Issues in Earth Science

Eww, There s Some Geology in my Fiction!

Past Issues

Issue 19 May 2025

When Frank Covalt discovers something in the mines of Mars that might threaten his employer, he has to choose between his job and his morality.

Will he and his son find a way to make the right choice and save the remnant of Martian life?? Find out in

- Feedstock by Scott Schad

Illustration for "Feedstock" by Erin Colson

Teacher's Resources for this story offer class discussion prompts on science and morality and an experimental investigation of whether a planetary regolith indicates the presence of life.

Issue 18 May 2024

Sara longs to become an Architect and bring back beauty and love to the buildings of the outer city, and perhaps push back against the oppressive sameness that keeps the people there in line. But a degree at the Academy takes money that only the illegal black carbon gems can bring her....

Explore a future world where vining plants extract carbon from the atmosphere in

Umbrella Luck by Meridel Newton.

Illustration for "Umbrella Luck" by Erin Colson

Teacher's Resources for this story engage students in graphical and mathematical thinking as well as in understanding the nature of phases of matter and mass balance.

Issue 17 May 2023

Curiosity, morality, and self-preservation compete for attention as the ship's crew debate whether the stones from an alien world are alive or not and begin to question their own sanity. Can they make a choice both moral and safe?

Consider the nature of life in

And the Stones Shall Cry Out by Wendy Nikel.

Illustration for "And the Stones Shall Cry Out" by Erin Colson

Teacher's Resources for this story offers discussion and challenges related to recognizing what is alive and what is not.

Issue 16 June 2022

It's hard to do real lunar science when all anyone cares about is "The Kiss" on your successful Space Station soap opera. But can Jo and Ted find a way?

And Away We Go by C. J. Peterson.

Illustration for "And Away We Go" by Erin Colson

And Away We Go artwork-Colson

Teacher's Resources for "And Away We Go" offers discussion ideas and science reasoning to understand lunar resources and the chemical evolution of the crust and mantle.

Issue 15 Nov 2021

Finally the secret to human compassion and justice is found and the whole world is on the threshold of becoming a perfectly loving place....or is it?

A Diet of Worms by Stephen S. Power.

Illustration for A Diet of Worms by Russ Colson

A Diet of Worms artwork-Colson

After giving his heart and life to saving a species, at the expense of friends and family, Alejandro must wonder....was it worth it?

The Last Tangerine by Anthony W. Eichenlaub.

Illustration for The Last Tangerine by Erin Colson

The Last Tangerine artwork-Colson

Teacher's Resources for A Diet of Worms and The Last Tangerine offer prompt questions and thoughts for a class discussion on the moral and personal implications of pursuing science.

Issue 14 Dec 2020

Babies on Mars are being born without higher brain functions. Can Marion figure out why soon enough to save the colony, their freedom to return to Earth, and perhaps her own child?

The Music of the Spheres by D. G Laderoute.

Teacher's Resources for The Music of the Spheres include an examination of the methods of scientific investigation within the story and consideration of how cross-cutting relationships can reveal seemingly-impossible-to-tell stories of the past.

Illustration for The Music of the Spheres by Erin Colson

Issue 13 May 2020

Will Demetrius find the independence to make his first excursion outside the West Valles Marineris Dome in time to watch the transit of Phobos?

Standing in the Shadow of Phobos by Mary Alexandra Agner.

Teacher's Resources for Standing in the Shadow of Phobos include examination of various models for our solar system using observational evidence, including observations made in the story.

Illustration for Standing in the Shadow of Phobos by Erin Colson

Issue 12 Nov 2019

Modern-day rock climber Tara and Ice-Age Atzl seem to have a mysterious
connection across time, a connection that may save more than one life.

The Crease by Jeanne Panek.

Teacher's Resources for The Crease include using Google Earth Pro to examine valleys formed by glaciers and valleys formed by other processes.

Illustration for The Crease by Erin Colson

Issue 11 Aug 2019

Can six arctic explorers save humanity after war induces a chilling of world climate?

Permafrost by Kate Kelly.

Teacher's Resources for Permafrost include figuring out how different changes to the Earth System will affect global climate.

Illustration for Permafrost by Erin Colson

Issue 10, Nov 2018:

Our story this issue features our first truly stratigraphic puzzle. In Dinosaur Dig by Jacqueline Howland, Jace overcomes his frustrations with science to solve a geological mystery and connect with his scientist stepdad.

Dinosaur Dig by Jacqueline Howland.

Teacher's Resources for Dinosaur Dig

Illustration for Dinosaur Dig by Erin Colson

Issue 9, May-June 2018:

Chemical composition and fossils in rocks help solve two seemingly-impossible puzzles in our two stories for this issue.

Find our teacher resources for these two geological fingerprinting stories at Teacher's Resources

Pele's Tears by D.A. Xiaolin Spires.

Can Alana use clues from geology to clear her name after she's accused of stealing a volcanic stone on her tour of Mauna Loa in Hawaiʻi?

Illustration for Pele's Tears by Autumn Evelyn.

The Rock Hound by Paula E. Young.

Can Julie use a broken piece of limestone containing an unexpected fossil to help the police solve the mystery of who attacked her friend Josh and stole his tickets to the baseball game?

Illustration for The Rock Hound by Erin Colson

Issue 8, November 2017: The Ringlets, newly settled in Antarctica from the rings of Saturn, are ready to go to war but refuse to negotiate with anyone over 17. Can young Gwen figure out what made them so angry soon enough to prevent an interspecies war? Find out in Breaking the Ice by Justin Short.

Teacher's Resources for Breaking the Ice

Illustration for Breaking the Ice by Erin Colson.

Issue 7, July 2017: Can young diver Hayley help the Nuugyaa program save the Canadian coast from a tsunami? Find out in Nuugyaa by L. L. Hill.

Teacher's Resources for Nuugyaa

Illustration for Nuugyaa by Erin Colson.

May 2016: Will Simone's efforts to call forth blue spinel from the magmatic fires be good enough for the master magicians at the University? Find out in In the Rough by T. S. Brothers.

Teacher's Resources for In the Rough.

Illustration for In the Rough by Erin Colson.

November 2015: Aki wants so much to stay in the home she's known her whole life, but with failing geysers and earthquakes seeming to conspire against her, will she be able? Find out in Shifting Fortunes by S. Q. Eries.

Teacher's Resources for Shifting Fortunes.

Illustration for Shifting Fortunes by Erin Colson

July 2015: Cassie Morant loves puzzles, but can she put together the planetary geology clues fast enough to save the landing team from execution? Find out in Jigsaw by Douglas Smith.

Teacher's Resources for Jigsaw.

Illustration for Jigsaw by Erin Colson.

Map for Jigsaw by Russ Colson.

March 2015: Can Marie's knowledge of geology solve a mystery and get her big brother out of trouble? Find out in The Thieving Rain by Anne E Johnson.

Teacher's Resources for The Thieving Rain.

Illustration for The Thieving Rain by Erin Colson.