Quakes rock southwestern Iceland as volcanic eruption looms
Iceland declared a state of emergency on Friday after a series of powerful earthquakes rocked the country's southwestern Reykjanes peninsula, in what could be a precursor to a volcanic eruption......»»
NASA is considering other ways of getting its Mars samples home
In 2021, NASA's Perseverance rover landed in the Jezero Crater on Mars. For the next three years, this astrobiology mission collected soil and rock samples from the crater floor for eventual return to Earth. The analysis of these samples is expected.....»»
Quebec lake meteorite impact yields rare rocks and evidence of extreme heat
For more than a decade, Western University planetary geologist Gordon "Oz" Osinski has led expeditions to Kamestastin Lake in Labrador. The environment is a perfect training ground because the properties and rock formations—created by the violent i.....»»
A mission to find 10 million near-Earth asteroids every year
So far, scientists have found around 34,000 near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) that could serve as humanity's stepping stone to the stars. These balls of rock and ice hold valuable resources as we expand throughout the solar system, making them valuable rea.....»»
Atmospheric sulfur dioxide levels hit historic high in Scotland following Icelandic volcanic eruption
Edinburgh, no stranger to an occasional haze, experienced an unprecedented atmospheric event on 31 May, unlike any seen over the past 30 years. While sea haar from the North Sea often blankets Scotland's capital, the haze observed that Friday felt di.....»»
Rock your next garden party with Victrola’s solar-powered speakers
The Victrola Rock Speaker Connect is designed to blend in with your garden and withstand the elements outdoors . It uses solar power, along with USB-C......»»
A magnitude 4.8 earthquake in southwestern South Korea cracks walls and leaves other minor damage
A magnitude 4.8 earthquake cracked walls, spilled items from store shelves and caused other minor damage in a fishing community in southwestern South Korea on Wednesday, but no injuries have been reported......»»
NASA"s asteroid sample mission gives scientists around the world the rare opportunity to study an artificial meteor
Earth is constantly bombarded by fragments of rock and ice, also known as meteoroids, from outer space. Most of the meteoroids are as tiny as grains of sand and small pebbles, and they completely burn up high in the atmosphere. You can see meteoroids.....»»
How tiny cracks lead to large-scale faults
The geological and topographical features that make up the world we live in are shaped in large part by faults and fractures in Earth's brittle crust. Faults arise from preexisting microscopic imperfections within rock. When the rock is subjected to.....»»
Iceland grants whaling license for 2024 season
Iceland's government said Tuesday that it had granted a license to hunt 128 fin whales for the country's sole whaling company amid widespread criticism of the practice......»»
New method optimizes lithium extraction from seawater and groundwater
As the electric vehicle market booms, the demand for lithium—the mineral required for lithium-ion batteries—has also soared. Global lithium production has more than tripled in the last decade. But current methods of extracting lithium from rock o.....»»
Records of Pompeii"s survivors have been found—archaeologists are starting to understand how they rebuilt their lives
On Aug. 24, in A.D. 79, Mount Vesuvius erupted, shooting over 3 cubic miles of debris up to 20 miles (32.1 kilometers) in the air. As the ash and rock fell to Earth, it buried the ancient cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum......»»
NASA is commissioning 10 studies on Mars Sample Return—most are commercial
SpaceX will show NASA how Starship could one day return rock samples from Mars. Enlarge / An artist's concept of a Mars Ascent Vehicle orbiting the red planet. (credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech) NASA announced Friday that it wil.....»»
Desert hero unveiled: Cissus quadrangularis genome decodes drought survival tactics
As water scarcity looms as a major threat to global ecosystems and food production, the quest to understand how plants like Cissus quadrangularis conquer arid landscapes is more critical than ever. The genetic blueprint of such species could hold the.....»»
Carving into carbonates on Mars
This past week on Mars, Perseverance made a pit stop near Overlook Mountain to abrade a rock called Old Faithful Geyser. This target is situated within the Western side of the Margin Unit, an area around the upper edge of Jezero Crater that is astrob.....»»
Researchers examine rocks in the Eifel region to investigate volcanic activity
A team of geoscientists have analyzed the composition of rocks in the Eifel, a volcanic region encompassing parts of western Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg. They discovered that it differs depending on the region......»»
Torrent of volcanic mudflow hits Philippine village
Heavy rain washed volcanic mud and debris through a village in the central Philippines on Wednesday, two days after a nearby volcano erupted......»»
Researchers develop instrument to measure lava viscosity in the field
Millions of people live near active volcanoes that are constantly monitored for signs of an impending eruption. When one occurs, scientists and governments rely on data to estimate the extent of the possible damage, informing evacuation plans and dis.....»»
Enormous rock engravings may be prehistoric territorial markers, suggest archaeologists
Archaeologists have mapped 14 sites featuring the world's largest monumental engravings, proposing that they were created to signal the territorial boundaries of the prehistoric inhabitants......»»
Craft unfurls China"s flag on the far side of the moon and lifts off with lunar rocks to bring home
China said its lunar spacecraft unfurled the country's red and gold flag for the first time on the far side of the moon before part of the vehicle blasted off early Tuesday with rock and soil samples to bring back to Earth......»»
Shape and depth of ocean floor profoundly influence how carbon is stored there, study shows
The movement of carbon between the atmosphere, oceans and continents—the carbon cycle—is a fundamental process that regulates Earth's climate. Some factors, like volcanic eruptions or human activity, emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Other.....»»