Want to Solve Hard Problems? Fund Niche Research.

Japan's Earthquakes, Tsunamis, and Advisories

This week, a 7.4 Magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of northern Japan! This caused shaking, a tiny tsunami, and an advisory about a possible mega-quake. Listen to learn more about what this means for Japan, natural disaster preparation, and earthquake advisories everywhere! Like this episode? Pick one of the following! 1. Subscribe wherever you're listening! 2. Send this episode to a friend or family member! 3. Follow on Substack: https://substack.com/@rocksforjocks [https://substack.com/@rocksforjocks] Sources: * Original article posted on Substack [https://rocksforjocks.substack.com/p/japans-natural-hazards-this-week] * Music: 368 by Dyalla * Cover art and earthquake information: USGS [https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000sri7/map] * AP News article [https://apnews.com/article/japan-earthquake-tsunami-0746aebae49fc6cc37e20836ca37d570] describing impacts and advisories

Want to Solve Hard Problems? Fund Niche Research.

Why fund research into so many narrow questions far removed from everyday problems? Solving niche science problems expands bounds of human knowledge and makes new breakthroughs possible! In this episode, I walk listeners through a recent article I wrote on this topic posted on Substack. Read along (and subscribe) here: https://rocksforjocks.substack.com/p/want-to-solve-hard-problems-fund Music: 368 by Dyalla

Stories in Stone with author David B. Williams

In this episode I was lucky enough to discuss the book "Stories in Stone" with the author, David B. Williams! We talk about how geology weaves its way through human history and touch on some highlights from the book, including the Bunker Hill Monument's granite and how Michelangelo got his marble! * My substack: https://rocksforjocks.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips * David's website: http://geologywriter.com * David's substack: https://streetsmartnaturalist.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips * Music: 368 by Dyalla

Glacier Recession with Andy Jones, PhD Candidate

Andy's recent paper discussed: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adx9442 Substack: https://substack.com/@rocksforjocks In this episode, I host Andy Jones, a PhD candidate in Geoscience at the University of Wisconsin Madison. We focus on Andy's recently published research in California’s Sierra Nevada, where glaciers are disappearing for the first time in 30,000 years! We cover the formation, recession, and climatic impact of glaciers. Andy also talks about glacier studies in the Tropical Andes, emphasizing the need for climate action.  Listen and follow  “Rocks for Jocks” on Substack! * 00:00 Intro * 04:18 Glaciers' Role in Climate Regulation * 06:51 California's Disappearing Glaciers * 08:39 Historical Context of Expansion and Retreat * 20:00 Climate Change and Glacial Response * 29:59 Future Research Music: 368 by Dyalla

Geotech Talks with Marshall Pontrelli, PhD

This month, I bring back Marshall Pontrelli, a fan-favorite former guest and graduate school coworker! We talk about Marshall's research on geotechnical engineering, site response, and earthquake hazard mapping. We also get into Marshall’s thoughts on the peer review process and the application of scientific thinking to broader contexts. Subscribe on Substack: ⁠⁠https://rocksforjocks.substack.com⁠⁠ [https://rocksforjocks.substack.com] 00:00 Welcome and Intro 02:01 Marshall's Graduate School Research 08:31 Mexico City Earthquake Study 16:37 Geological Mapping and Hazard Analysis 28:43 Depth to Bedrock, Shear Wave Velocity, and Cone Penetration Tests 41:48 Design-Build vs. Design-Bid-Build 49:29 Reflections on Scientific Thinking Music: 368 by Dyalla