Oil Around the World Geotimes examines the latest in oil exploration and production in the standard and not-so-standard oil-producing regions of Norway, Iraq, the South China Sea, India and Libya. Carolyn Gramling, Megan Sever, Rasoul Sorkhabi and Erin Wayman
Africa: A New Frontier in Oil and Gas Exploration Africa is relatively underexplored for hydrocarbons despite the continent’s rich natural endowments of oil and gas. But new developments are starting to bring these resources online. Michelle Michot Foss
An “Unconventional” Future for Natural Gas in the United States
Print Exclusive Unconventional natural gas already accounts for almost a third of the annual domestic natural gas production in the lower 48 states, and estimates suggest that portion is only going to grow as demand for gas grows and traditional sources peter out. William A. Ambrose, Eric C. Potter and Romulo Briceno
Available exclusively in print... Mica sheets: bed for early life?
Still mushy after all these years
Mantle gas points to geothermal energy
Mineral resource of the month: peat
BENCHMARKS February 2, 1923: Leaded gasoline goes on sale Print Exclusive
TRENDS & INNOVATIONS Miracle Muds Print Exclusive When two mysterious clays appeared to cure disfiguring bacterial ulcers, geologists were called in to figure just how these clays worked, and to see if other clays could cure similar diseases. Erin Wayman
viewsA COMMENT ON ... Improving Evolution Education The United States leads Western nations in ignorance about evolution. One way to remedy this situation is for geologists to get more involved in writing and editing textbooks. Kevin Padian
GEOLOGIC COLUMN Another One Bites the Dust Technology is great. But important life skills — such as spelling, doing math and now, giving directions — are being lost as computers, calculators and GPS devices take over. Beware: You may lose your sense of culture. Lisa A. Rossbacher
coverON THE COVER
In 2004, Libya began making moves to allow Western energy companies back into the country, to get the struggling oil and gas industry back up and running. Read more in this issue. Photo is copyright Carrie Teicher.