Outing the Real Age of the Colorado River: An Interview with Dr. Shannon Dulin, University of Oklahoma

07/19/24 • 25 min

Summary
The Colorado River, one of the oldest rivers in the world, has been the subject of a joint study by the US Geological Survey and several universities. The study reveals that the river is younger than previously thought, with its grand debut occurring between 4.8 and 4.63 million years ago. The research used paleomagnetics and magnetostratigraphy to analyze sedimentary rocks and map out the river's history. This new understanding of the river's age has implications for the tectonics of the southern US and the management of water resources in the region. In this episode, we speak to Dr. Shannon Dulin from the University of Oklahoma who is a co-author of the study to discuss these findings.

Keywords
Colorado River, US Geological Survey, joint study, river's age, paleomagnetics, magnetostratigraphy, sedimentary rocks, tectonics, water resources

Takeaways

The Colorado River is younger than previously thought, with its grand debut occurring between 4.8 and 4.63 million years ago.
The study used paleomagnetics and magnetostratigraphy to analyze sedimentary rocks and map out the river's history.
The research has implications for the tectonics of the southern US and the management of water resources in the region.
Understanding the history of the Colorado River can help in disaster preparedness and managing water scarcity.

You can find Shannon Dulin's podcast, Don't Panic Geocast Here.

My Sediments Exactly. Follow us at @SpringerGeo and Springer Environmental Sciences at @SpringerEnviro on X , formerly known as Twitter. We would love to hear from you. If you have questions, comments or would like to be featured on this podcast, please send your feedback to [email protected]

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Keywords
Colorado River, US Geological Survey, joint study, river's age, paleomagnetics, magnetostratigraphy, sedimentary rocks, tectonics, water resources

Takeaways

The Colorado River is younger than previously thought, with its grand debut occurring between 4.8 and 4.63 million years ago.
The study used paleomagnetics and magnetostratigraphy to analyze sedimentary rocks and map out the river's history.
The research has implications for the tectonics of the southern US and the management of water resources in the region.
Understanding the history of the Colorado River can help in disaster preparedness and managing water scarcity.

You can find Shannon Dulin's podcast, Don't Panic Geocast Here.

Previous Episode

Understanding Seismic Risks through Historical Data: An Interview with Prof. Kenji Satake, AOGS, Japan

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Summary
Professor Kenji Satake, a renowned seismologist and tsunami researcher, discusses his research on historical earthquakes and tsunamis using interdisciplinary approaches. He emphasizes the importance of combining geophysical, geological, and historical data to understand the timing and magnitude of these natural disasters. His work has uncovered the existence and impact of past earthquakes, such as the Cascadia earthquake, and has contributed to our understanding of seismic risks. Professor Satake also discusses his role in establishing the Asia Oceania Geoscience Society and its journal, Geoscience Letters, to promote international collaboration and open access to scientific research. He encourages aspiring geophysicists and seismologists to embrace interdisciplinary and international collaboration for groundbreaking discoveries.

Keywords
earthquakes, tsunamis, seismology, tsunami research, historical data, interdisciplinary approach, geophysical data, geological data, scientific research, seismic risks, Asia Oceania Geoscience Society, Geoscience Letters, international collaboration, open access
Takeaways

Combining geophysical, geological, and historical data is crucial for understanding the timing and magnitude of historical earthquakes and tsunamis.
Professor Satake's research has uncovered the existence and impact of past earthquakes, such as the Cascadia earthquake, and has contributed to our understanding of seismic risks.
He emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary and international collaboration in geoscience research.
Establishing platforms for open access to scientific research, such as the Asia Oceania Geoscience Society and Geoscience Letters, promotes knowledge sharing and preparedness for future natural disasters.

Sound Bites

"Geophysical approach is not really long enough to cover such a long recurrent interval."
"The fact that earthquakes happened in the past guarantees that earthquakes will happen in the future."
"There are many scientific technological developments these days for the early warning system, for earthquakes early warning, and tsunami early warning."

Check out the AOGS and Springer Nature journal, Geoscience Letters here for more insights.

Next Episode

undefined - Empowering Science Communication through Storytelling, One Quilt at a Time: An Interview with Prof. Laura Guertin, Penn State Brandywine University

Empowering Science Communication through Storytelling, One Quilt at a Time: An Interview with Prof. Laura Guertin, Penn State Brandywine University

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Summary

Professor Laura Guertin, a marine geologist and earth science educator, combines her passion for science with quilting to create science storytelling quilts. These quilts serve as a unique and engaging way to communicate scientific data and concepts to non-STEM audiences. By incorporating data sets into the quilts, Laura is able to captivate and educate people who may be intimidated by traditional scientific presentations. Her quilts have been well-received by various audiences, including students, senior citizens, and community groups. Laura also encourages her students to become science storytellers by using storytelling techniques to share their knowledge with others. Through her quilts and teaching methods, Laura aims to make science more accessible and relevant to everyday life.
You can follow more of Dr. Guertin's work here.
Her work with Penn State University can be accessed here.

Keywords

science education, quilting, science communication, data visualization, storytelling, engagement

Takeaways

Innovative powerful tools for science communication, making scientific data and concepts more accessible and engaging for non-STEM audiences.
Incorporating data sets into quilts allows people to visualize and understand scientific information through colors and patterns, rather than intimidating graphs and numbers.
Quilts can serve as a bridge between science and society, sparking conversations and raising awareness about important scientific topics.
Engaging students in science education involves showing them the relevance of scientific concepts to their daily lives and encouraging them to become science storytellers.
Effective science communication requires knowing your audience and using appropriate methods, such as storytelling, to connect with them and make complex information more understandable.

My Sediments Exactly - Outing the Real Age of the Colorado River: An Interview with Dr. Shannon Dulin, University of Oklahoma

Transcript

Medha Chaturvedi (00:00.46)
If you were to write a book about the history of the Colorado River, I bet it'll be a flowing narrative.
Medha Chaturvedi (00:28.174)
to my sediments exactly where we take nothing for granite. I'm your host Medha Chaturvedi and do I have a fluvial and sentimental episode for you today. We are about to paddle down the ebbs and flows of the Colorado River in the USA. The Colorado River is one of the oldest rivers in the world and flows for a whopping 2330 kil