When Rain Falls, Landslides!

April in Northeastern Ohio seems to emulate the old rhyme “April showers bring May flowers.” At least to some extent. Add in a few days of snow, sleet and freezing temperatures, and alternate back and forth throughout the month, and you’re now talking the typical spring-time weather in this area of the country. May isn’t all flowers and sunshine, either. In fact, up until last week, NE Ohio went a span of over two months with respite from the rainy weather only five days during that period. It was during one of these not-so-rainy days that I was able to visit one of the consequences of our early spring weather.

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Visiting Sharon

While I may have plenty of work to keep me busy, I am not kept from getting out to explore the world of geology. Last month was a good example, and one which is exciting to me not only because it allowed me to look at some local geology, but because it presented an opportunity to teach students about the subject and open their eyes to what is all around them.

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Got Gas? Ohio Does!

Currently, natural gas provides 22 percent of America’s energy demand. The Marcellus Shale, in the eastern United States, has caught the eyes of the natural gas industry when this once considered insignificant source may have turned out to be a treasure chest bursting at the seams. With new estimates at 500 trillion cubic feet (10% recoverable), the natural gas reserves of the Marcellus Shale alone are enough to meet American demands for two years.

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