Tilting of Earth"s crust governed the flow of ancient megafloods
As ice sheets began melting at the end of the last ice age, a series of cataclysmic floods called the Missoula megafloods scoured the landscape of eastern Washington, carving long, deep channels and towering cliffs through an area now known as the Ch.....»»
Scientists offer a detailed look at the skeleton of an ancient predator that thrived in extreme conditions
Imagine a world on the brink of collapse: volcanic eruptions spewing toxic gases, oceans turning acidic, and up to 90% of Earth's species vanishing in the blink of an eye. This was the reality at the end of the Permian Period, around 252 million year.....»»
2-billion-year-old rock could help understand very early life on Earth and the hunt for evidence of life on Mars
Pockets of microbes have been found living within a sealed fracture in a 2-billion-year-old rock. The rock was excavated from the Bushveld Igneous Complex in South Africa, an area known for its rich ore deposits. This is the oldest example of living.....»»
Centuries ago, the Maya storm god Huracán taught that when we damage nature, we damage ourselves
The ancient Maya believed that everything in the universe, from the natural world to everyday experiences, was part of a single, powerful spiritual force. They were not polytheists who worshipped distinct gods but pantheists who believed that various.....»»
Ancient protein structure may have enabled early molecular evolution and diversification
In a finding that offers fresh insights into the early evolution of life on Earth, two RIKEN biologists have conducted lab experiments that have revealed a previously unknown protein fold, which is completely absent in modern proteins......»»
Researchers develop Biodiversity Digital Twins to model our planet"s life
Biodiversity is essential for the processes that support all life on Earth. It provides critical resources such as food and energy, and supports ecosystem health. However, climate change, deforestation, and pollution are destroying habitats, altering.....»»
Study traces wild cat eye color diversity to ancient ancestor
Fans of Clementine, the cat who recently captivated TikTok with her rare eye color, should take note. The piercing golden gaze of cheetahs, the striking blue stare of snow leopards, and the luminous green glare of leopards are all traits that can be.....»»
Webb telescope detects unusual gas jets from Centaur 29P
Inspired by the half-human, half-horse creatures that are part of Ancient Greek mythology, the field of astronomy has its own kind of centaurs: distant objects orbiting the sun between Jupiter and Neptune. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has mapped.....»»
Iron nuggets in the Pinnacles unlock secrets of ancient and future climates
Small iron-rich formations found within Western Australia's Pinnacles, which are part of the world's largest wind-blown limestone belt spanning more than 1,000km, have provided new insights into Earth's ancient climate and changing landscape......»»
Surprising amount and variety of gamma radiation is produced in large tropical thunderstorms, observations reveal
In the 1990s, NASA satellites built to spot high-energy particles coming from supernovas and other celestial-sized objects discovered a surprise—high energy gamma radiation bursts coming from right here on Earth......»»
Q&A: Using a new approach to shine a light on hidden plant microbes
Despite there being more microbes on Earth than stars in our galaxy, only a tiny fraction have been discovered. An approach called metagenomics—a type of DNA sequencing—may help scientists learn more about these elusive organisms, according to Pe.....»»
Predicting river flow dynamics using stable isotopes for improved ecosystem health
An international science team has made significant strides in understanding river flow dynamics. The findings leverage isotope hydrology techniques such as measuring stable isotopes in water molecules to elucidate the contributions of various water s.....»»
Scientists find plausible geological setting that may have sparked life on Earth
Researchers have discovered a plausible evolutionary setting in which nucleic acids—the fundamental genetic building blocks of life—could enable their own replication, possibly leading to life on Earth......»»
Opinion: Enough, already—why humanity must get on board with the concept of "sufficiency"
Humanity's rapacious consumption is more than Earth and its climate can handle, which is driving an ecological crisis. Australians are the worst offenders per person due to our excessive resource use......»»
Most climate scientists foresee temperature rise exceeding Paris Agreement targets, study finds
A new survey of climate experts reveals that a majority believe the Earth to be headed for a rise in global temperatures far higher than the 2015 Paris Agreement targets of 1.5 to well-below 2°C......»»
NASA"s instruments capture sharpest image of Earth"s radiation belts
From Aug. 19–20, ESA's (European Space Agency's) Juice (Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer) mission made history with a daring lunar-Earth flyby and double gravity assist maneuver, a spaceflight first. As the spacecraft zipped past our moon and home planet.....»»
Port workers strike from Texas to Maine, threatening light-vehicle shipments
The strike could stop the flow of everything from food to automobiles at major ports, potentially jeopardizing jobs and stoking inflation weeks ahead of the U.S. presidential election......»»
Can you see Earth"s new "minimoon" with the naked eye?
Can you see Earth"s new "minimoon" with the naked eye?.....»»
East Coast port strike looms as union, management trade wage offers
A strike could stop the flow of everything from food to automobiles at major ports, potentially jeopardizing jobs and stoking inflation weeks ahead of the U.S. presidential election......»»
European Space Agency releases new strategy for Earth observation
The European Space Agency (ESA) has released its new Earth Observation Science Strategy, Earth Science in Action for Tomorrow's World. Responding to the escalating threats from climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution and extreme weather and the.....»»
Hubble captures stellar nurseries in majestic spiral galaxy IC 1954
This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope features the spiral galaxy IC 1954, located 45 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Horologium. It sports a glowing bar in its core, majestically winding spiral arms, and clouds of da.....»»