FEATURES

22 Desert Power: A Solar Renaissance
Renewed interest in alternative energy technologies has brought solar power back into the spotlight. But instead of solar cells powered by sunlight, companies are turning to solar thermal technologies — and the world’s deserts may soon bloom with thousands of mirrors harnessing the sun’s heat.
Carolyn Gramling

30 The Wind Over the Waves
Offshore wind has the potential to meet much of the world's electrical demand and is beginning to do so in Europe. But plans to utilize this power in the United States have been controversial. Texas is leading the way in the Gulf of Mexico, but the fate of plans in other states remains uncertain.
Erin Wayman

36 Changing the World One Kilowatt at a Time
Last fall, Google launched a new initiative to develop renewable energy that is cheaper than coal — and in less than a decade. Google is investing in companies that are working on high-altitude wind power, solar thermal and enhanced geothermal power, as well as beginning its own research and development.
Megan Sever

NEWS NOTES

7 NEWS
7 News Shorts
8 Lights out
9 U.S. could grab more Arctic seafloor
9 Where’s the wheat?
10 Dino digestion in a test tube
11 Funding a nuclear surge
12 Corals safer in warm ocean pools
13 FutureGen gets a facelift
14 Pumping iron in Peru
15 Franken-proteins tell heat tale
16 Fourth quarter in the Arctic
16 Did you know?
17 Meteor shocks Pacific Northwest
18 Are we square?
19 Chip off the old block
19 Adriatic still active
20 Mineral resource of the month: gemstones

VIEWS

58 A POLITICAL COMMENT ON...
Design Issues in Climate Policy: How Cap-and-Trade Took Center Stage
In the 110th Congress, at least seven economy-wide cap-and-trade bills have been introduced. Why almost all climate-related legislative proposals focus on cap-and-trade is worth exploring.
Bryan K. Mignone

59 A COMMENT ON...
Education: Preparing Students for Geosciences of the Future
Society faces an ever-expanding number of difficult challenges — and geoscience students can prepare to help meet them.
Cathryn A. Manduca, Heather Macdonald and Geoff Feiss

60 GEOLOGIC COLUMN
A False Report, A Rumor, A Hoax
Geologists take safety seriously, planning ahead for almost any scenario. Unfortunately, it’s the human element that can’t be planned for, as tragic events like the shooting at Northern Illinois University show.
Lisa A. Rossbacher

DEPARTMENTS

4 FROM THE EDITOR
5 LETTERS: Perspectives from readers
6 WHERE ON EARTH?

42 OFF THE BEATEN PATH
Travertine: A Tie That Binds Two Great Structures
What do the Roman Colosseum and the Getty Museum have in common? They're composed of travertine, a type of limestone used in many buildings around the world. The stone is never more impressive than as the setting for these two monumental structures.
David Williams

44 GEOMEDIA
Movies: There Will Be Blood …
Books: Striking a Blow for Science: A Review of Insultingly Stupid Movie Physics
On the Web: Science in a Kid-Sized Sound Bite
Books: A Look at Earth’s Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet

48 GEOMARKETPLACE
50 CLASSIFIEDS: Career opportunities

56 BENCHMARKS
April 28, 1947: The Kon-Tiki Sets Sail for Polynesia

57 DOWN TO EARTH WITH...
Atmospheric scientist, engineer and president of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Susan Avery

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