Climate Change:

1. Warmer Winter Temperatures Linked to Increased Crime

New research suggests that crime is related to the way climate alters people's daily activities.

https://eos.org/scientific-press/warmer-winter-temperatures-linked-to-increased-crime

2. Greenhouse Gas Inventories Underestimate Methane Emissions

A new study in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area reveals prior estimates may significantly underrepresent methane emissions, particularly from landfills and natural gas systems.

https://eos.org/research-spotlights/greenhouse-gas-inventories-underestimate-methane-emissions

3. Atmospheric Aerosol in the Changing Arctic

Warming and sea ice loss in the Arctic are affecting the complex interactions between the atmosphere, ocean, land, and ice-covered areas, including the formation and transport of aerosol.

https://eos.org/editors-vox/atmospheric-aerosol-in-the-changing-arctic

4. Atacama Desert's Unprecedented Rains Are Lethal to Microbes

Rainfall in the driest parts of Chile's Atacama Desert in 2017 resulted in hypersaline lagoons that killed the majority of microbes adapted to millions of years of arid conditions.

https://eos.org/articles/atacama-deserts-unprecedented-rains-are-lethal-to-microbes

5. Why Is the Gulf of Maine Warming Faster Than 99% of the Ocean?

The Gulf of Maine's location at the meeting point of two major currents, as well as its shallow depth and shape, makes it especially susceptible to warming.

https://eos.org/features/why-is-the-gulf-of-maine-warming-faster-than-99-of-the-ocean

Hazards & Disasters:

1. The Many Unknown Facets of Plastics in Ecosystems

Few studies have examined lakes or wide swaths of ocean areas, leaving critical data gaps in how plastic pollution affects wildlife and moves across food webs.

https://eos.org/articles/the-many-unknown-facets-of-plastics-in-ecosystems

Natural Resources:

1. A Closer Look at the Sustainability of Our Groundwater Aquifers

Researchers use a new approach to assessing the world's largest aquifers in hopes of improving groundwater management during drought periods.

https://eos.org/research-spotlights/a-closer-look-at-the-sustainability-of-our-groundwater-aquifers

2. Hydrology Dictates Fate of Carbon from Northern Hardwood Forests

As spring snowmelt and fall rains inundate northern hardwood forests with moisture, soil bacteria get moving and increase carbon exports to the atmosphere and into nearby water bodies.

https://eos.org/research-spotlights/hydrology-dictates-fate-of-carbon-from-northern-hardwood-forests

3. Water Resources Challenges Expected to Increase

A new report identifies the highest-priority challenges and recommendations for the U.S. Geological Survey's water mission.

https://eos.org/articles/water-resources-challenges-expected-to-increase

Space & Planets:

1. Scientists Theorize New Origin Story for Earth's Water

New findings about where Earth got its water could give scientists important insights about the development of other planets and their potential to support life.

https://eos.org/scientific-press/scientists-theorize-new-origin-story-for-earths-water

Atmospheric Sciences:

1. What Makes a Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flash in Thunderclouds?

Two lightning flashes were observed in the same location: One produced a bright gamma-ray flash with about 1000 counts per millisecond, but the other did not.

https://eos.org/editor-highlights/what-makes-a-terrestrial-gamma-ray-flash-in-thunderclouds

Geology & Geophysics:

1. Universal Units Reflect Their Earthly Origins

On Friday, the kilogram will join its fellow metric units with a definition based on fundamental physical constants, but these units maintain links to their roots in the geosciences.

https://eos.org/project-updates/universal-units-reflect-their-earthly-origins

2. Celebrating the 2018 Class of Fellows

AGU President-elect Robin Bell will present the newly elected class at the upcoming AGU Fall Meeting.

https://eos.org/agu-news/celebrating-the-2018-class-of-fellows

3. Jones Receives 2018 Gilbert F. White Award

Lucile Jones will be awarded the 2018 Gilbert F. White Award. She will be formally presented with the award at AGU's Fall Meeting 2018, to be held 10–14 December in Washington, D. C. This award is given in recognition of original contributions to the basic knowledge of natural hazards and/or disaster risks.

https://eos.org/agu-news/jones-receives-2018-gilbert-f-white-award

4. Brooks Receives 2018 Natural Hazards Section Award for Graduate Research

Edward Brooks will be awarded the 2018 Natural Hazards Section Award for Graduate Research. He will be formally presented with the award at AGU's Fall Meeting 2018, to be held 10–14 December in Washington, D. C. The award recognizes "one or more promising young scientists engaged in studies of natural hazards and risks" and is given "in recognition of outstanding contributions achieved during their Ph.D. (or highest equivalent terminal degree) research."

https://eos.org/agu-news/brooks-receives-2018-natural-hazards-section-award-for-graduate-research

5. O'Bannon, Posner, and Solomatova Receive 2018 Mineral and Rock Physics Graduate Research Award

Earl O'Bannon, Esther Posner, and Natalia Solomatova will receive the 2018 Mineral and Rock Physics Graduate Research Award at AGU's Fall Meeting 2018, to be held 10–14 December in Washington, D. C. This award is given annually to one or more promising young scientists for outstanding contributions achieved during their Ph.D. research.

https://eos.org/agu-news/obannon-posner-and-solomatova-receive-2018-mineral-and-rock-physics-graduate-research-award

6. Mao Receives 2018 Mineral and Rock Physics Early Career Award

Zhu Mao will receive the 2018 Mineral and Rock Physics Early Career Award at AGU's Fall Meeting 2018, to be held 10–14 December in Washington, D. C. The award is given to early-career scientists "in recognition of outstanding contributions in the broadly defined area of mineral and rock physics."

https://eos.org/agu-news/mao-receives-2018-mineral-and-rock-physics-early-career-award

7. Scanlon Receives 2018 Hydrologic Sciences Award

Bridget Scanlon will receive the 2018 Hydrologic Sciences Award at AGU's Fall Meeting 2018, to be held 10–14 December in Washington, D. C. The award is for "outstanding contributions to the science of hydrology."

https://eos.org/agu-news/scanlon-receives-2018-hydrologic-sciences-award

8. Wada Receives 2018 Hydrologic Sciences Early Career Award

Yoshihide Wada will receive the 2018 Hydrologic Sciences Early Career Award at AGU's Fall Meeting 2018, to be held 10–14 December in Washington, D. C. The award "acknowledges early career prominence and promise of continued contributions to hydrologic science."

https://eos.org/agu-news/wada-receives-2018-hydrologic-sciences-early-career-award

9. Introducing the New Editor-in-Chief of Radio Science

Find out who is taking over the helm ofRadio Scienceand her plans for taking the journal forward in the coming years.

https://eos.org/editors-vox/introducing-the-new-editor-in-chief-of-radio-science

10. Reichstein Receives 2018 Piers J. Sellers Global Environmental Change Mid-Career Award

Markus Reichstein will receive the 2018 Piers J. Sellers Global Environmental Change Mid-Career Award at AGU's Fall Meeting 2018, to be held 10–14 December in Washington, D. C. The award recognizes a scientist or team of midcareer scientists "for outstanding contributions in research, educational, or societal impacts in the area of global environmental change, especially through interdisciplinary approaches."

https://eos.org/agu-news/reichstein-receives-2018-piers-j-sellers-global-environmental-change-mid-career-award

11. Ban-Weiss, Chakrabarty, and Guan Receive 2018 Global Environmental Change Early Career Award

George Ban-Weiss, Rajan Chakrabarty, and Kaiyu Guan will receive the Global Environmental Change Early Career Award at AGU's Fall Meeting 2018, to be held 10–14 December in Washington, D. C. The award recognizes an early-career scientist "for outstanding contributions in research, educational, or societal impacts in the area of global environmental change, especially through interdisciplinary approach."

https://eos.org/agu-news/ban-weiss-chakrabarty-and-guan-receive-2018-global-environmental-change-early-career-award