Geocachers Invited to Celebrate Earth Science This Sunday

Earth Science Week begins this Sunday and to observe the occasion geocachers around the world are invited to participate in International EarthCache Day. EarthCache is a twist on the regular GPS game of Geocaching. Instead of searching for buried trinkets, GPS enthusiasts are encouraged to set their coordinates for EarthCaches and discover Earth's natural treasures.

In EarthCaching, participants register and select a site to visit from those listed at www.earthcache.org. Players then make their way to the site using their GPS navigation device. Once there the EarthCachers are asked to perform a specific task listed on the website such such as measuring the size of fossils, or height of a waterfall. Many players like to take photos at the site and log their experience and photos on the geocaching web site.

Gary Lewis, Director of Education and Outreach for the Geological Society of America explains, "With EarthCaching, they're field geologists for a day. They have a great time exploring some of Earth's most beautiful features without disturbing the land."

The EarthCache program was begun by the Geological Society of America in 2004 with four EarthCaches in Colorado and Australia. Since then, participants have developed an additional 1,600 sites in 47 countries. More than 97,000 people have participated.

Pictured: Great Lakes-Lake Iroquois EarthCache Canada. Courtesy the Geological Society of America.