What did the snowball Earth look like?
Entire continents, even in the tropics, seems to have been under sheets of ice. By now, it has been firmly established that the Earth went through a series of global glaciations a.....»»
Plate tectonics drive compositional evolution of the upper mantle, study finds
On present-day Earth, plate subduction continuously modifies the chemical composition of the convecting mantle, and various mantle sources linked to these processes have been widely studied. However, when did global chemical heterogeneity of the conv.....»»
Hubble captures intricacies of R Aquarii, a symbiotic binary star roughly 700 light-years from Earth
The NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has provided a dramatic and colorful close-up look at one of the most rambunctious stars in our galaxy, weaving a huge spiral pattern among the stars. Hubble's images capture its details and its evolution is featur.....»»
Space Force"s X-37B will perform "never before-seen maneuvers" in orbit
The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV) has been shrouded in mystery since its maiden flight in 2011. Designed by Boeing and operated by the U.S. Space Force (USSF), this remotely operated, reusable space plane is designed to operate in Low-Earth Orbit.....»»
El Niño Southern Oscillation caused spike in 2023 temperatures, study finds
A study by scientists at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science identified El Niño–Southern Oscillation as the primary cause of the spike in global surface temperature in 2023, not human-induced climate.....»»
Modern mass extinction in an Ecuadorean cloud forest found to be a mirage
One of the most notorious mass extinction events in modern times occurred on a hilltop in coastal Ecuador in the 1980s. Ninety species of plants known from nowhere else on Earth—many of them new to science and not yet given a name—went extinct wh.....»»
Penetrating the ice sheet of an ocean moon: Four questions about the Clipper Mission to Europa
On Oct. 14 NASA's Europa Clipper Mission launched. It is the first detailed investigation of Jupiter's moon Europa—which is believed to harbor an ocean so vast that it contains more water than anywhere else in the known universe (even Earth). While.....»»
Comet last seen in the Stone Age makes appearance over Earth
A comet that passes by Earth just once every 80,000 years has been spotted in the skies, but it may not survive for much longer......»»
Scientists discover one of the Earth"s earliest animals in Australian outback
In the shadow of South Australia's largest mountain range beneath the outback soil lies a fossil record that reveals a rich history of life on Earth. Fossils found at Nilpena Ediacara National Park preserve a pivotal moment in the history of evolutio.....»»
Atmospheric oxidation and the creation of modern Mars
Like Earth, Mars was formed about 4.5 billion years ago, but its early surface was very different than today's. Mars' surface then had high rates of meteorite and asteroid impacts from the period known as the Late Heavy Bombardment. But whereas today.....»»
Hubble captures spiral galaxy NGC 5248
The sparkling scene depicted in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image is of the spiral galaxy NGC 5248, located 42 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Boötes. It is also known as Caldwell 45. The Caldwell catalog holds visually.....»»
Compound drought–heat wave events under-recognized in global soils, finds study
Soil is essential for life and plays a crucial role in the Earth's ecosystem, providing support for plant roots and hosting countless microorganisms. In a warming world, it is important to understand how soil hydrothermal conditions, particularly the.....»»
SpaceX’s Dramatic Rocket Catch Brings Interplanetary Travel One Step Closer
By proving that its Super Heavy booster can return to Earth and land, SpaceX has moved closer to creating a reusable interplanetary transport system......»»
"Killer electrons": Lightning storms play cosmic pinball with space weather
When lightning strikes, the electrons come pouring down. In a new study, researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder, led by an undergraduate student, have discovered a novel connection between weather on Earth and space weather. The team utili.....»»
Europa Clipper mission to investigate potential habitability of Jupiter"s moon
A NASA spacecraft is ready to set sail for Jupiter and its moon Europa, one of the best bets for finding life beyond Earth......»»
How did the building blocks of life arrive on Earth? Zinc fingerprints in meteorites offer clues
Researchers have used the chemical fingerprints of zinc contained in meteorites to determine the origin of volatile elements on Earth. The results suggest that without 'unmelted' asteroids, there may not have been enough of these compounds on Earth f.....»»
What"s behind the northern lights that dazzled the sky farther south than normal
Another in a series of unusually strong solar storms hitting Earth produced stunning skies full of pinks, purples, greens and blues farther south than normal, including into parts of Germany, the United Kingdom, New England and New York City......»»
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.....»»
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.....»»