This past week, earthquakes and inflation near Kilauea’s summit prompted temporary closures within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. What is happening beneath the surface at Kilauea and what does it mean for potential future eruptive activity?

As summer approaches, it is likely that we will be getting a bit more rain. Maybe it’s time to consider putting in a rain-loving bedding plant that will fill your garden beds with colorful flowers all summer. Several varieties of impatiens can provide flower as well as leaf color while enjoying the summer rains.

Did you go fishing along the coastline, caught fish but didn’t know the name of the fish, or how to clean or cook the fish?

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii but we celebrate flowers of all kinds all year long. Traditionally, everyone should consider wearing flowers more often. Fellows, let’s get back to wearing aloha shirts and ladies, what about revisiting mu‘umu‘u. These unique expressions of our culture are coming back in style as part of the Hawaiian renaissance movement.

The production of maps to track the progress of ongoing eruptions has long been part of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory mission to inform the public about volcanic hazards in Hawaii. The methods used to collect, interpret, and disseminate map data have been evolving ever since HVO’s founding in 1912, and a digital tool newly available to the public continues that legacy of innovation.

As the Hawaii Island cacao industry continues to expand, it is time to celebrate with the 11th Annual Big Island Chocolate Festival from Thursday, April 25 through Saturday, April 27. According to Fern Gavelek, the event culminates with the “Mystical Chocolate Masquerade” gala offering everything from sweet to savory.

As people seek healthy new food options, the demand for gourmet mushrooms is increasing. Fresh button mushrooms including cremini and portobello are still very popular but oyster mushrooms and exotics like lion’s mane are increasing in popularity. Luckily Amanda Evans of Mermaid Mushrooms is growing these in a warehouse in Kealakekua and offering them to enthusiasts around Hawaii Island.

Earth’s magnetic field surrounds us every second of the day, everywhere on the planet. Anyone who has picked up a pocket compass and seen the magnetic needle quickly align itself has seen the action of this ever-present invisible field. But can we harness the magnetic field to forecast volcanic activity? Emerging technology in the field of “quantum” science may aid us in doing so.

Make plans to attend the 11th annual Big Island Chocolate Festival held from April 25 to 27 at the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort &Spa.

As the sun gets stronger, many shrubs, trees and especially vines can grow at a rapid pace. This makes vines great for covering unsightly fences like concrete or chain link. Good fences and hedges make good neighbors goes the old saying, and maybe in the old days it was the case. Stone walls are traditional and impressive, but expensive. Today, we have so many choices that an unattractive fence or hedge might create all kinds of neighbor problems depending on type of material used.

The Island of Hawai‘i is one of the most seismically active regions in the world. In the last five years, an average of 600-1200 earthquakes per week have been detected by the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. This regular rumble of activity across the island can be used to our advantage to assess the hazards that Kilauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes represent.

According to Conde Nast Traveler, the ten healthiest countries in the world are as follows:

STEM is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. In the educational system, encouraging STEM curriculum prepares students for future careers in STEM fields. In this “Volcano Watch” article, we’ll describe how aspects of STEM are applied at the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, using a specific example of field engineering work.