Soil sampling Courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey Published May 2, 2014 at 512 × 335 in Earth Week Heroes 2014: Dirt is Good! Geologist Jim Kilburn, now retired from the U.S. Geological Survey, collects soil from Kansas in 2008. Courtesy of USGS Geologist Jim Kilburn, now retired from the U.S. Geological Survey, collects soil from Kansas in 2008. Courtesy of USGS