Map of Earthquake in Haiti from U.S. Geological Survey
USGS: As an unbiased, multi-disciplinary science organization that focuses on biology, geography, geology, geospatial information, and water, we are dedicated to the timely, relevant, and impartial study of the landscape, our natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten us. Remember when the politician Bobby Jindal decried the "wasteful" spending to monitor volcanoes in Hawaii only to learn the importance of such tracking when it averted disaster by keeping a plane from flying into the ash a short time later?
Sure, we've got some pork programs out there. But it's disheartening to see how little we use, value, and understand our scientific knowledge as a country...especially compared to China where scientists are the equivalent to rock stars!
We in the U.S. scientific community must also do a better job communicating the use and importance of the research we do.
Futurity is an amazing website that provides daily soundbites of cutting edge research findings with direct implications to our daily lives.
And take a look at some pictures of what your tax dollars are funding in government research:
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