Earth Science
New Research of Impact Crater Blows Away Previous Estimates of Its Age
Scientists say the Boltysh crater in Ukraine formed well after the impact in Mexico that caused the dinosaurs to go extinct
Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Reaches New High Despite Pandemic Emissions Reduction
Global carbon emissions in 2020 were lower than they were in 2019, but those reductions would need to be sustained for years to slow the climate crisis
To Combat Climate Change, Researchers Want to Pull Carbon Dioxide From the Ocean and Turn It Into Rock
Running seawater through an ocean carbon capture plant could chemically convert carbon dioxide to limestone on a grand scale
Earth's Oldest Minerals Hold Clues About the Likely Start of Plate Tectonics
New research reveals how one of Earth’s defining geologic features likely formed—and set the stage for the emergence of life
Can Climate Fiction Writers Reach People in Ways That Scientists Can't?
A new subgenre of science fiction leans on the expertise of biologists and ecologists to imagine a scientifically plausible future Earth
How Extreme Temperature Swings in Deserts Stir Sand and Dust
Understanding the movement of particles, some of which enter the atmosphere, may help scientists improve climate models and forecast dust storms on Mars
Largest Dust Storm in More Than a Decade Blanketed China This Week
Air quality readings in Beijing reached dangerous levels while residents were urged to stay indoors
Ancient Lightning May Have Sparked Life on Earth
More than a billion strikes a year likely provided an essential element for organisms
To Study Night-Shining Clouds, NASA Used Its 'Super Soaker' Rocket to Make a Fake One
In summer months above the North and South Poles, glowing clouds occasionally form naturally at sunset under the right conditions
How Rivers in the Sky Melt Huge Holes in Antarctic Ice
New research is causing scientists to rethink how polynyas—massive openings in the sea ice—are formed
Did an Ancient Magnetic Field Reversal Cause Chaos for Life on Earth 42,000 Years Ago?
The study links new, detailed data about Earth’s atmosphere to a series of unfortunate events that occurred around the same time
Researchers Use Whale Calls to Probe Undersea Geology
The study finds that fin whale songs are powerful enough to reverberate through the Earth’s crust, allowing scientists to study its thickness and structure
New Way to Study Magnetic Fossils Could Help Unearth Their Origins
Now that scientists can detect these fossils in geologic materials faster, they will be able to look for past evidence of the fossils more efficiently
Meet the Soil Scientists Using Dirt to Make Stunning Paints
Professors in California and Wyoming use the unique palettes to teach geology
Japan Hopes to Send a Wooden Satellite to Space in 2023
The group hopes the cube-shaped wood orbiter will help reduce space waste
Why Are Lightning 'Superbolts' More Common Over the Ocean?
Salt seems to be the reason why bolts are brighter over seas than over land
What Antarctic Meteorites Tell Us About Earth's Origins
Each year, Smithsonian scientists collect hundreds of meteorites from Antarctica that reveal details about the origins of Earth and our solar system
Reawakened Geyser Is Not a Precursor of Yellowstone Eruption, Study Finds
The researchers ruled out several theories on why the Steamboat Geyser began erupting in 2018 after three years of silence
The Ten Most Significant Science Stories of 2020
From the rapid development of vaccines for Covid-19 to the stunning collection of an asteroid sample, these were the biggest science moments of the year
Mars InSight Lander Offers a Sneak Peek at the Red Planet's Inner Layers
The robotic explorer was sent to Mars to study its formation—and the data is now making its way back to Earth
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