The earliest atmosphere on Mercury
Mercury is a most unusual planet. The smallest planet in the solar system, and the closest planet to the sun, it is in a 3:2 spin resonance, slowly turning and experiencing scorching heat up to 430 degrees Celsius, and the night side frigid, down to.....»»
Scientists "fingerprint" methane to track a climate change culprit
Methane is the second-most abundant greenhouse gas in Earth's atmosphere, and its emissions have been rapidly—and mysteriously—rising since 2007. Though pervasive, the origin of the colorless compound is tricky to trace, complicating efforts to c.....»»
How astronomers used James Webb to detect methane in the atmosphere of an exoplanet
Scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope recently announced they had made a rare detection of methane in an exoplanet atmosphere......»»
Beech forests are beneficial in the climate crisis but suffer under drought and heat
Measurements from the past 27 years show that nature's ecosystem services and good biodiversity remove CO2 from the atmosphere, thus reducing the effect of carbon emissions. However, it is also clear that ecosystem services are affected by higher tem.....»»
Webb identifies methane in an exoplanet"s atmosphere
The James Webb Space Telescope observed the exoplanet WASP-80 b as it passed in front of and behind its host star, revealing spectra indicative of an atmosphere containing methane gas and water vapor. While water vapor has been detected in over a doz.....»»
Analyzing policy-driven changes to US forest carbon sequestration
Climate change influences the frequency and intensity of wildfires in many areas of the United States. Trees remove carbon from the atmosphere, so tree planting can mitigate climate change. However, managing forests to prevent large destructive fires.....»»
Earliest known European common hippopotamus fossil reveals their Middle Pleistocene dispersal
Modern hippos first dispersed in Europe during the Middle Pleistocene, according to a study published Nov. 22, 2023 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Beniamino Mecozzi of the Sapienza University of Rome and colleagues......»»
This is one of the earliest pre-production Apple Watch prototypes ever found
The first Apple Watch was launched in stores in April 2015, but Apple had worked on the device long before. Now, thanks to rare Apple device collector Giulio Zompetti, we’ve been able to take a look at one of the earliest Apple Watch prototypes, bu.....»»
Better capturing the effect of aerosol particles on clouds and the climate
The extent to which aerosol particles affect the climate depends on how much water the particles can hold in the atmosphere. The capacity to hold water is referred to as hygroscopicity (K) and, in turn, depends on further factors—particularly the s.....»»
Improved air quality could enhance natural carbon sequestration by plants
Reducing pollution from aerosol particles would improve air quality. It could also increase the amount of sunlight accessible to plants—enhancing their ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and mitigate climate change......»»
Gamma-ray burst charged Earth’s ionosphere from 2 billion light-years away
The brightest supernova ever detected altered the outer layers of Earth's atmosphere. Enlarge / Artist's conception of a gamma-ray burst. (credit: NASA) An astounding gamma-ray burst, dubbed GRB 221009A, continues to ama.....»»
Unveiling Mercury"s geological mysteries: Salt glaciers, primordial atmosphere, and the new frontiers of astrobiology
Scientists from the Planetary Science Institute have uncovered evidence of potential salt glaciers on Mercury, opening a new frontier in astrobiology by revealing a volatile environment that might echo habitability conditions found in Earth's extreme.....»»
Like the phoenix, Australia"s giant birds of prey rise again from limestone caves
Australia's only vulture, and a fearsome extinct eagle, are among the earliest recorded birds of prey from the Pleistocene period more than 50,000 years ago—and now Flinders University researchers are bringing them to life again......»»
Climate engineering could slow Antarctic ice loss, study says
Scattering sunlight-reflecting particles in the atmosphere could slow rapid melting in West Antarctica and reduce the risk of catastrophic sea-level rise, according to a study led by Indiana University researchers......»»
Greenhouse gases hit record high in 2022: UN
Greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere hit new record highs in 2022, with no end in sight to the rising trend, the United Nations warned Wednesday......»»
What"s behind the toxic levels of mercury in tropical birds? Gold mining, study shows
The tropics are home to more than 75% of all species and are projected to support 50% of the world's human population by mid-century, but little is known about mercury pollution in these life-filled regions......»»
Study sheds light on how Earth cycles its fossil carbon
As the primary element of life on our planet, carbon is constantly journeying from living creatures down into the Earth's crust and back up into the atmosphere, but until recently, quantifying this journey was virtually impossible......»»
Video: Monitoring methane from space
Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide. Curbing methane emissions could deliver immediate and long-lasting benefits for the climate, seeing as the gas only lingers in the atmosphere for.....»»
Study finds individual extreme forest fires can lead to global impacts
The radiative effects of smoke from individual extreme forest fires can apparently lead to global impacts that influence the energy balance of the atmosphere and thus the global climate in a complex way......»»
Adding oxygen to a lake to explore methane emissions
Lakes around the world emit methane to the atmosphere, accounting for up to 19% of total global emissions of this potent greenhouse gas. Most of the methane in lakes comes from microbes in the lake bed that consume dissolved organic matter for susten.....»»
Ancient Egyptian burial reveals ovarian teeth in oldest example of teratoma
A case study led by Southern Illinois University, Illinois, has described the earliest discovery of an ovarian teratoma, a type of tumor that contains well-differentiated tissues developed from three germ cell layers (ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm.....»»