Tropical climates are the most biodiverse on Earth, but it"s not only because of how warm and wet they are
Life exists in every conceivable environment on Earth, from the peaks of towering mountains to the remote stretches of isolated islands, from sunlit surfaces to the darkest depths of the oceans. Yet, this intricate tapestry of existence isn't spread.....»»
Asteroid mining: A potential trillion-dollar industry
Earth's newest celestial neighbor has finally arrived. Astronomers using a powerful telescope in Sutherland, South Africa, first detected the 33-foot-long asteroid in August, reporting their discovery in Research Notes of the American Astronomical So.....»»
New discoveries: Three tiny species added to South Africa"s spectacular marine life
South Africa's marine realm is globally unique because of the two major ocean currents that meet here. The cold, slow-moving Benguela and the warm, fast-flowing Agulhas currents create a special environment that supports high levels of biodiversity......»»
How did magma oceans evolve on early Earth and Mars? Iron chemistry and primordial atmospheres offer clues
Before Earth became the blue planet, it was engulfed by a very different kind of ocean: a vast, deep magma ocean reaching down hundreds or perhaps even thousands of kilometers......»»
Catastrophically warm predictions are more plausible than previously thought, say climate scientists
What will the future climate be like? Scientists around the world are studying climate change, putting together models of the Earth's system and large observational datasets in the hopes of understanding—and predicting over the next 100 years—the.....»»
Scientists recreate sound of Earth"s magnetic flip 41,000 years ago
Approximately 41,000 years ago, Earth's magnetic field briefly reversed during what is known as the Laschamp event. During this time, Earth's magnetic field weakened significantly—dropping to a minimum of 5% of its current strength—which allowed.....»»
Huge waves in the atmosphere dump extreme rain on northern Australia
In 2023, almost a year's worth of rain fell over ten days in parts of northwestern Australia, leading to catastrophic flooding in the town of Fitzroy Crossing and surrounds. The rainfall was linked to a tropical cyclone, but there were also lesser-kn.....»»
Northern lights may be visible in much of upper US on Thursday, Friday
Still haven't caught a glimpse of those shimmery northern lights? Minnesotans have a good chance to snag one of those popular aurora borealis photos at the end of this week thanks to a "severe" geomagnetic storm expected to reach Earth on Thursday......»»
US forecasts severe solar storm starting Thursday
A massive ball of plasma and accompanying magnetic field ejected from the sun is expected to strike Earth on Thursday morning, potentially triggering auroras as far south as Alabama, according to US forecasters......»»
How to watch Crew-8 depart the space station on Sunday
Three American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut are preparing to depart the International Space Station about 250 miles above Earth......»»
Jupiter"s Great Red Spot shows unexpected size changes
Astronomers have observed Jupiter's legendary Great Red Spot (GRS), an anticyclone large enough to swallow Earth, for at least 150 years. But there are always new surprises—especially when NASA's Hubble Space Telescope takes a close-up look at it......»»
NASA terminal transmits first laser communications uplink to space
NASA's LCOT (Low-Cost Optical Terminal), a ground station made of modified commercial hardware, has transmitted its first laser communications uplink to the TBIRD (TeraByte Infrared Delivery), a tissue box-sized payload formerly in low Earth orbit......»»
Severe solar storm could stress power grids even more as US deals with major back-to-back hurricanes
A severe solar storm is headed to Earth that could stress power grids even more as the U.S. deals with major back-to-back hurricanes, space weather forecasters said Wednesday......»»
Octopus-inspired adhesive works well in wet conditions
In research published in Advanced Science, investigators drew inspiration from the octopus to develop an adhesive that achieves strong attachment and controlled release on varied substrates in wet and underwater environments. The feat could have nume.....»»
Microbial marvels: Study finds "untapped biodiversity" in the bathroom, on your toothbrush and showerhead
Step aside tropical rainforests and coral reefs—the latest hotspot to offer awe-inspiring biodiversity lies no further than your bathroom......»»
A US climate scientist sees hurricane Helene"s devastation firsthand
Carl Schreck spent his career studying tropical storms thousands of miles away from home......»»
The transition to a circular bioeconomy requires getting prices right, study says
Conventional food and agricultural production systems employ a linear "take, make, waste" approach: taking natural resources from the Earth to make food and fuel, generating waste that contaminates the soil and water, and emitting harmful pollutants......»»
Researchers link El Niño to accelerated ice loss in tropics
Natural climate patterns such as El Niño are causing tropical glaciers to lose their ice at an alarming rate, a new study has found......»»
How accessible is titanium on the moon?
Mining the moon to extract its resources is a critical step on humanity's path into the solar system. One of the most common resources on the moon is considered relatively valuable here on Earth—titanium......»»
Injured comb jellies can fuse into a single organism
Ctenophores merge with neighbors at wound sites, making animals with duplicate parts. Comb jellies, technically known as ctenophores, are one of the weirdest creatures on Earth. T.....»»
Control the path and power of hurricanes like Milton? Forget it, scientists say
Hurricanes are humanity's reminder of the uncontrollable, chaotic power of Earth's weather......»»