Earth Science

The 50th parallel

Europe Is Warmer Than Canada Because of the Gulf Stream, Right? Not So Fast

A long-accepted explanation for a warm Europe is up for debate

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Parched Middle East Faces Severe Water Crisis

Drought and over-pumping has led to groundwater losses in the Middle East that equal almost the entire volume of the Dead Sea, a new study shows.

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The Last Massive Exploding Meteor Hit Earth in 1908, Leveling 800 Square Miles of Forest

In 1908, a meteor exploding in mid-air released the energy equivalent to "185 Hiroshima bombs"

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In the Middle East, Supplies of Fresh Water Are Dwindling

A 2007 drought, and an over-reliance on groundwater, means the the Middle East's aquifers are fading

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Trash Threatens Fragile Antarctic Environment

Decaying field huts, open pits of trash and oil-slicked beaches mar King George Island, a logistical hub for Antarctic research

A rendering of Asteroid 2012 DA14, which will pass within 17,200 miles of Earth’s surface.

An Asteroid Will Skim Right By the Earth on Friday Afternoon

The 147-foot-wide rock will pass a scant 17,200 miles from Earth's surface, under the orbits of some telecom satellites

Landsat 8 sits in a United Launch Alliance Atlas-V rocket last night, ready for its 1:00 pm EST launch.

NASA Has Been Recording Earth’s Surface for 40 Years, and Today Is Its Last Chance to Keep That Going

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Salmon Swim Home Using Earth’s Magnetic Field as a GPS

Their intuitive sense of the magnetic field surrounding them allow sockeye salmon to circumnavigate obstacles to find their birth stream

A seismogram records the motion of the magnitude 8.0 earthquake.

A Massive 8.0 Earthquake Hit the South Pacific Last Night

Huge magnitude 8.0 earthquakes are rare--but not as rare as you'd think

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Tour the Grand Canyon From Your Computer With Google Street View

Now, thanks to Google, you don't need a plane ticket or hiking boots to experience some of the Grand Canyon's geologic magic

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Scientists See Insect Outbreaks From Space

A new tool uses satellite imagery to help researchers track small disturbances such as bug infestations, which may increase in scope as climate changes

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New Research Disproves Prehistoric Killer-Comet Theory (Again)

Maybe the problem here is that other prevailing theories of the Clovis’ decline are just super boring by comparison

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Some Microbes Are So Resilient They Can Ride Hurricanes

By comparison, other lifeforms such as fungal spores and pollen don’t thrive nearly as well as the microbes, the survey found.

A camera passes down through the borehole.

First Signs of Life Found in Antarctica’s Subglacial Lakes

Preliminary tests from subglacial Lake Willard have shown signs of life

An on-site laboratory will let scientists check for microbial life in the subglacial water.

American Drilling Team Is About to Break Through 800 Meters of Ice to Reach Subglacial Lake

Sampling should be done late this evening, with scientific sampling of the subglacial waters beginning immediately

Here’s Why It Is Really, Really Cold Out

Blame this increasingly-common form of Arctic circulation for today's frigid weather

That bright little blob in the upper lefthand corner is North Dakota’s natural gas flares.

At Night, Giant Fields of Burning Natural Gas Make North Dakota Visibile From Space

Locals have a new nickname for their state. North Dakota: "Kuwait on the Prairie"

Coal-fired stoves are a major source of black carbon.

Black Carbon May Contribute Almost as Much as Carbon Dioxide to Global Warming

Black carbon's role in driving warming is much higher than previously thought

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Round Three: Drills vs. Insanely Thick Antarctic Ice. Fight!

The hunt for microbial life in Antarctic subglacial lakes continues. Now it's the American's turn

The ongoing fires as seen by astronaut Chris Hadfield

Australia is Burning, And It’s Only Going to Get Worse as the World Warms

Across Australia wildfires are raging. And yes, there is a climate connection

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