Soil Color Chart Collages – An Interview with Chad Yenney
We talked with artist and audio engineer Chad Yenney to learn about where he gets his inspiration for his collages and how Munsell color charts came to make an appearance. … Continue reading
The Soil Colors of Rocky Mountain National Park
Our interview series celebrating 100 years of the National Park Service in the United States and the important role soil plays in these parks continues. We head over to the highest peaks in central North America to speak with retired soil scientist, … Continue reading
The Soil Colors of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
Our interview series celebrating 100 years of the National Park Service in the United States and the important role soil plays in these parks continues. We head to Hilo, Hawaii to talk about the soils of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park with … Continue reading
The Soil Colors of the National Parks
August 25th, 2016 marked the 100 year anniversary of the National Park Service in the United States. In celebration of this historic event, we continue the efforts of others to drawn attention to the importance soil plays in the vitality of these parks. By showcasing the beautiful soil colors of the parks, we can better understand and appreciate the soils surrounding us. Soil color is not just an indicator of the makeup of the soil in a certain region, it can also help to indicate what the soil can be used for, whether it be for food production, maintaining, restoring or rebuilding ecosystems, conserving and promoting biodiversity, viability for water systems, classification of artifacts and more. Soil is the often overlooked “skin of the earth,” so let us “dig” deep and discover. Continue reading
Agriculture Students Learn About the Field Studying Soil Color
Color plays an important role for my Agriculture Production students in their ability to communicate and interpret the world around them. It is often the first observation they make when we reflect on our farmscape. The colors of flowers, trees, vegetables and … Continue reading
Soil & Wine Quality – A Geologist’s Analysis
Anyone who regularly uses the Munsell Soil Color Book recognizes that soil type can change drastically across very short distances. In the world of winemaking and grape growing, these soil variations can impact grapevine health and thus, wine quality. … Continue reading
Colors of the Moon – Classifying Apollo Lunar Core Samples
Between July 1969 and December 1972, six two-man Apollo crews landed on the Moon, fulfilling President Kennedy’s goal of “landing a man on the Moon before this decade is out, and returning him safely to Earth,” and opening a door … Continue reading
What Scientists Think of the 2015 Pantone Color of the Year: Marsala
Color lovers who follow the latest color trends would know that Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2015 is Marsala, also known as Pantone 18-1438. For Pantone, “Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue … Continue reading
An Archaeologist Uses Soil Color Charts to Reconstruct an Ancient Roof
Classical archaeologists studying ancient ceramics and terracotta roofing elements in Greece and Italy have been using the Munsell Soil Color Charts since the early 1970s as a standard point of reference in describing the appearance of clay-based objects and their … Continue reading
Understanding Brown Soils: Why Archaeologists Love Munsell
A fairly common idea about archaeology is that the goal is “to dig up stuff”—bits of pottery, bones, perhaps a stone tool or a hand-wrought nail. While this is indeed part of what archaeologists do, what we look for, in … Continue reading
