of land on Earth will experience significant phytoclimate changes.