Earth"s position and orbit spurred ancient marine life extinction
Ancient rocks from Tennessee revealed the Earth's rotation and orbit around the sun controlled the timing of oceanic dead zones in a mass extinction of marine life about 370 million years ago......»»
A clock in the rocks: What cosmic rays tell us about Earth"s changing surface and climate
How often do mountains collapse, volcanoes erupt or ice sheets melt?.....»»
The COVID-19 pandemic changed our patterns and behaviors, which in turn affected wildlife
The Earth now supports over eight billion people who collectively have transformed three-quarters of the planet's land surface for food, energy, shelter and other aspects of the human enterprise......»»
Life"s insiders: Decoding endosymbiosis with mathematics
Endosymbiosis, the intimate and long-term relationship where one organism lives inside another, is a cornerstone of life as we know it, and a key to the emergence of complex life on Earth. Many of the mysteries surrounding endosymbiosis are difficult.....»»
International team cracks genomic code for earliest forms of terrestrial plant life
Plant life first emerged on land about 550 million years ago, and an international research team co-led by University of Nebraska–Lincoln computational biologist Yanbin Yin has cracked the genomic code of its humble beginnings, which made possible.....»»
Fluidic telescope (FLUTE): Enabling the next generation of large space observatories
The future of space-based UV/optical/IR astronomy requires ever larger telescopes. The highest priority astrophysics targets, including Earth-like exoplanets, first generation stars, and early galaxies, are all extremely faint, which presents an ongo.....»»
The Great Observatory for Long Wavelengths (GO-LoW) proposal
Humankind has never before seen the low frequency radio sky. It is hidden from ground-based telescopes by the Earth's ionosphere and challenging to access from space with traditional missions because the long wavelengths involved (meter- to kilometer.....»»
Two small NASA satellites will measure soil moisture, volcanic gases
Two NASA pathfinding missions were recently deployed into low-Earth orbit, where they are demonstrating novel technologies for observing atmospheric gases, measuring freshwater, and even detecting signs of potential volcanic eruptions......»»
Maya used hallucinogenic plants in “ensouling” rituals for their ball courts
eDNA analysis found traces of xtabentum, as well as lancewood, chili peppers, and jool. Enlarge / A decorative ring made from carved stone is embedded in the wall of a ballcourt in the ancient Maya city of Chichen Itza. (credit:.....»»
Weak magnetic field may have supported diversification of life on Earth
An unusual reduction in the strength of Earth's magnetic field between 591 and 565 million years ago coincided with a significant increase in the oxygen levels in the atmosphere and oceans, according to a paper published in Communications Earth & Env.....»»
Webb telescope probably didn"t find life on an exoplanet—yet
Recent reports of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope finding signs of life on a distant planet understandably sparked excitement. A new study challenges this finding, but also outlines how the telescope might verify the presence of the life-produced g.....»»
NASA says Artemis II report by its inspector general is unhelpful and redundant
"The redundancy in the above recommendations does not help." Enlarge / Orion, the Moon, and Earth in one photo in December 2022. (credit: NASA) NASA's acting inspector general, George A. Scott, released a report Wednesd.....»»
NASA seems unhappy to be questioned about its Artemis II readiness
"The redundancy in the above recommendations does not help." Enlarge / Orion, the Moon, and Earth in one photo in December 2022. (credit: NASA) NASA's acting inspector general, George A. Scott, released a report Wednesd.....»»
Everything leaving Hulu in May 2024
Be sure to catch Thank You For Smoking, L.A. Confidential, The Wrestler, Taken, Salt, Life of Pi, Scarface, and everything else leaving Hulu in May 2024......»»
New computer algorithm supercharges climate models and could lead to better predictions of future climate change
Earth System Models—complex computer models that describe Earth processes and how they interact—are critical for predicting future climate change. By simulating the response of our land, oceans and atmosphere to manmade greenhouse gas emissions,.....»»
New work reveals the "quantumness" of gravity
Gravity is part of our everyday life. Still, the gravitational force remains mysterious: to this day we do not understand whether its ultimate nature is geometrical, as Einstein envisaged, or governed by the laws of quantum mechanics......»»
Marine sharks and rays "use" urea to delay reproduction, finds study
Urea—the main component of human urine—plays an important role in the timing of maturation of sharks, rays and other cartilaginous fish......»»
Pet dogs and strays suffer in Asia heat wave
Soaring temperatures across Kolkata have brought life in much of the Indian megacity to a standstill, but veterinarian Partha Das cannot recall a time when he was more busy......»»
Start today: Save with Dell and shape a more sustainable future for us all
The Dell sustainability mission for Earth Day 2024 means you can save while also remaining eco-conscious, something we desperately need in today's world......»»
Launch date set for NASA"s PREFIRE mission to study polar energy loss
NASA and Rocket Lab are targeting no earlier than Wednesday, May 22, 2024, for the first of two launches of the agency's PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission to study heat loss to space in Earth's polar regions......»»
Scientists show that ancient village adapted to drought, rising seas
Around 6,200 BCE, the climate changed. Global temperatures dropped, sea levels rose and the southern Levant, including modern-day Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Lebanon, southern Syria and the Sinai desert, entered a period of drought......»»