Welcome to Stanford Earth Sciences
The Earth sciences have been at the heart of Stanford's academic program since the university's beginnings, nearly 120 years ago. Those early geologists focused on the search for and extraction of natural resources, an important endeavor during that age of expanding industrialization. Today the School of Earth Sciences works to gain a better understanding of our planet's history and its future, the energy and resource base that supports society, geologic hazards that impact a growing population, a changing climate, and the challenge of sustainability.
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Featured News
Stanford scientists document fragile land-sea ecological chain
Intricate, often invisible chains of life are threatened with extinction around the world. A new study quantifies one of the longest such chains ever documented.
Generation Anthropocene
Generation Antropocene compiles interviews conducted by students in an Earth Systems class called Podcasting the Antropocene. As part of their experiment in interdisciplinary science communication, students talked with geologists, engineers, ecologists, doctors, project managers, oceanographers, and historians on the theme of life in the Antropocene age.
Climate change may create price volatility in the corn market, say researchers from Stanford and Purdue
Researchers from Stanford and Purdue universities found that climate change's impact on corn price volatility could far outweigh the volatility caused by changing oil prices or government energy policies mandating biofuels production from corn and other crops. "Frankly, I was surprised that climate had the largest effect of these three influences," said Noah Diffenbaugh, assistant professor of environmental Earth system science at the School of Earth Sciences and a fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. "These are substantial changes in price volatility that come from relatively moderate global warming."
News Clips
New book on carbon capture by Jennifer Wilcox
Energy Resources Engineering Assistant Professor Jennifer Wilcox approaches the energy science sub-field carbon capture with an interdisciplinary discussion based upon fundamental chemical concepts ranging from thermodynamics, combustion, kinetics, mass transfer, material properties, and the relationship between the chemistry and process of carbon capture technologies.
A crowd-sourcing approach to earthquake detection
It’s 3:32 on a Tuesday afternoon. You’re in the office, staring at your computer but pining for a coffee break. The screen starts to shiver, the desk rumbles and the shaking under your feet sends ripples of recognition up to your brain: It’s an earthquake.
Stanford researchers question whether biofuel is the answer to U.S. energy independence
Addressing a room of Stanford affiliates and a remote audience of policymakers in Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, Food Security and the Environment Director Rosamond Naylor and colleague Siwa Msangi described the evolution of the biofuels industry from its hopeful past to what they believe is a more sinister present.
Earth Sciences and TSC
The Stanford Challenge (TSC) fundraising campaign raised $6.2 billion for a new model of research and teaching on the environment, human health, international affairs and other issues. Learn more about the School of Earth Sciences and TSC.
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