ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

U.S. Geological Survey

The U.S. Geological Survey is a group of scientists and researchers that study the earth and everything on it. They work for the government to help understand the land, water, and natural resources that we rely on.

Imagine you are playing with a big stack of blocks. The USGS is like a group of grown-ups who come over to watch you play and take notes about how you built your tower. They might ask you questions like how high your tower is, or what kinds of blocks you used, or if you are making any changes to your tower. This helps them understand how you built your tower and how they might build one like it in the future.

The USGS does this kind of thing on a much larger scale. They have scientists who study rocks and minerals to understand what they are made of and where they come from. They also have scientists who monitor earthquakes to help cities know when to prepare for a natural disaster. They even have scientists who study bird migration to better understand wildlife populations.

All of this information is important because it helps us make better decisions about how to use the earth's resources. Just like the grown-ups who watch you play with blocks, the USGS scientists work hard to understand the world around us so we can make the best choices for our future.