Earth Science Week 2013 Events

October 13-19 is Earth Science Week 2013! This year’s national theme for the week is “Mapping Our World,” and each day of the week focuses on specific themes (see http://www.earthsciweek.org/specialdays.html). Every year, NBMG actively participates and hosts events in conjunction with Earth Science Week.

Earth Science Week Field Trip – October 12 and 13
NBMG hosts annual Earth Science Week field trips, which are educational, free, family oriented, and always a lot of fun. In keeping with the national Earth Science Week theme, this year’s trip will focus on identifying rocks and minerals, then mapping the geology around NBMG’s Great Basin Science Sample and Records Library (GBSSRL) on the DRI campus. The trip will take place on October 12 and 13 (same trip on Saturday and Sunday).  A sign-up form and additional information is available at http://www.nbmg.unr.edu/ESW/ESW_13/index.html.

International EarthCache Day – October 13
Sunday, October 13 is International EarthCache Day. Celebrate by hunting Nevada EarthCaches available from the NBMG website! http://www.nbmg.unr.edu/ScienceEducation/EarthCaches/EarthCaches.html

National Fossil Day – October 16
Plan a fossil-collecting adventure using a field guide from a past NBMG Earth Science Week trip to celebrate the fourth annual National Fossil Day on Wednesday, October 16. Visit Geotripping in Nevada on the NBMG website and look for field guides with numbers E28, E40, E42, and E52. You could also plan a trip to visit an excavation site for Nevada’s state fossil—the ichthyosaur—at Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, or visit the huge plesiosaur and other fossils at the W.M. Keck Museum on the UNR campus. If you attend the ESW trip on October 12 or 13, which leaves from the GBSSRL, you can pick up some free games and activities on fossils at our office.
http://nature.nps.gov/geology/nationalfossilday/

The Great Nevada ShakeOut – October 17
On Thursday, October 17 at 10:17 a.m., you can join NBMG in practicing how to “drop, cover and hold on” during The Great Nevada ShakeOut. Learn more about this statewide earthquake drill and how to participate at http://www.shakeout.org/nevada/index.html. Don’t forget that Nevada is earthquake country, so take the necessary steps to be prepared for the next time an earthquake strikes! Earthquake preparedness brochures and booklets are available free on the NBMG website at http://www.nbmg.unr.edu/Geohazards/Earthquakes/Preparedness.html.

Geologic Map Day – October 18
Friday, October 18 is Geologic Map Day. A major component of NBMG is geologic mapping. Geologic maps are critical to understanding Nevada’s geology and landscapes, mineral and energy resources, and geologic hazards. NBMG’s extensive collection of geologic maps can be browsed online at http://www.nbmg.unr.edu or in person at the GBSSRL.

Be sure to participate in Earth Science Week 2013, and don’t forget to sign up for our annual field trip!