What if dinosaurs were already in decline when the asteroid struck?
Non-avian dinosaurs were probably in decline long before an asteroid smashing into the Yucatan Peninsula 66 million years ago sealed their fate, according to a University of Alberta paleontologist who says the ancient tale is chronicled at three stop.....»»
Geologists discover mysterious subduction zone beneath Pacific, reshaping understanding of Earth"s interior
University of Maryland scientists uncovered evidence of an ancient seafloor that sank deep into Earth during the age of dinosaurs, challenging existing theories about Earth's interior structure. Located in the East Pacific Rise (a tectonic plate boun.....»»
Asteroid Ceres is a former ocean world that slowly formed into a giant, murky icy orb
Since the first sighting of the first-discovered and largest asteroid in our solar system was made in 1801 by Giuseppe Piazzi, astronomers and planetary scientists have pondered the make-up of this asteroid/dwarf planet. Its heavily battered and dimp.....»»
Ryugu samples call into question previous ideas about the formation of carbon-rich asteroids
Asteroid Ryugu possibly did not travel as far from its place of origin to its current near-Earth orbit as previously assumed. New research published in the journal Science Advances suggests that Ryugu was formed near Jupiter......»»
Genetic rescue for rare red foxes? Research uncovers options to restore Lassen red fox population
A rescue effort can take many forms—a life raft, a firehose, an airlift. For animals whose populations are in decline from inbreeding, genetics itself can be a lifesaver......»»
Researchers explore novel approach to map forest dieback in satellite images
Forests and woodlands cover one third of Earth's surface and play a critical role in carbon sequestration, water regulation, timber production, soil protection, and biodiversity conservation. Accelerated by climate change, the decline of these and ot.....»»
Arctic sea ice near historic low; Antarctic ice continues decline
Arctic sea ice retreated to near-historic lows in the Northern Hemisphere this summer, likely melting to its minimum extent for the year on Sept.11, 2024, according to researchers at NASA and the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC). The decline.....»»
Nuking a huge asteroid could save Earth, lab experiment suggests
Humanity could use a nuclear bomb to deflect a massive, life-threatening asteroid hurtling towards Earth in the future, according to scientists who tested the theory in the laboratory by blasting X-rays at a marble-sized "mock asteroid"......»»
Planetary defense research mission readies for asteroid visit
The European Space Agency is about to launch a spacecraft on an important research mission designed to bolster planetary defense......»»
Radiation should be able to deflect asteroids as large as 4 km across
Researchers blast silica with an intense X-ray burst, watch it evaporate. Enlarge / Sandia National Labs' Z machine in action. (credit: Randy Montoya) The old joke about the dinosaurs going extinct because they didn't ha.....»»
Proof-of-concept study uses X-rays to target mock-up asteroids in a vacuum
An X-ray pulse may be able to vaporize the surface of an asteroid and change its trajectory, according to a proof-of-concept paper published in Nature Physics. A laboratory experiment that mimics the deflection of an asteroid model using this techniq.....»»
NASA watches a peanut-shaped asteroid drift past Earth
Peanuts! Get your peanuts here! The solar system has been passing out peanuts lately in the form of two different oddly shaped asteroids that recently passed by Earth, and both look like over-sized peanuts......»»
Patents for software and genetic code could be revived by two bills in Congress
PERA and PREVAIL want to re-enable patents struck down by Supreme Court rulings. Enlarge / An image from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, where in 1874, the newest thing was not software or genetic compositions, but shutter.....»»
Work is underway on NASA"s next-generation asteroid hunter
The mirrors for NASA's Near-Earth Object Surveyor space telescope are being installed and aligned, and work on other spacecraft components is accelerating......»»
New study links US decline in volunteering to economic conditions
Volunteering used to be a mainstay of U.S. culture. But in recent years, giving back to their community hasn't played as big a role in many Americans' lives......»»
NASA issues alert for stadium sized asteroid passing earth Tuesday
NASA issues alert for stadium sized asteroid passing earth Tuesday.....»»
Earth is about to second Moon, but only for 2 months
Earth is getting a second moon—at least for a little while. This moon will come in the form of a small asteroid that will make … The post Earth is about to get a second Moon, but only for 2 months appeared first on BGR. Earth is ge.....»»
Earth to have new mini-moon for two months
A pair of asteroid dynamics researchers from Universidad Complutense de Madrid Ciudad Universitaria have found that a small asteroid will make one orbit around the Earth starting this month before departing back into other parts of the solar system......»»
Deep underground flooding beneath hot springs: A potential trigger for the 1995 Kobe earthquake
Researchers at University of Tsukuba have shown that the 1995 Kobe (Hyogo-ken Nanbu) earthquake, which struck southern Hyogo Prefecture, may have been triggered by deep underground flooding beneath Arima Hot Springs. By analyzing the stable isotope r.....»»
"Art for insects" could help save pollinators
Gardens can become "living artworks" to help prevent the disastrous decline of pollinating insects, according to researchers working on a new project......»»
Large theropod dinosaurs thrived near South Pole, Australian tracks show
A discovery of dinosaur tracks on Australia's southern coast—dating back to the Early Cretaceous when Australia was still connected to Antarctica—indicates that large theropod dinosaurs thrived in this polar environment, prowling the river floodp.....»»