August 17, 2016
The current extinction of life will leave a scant fossil record
Life on Earth has endured five major mass extinctions, known as the “Big Five.” We know about these past events thanks to fossils: During mass …
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1236 articles · Page 26 of 52
August 17, 2016
Observers at the edge of the ice: Smaller, cheaper machines can safely go where humans can't
Any tourist bound for Greenland or Alaska on a cruise ship would be happy to capture video of a huge chunk of ice as it calves from the face of a …
August 16, 2016
Zircons hold clues to early Earth
Not much is known about the first 500 million years of Earth’s history, between 4.5 billion and 4 billion years ago. We know the interior of the …
August 16, 2016
Tiny ocean bacteria could play big role in climate
In the 1990s, researchers identified the most abundant group of organisms in the ocean as Pelagibacterales, a class of free-living bacteria that …
August 16, 2016
Earthworms build big mounds to escape floodwaters
When researchers looking for archaeological remains in satellite imagery came across unidentified mounds — some as tall as humans — in the …
August 16, 2016
Bubble accumulation could explain massive volcanic sulfur releases
The spectacular 1815 eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Tambora spewed large amounts of sulfur gases into the atmosphere, which formed fine …
August 16, 2016
Mantle convection makes Earth's crust bob
From the earthquake-prone Himalayas and Andes to the volcanically active “Ring of Fire” around the Pacific, the boundaries of Earth’s tectonic …
August 1, 2016
Benchmarks: July 1, 1912: Hawaiian Volcano Observatory officially becomes the first of its kind in U.S.
Living on the fringe of an active volcano in Hawaii is a precarious venture. Because Hawaii’s shield volcanoes aren’t prone to explosive …
July 28, 2016
Geomedia: Film: A glimpse into the geology of 'Star Trek Beyond'
[Spoiler Alert: This review reveals key plot points of the movie.] After a three-year wait by anxious fans, “Star Trek Beyond” hit theaters …
July 26, 2016
Ice (Re)Cap: August 2016
From Antarctica to the Arctic; from polar caps, permafrost and glaciers to ocean-rafted sea ice; and from burly bears to cold-loving microbes, …
July 26, 2016
Mauna Loa's mysterious Ninole Hills were once a rift
Hawaii’s Nīnole Hills, jutting out from Mauna Loa’s southeast flank, are one of the most striking features on the Big Island, though their …
July 26, 2016
Benchmarks: August 25, 1916: The National Park Service is established
The U.S. national parks are sanctuaries where one can find refuge in nature and marvel at its grandeur — from the glacially sculpted granitic …
July 26, 2016
Geologic Column: Editia elegantis: A story of science, discovery and the elegance of a wife's contribution
The account of how the crustacean Editia elegantis was discovered has been the source of dinner party amusement for my family and friends since I …
July 26, 2016
Geomedia: Books: 'FORE' helps you project the future, with a laugh
What if we could project the future of nearly everything with a single type of mathematical equation? In “FORE and the Future of Practically …
July 25, 2016
Down to Earth With: National Park Service Geologic Resources Division chief David Steensen
" in 1986, he did not think he’d be working for the National Park Service for more than a few years. He had been hired into a four-year …
July 25, 2016
Teaching geology to biologists: An essay on an interdisciplinary field trip in Africa
We stop next to a wide, dry, creek bed on the floor of a steep canyon near Tarangire National Park in northern Tanzania. Elephants spray water on …
July 20, 2016
Researchers profile magma chamber beneath North Korean volcano
An enigmatic volcano straddling the border between North Korea and China has been investigated for the first time by an international team of …
July 19, 2016
Volcanoes and historical politics
As well as influencing art and faith, volcanoes are often portrayed as the very manifestation of the human condition. Expressions of anger are …
July 19, 2016
Getting there and getting around Zermatt
Zermatt, a car-free resort town at the foot of the Matterhorn, can be reached from major international airports in Geneva, Zürich or Milan. All …
July 14, 2016
Drilling for gold inside a submarine volcano
Earth scientists have been given the green light to drill into an active submarine volcano for the first time, with the hope of discovering …
July 14, 2016
Snake River eruption history offers glimpse into Yellowstone hot spot dynamics
About 8 million years ago, what is now the Snake River Plain of southern Idaho ripped open in a catastrophic super-eruption that spewed roughly …
July 14, 2016
Ocean acidification worsens overnight along California coast
Carbon dioxide absorbed by the oceans causes seawater to become more acidic, which, as scientists have long been documenting, can negatively …
July 14, 2016
Asian bats resist white nose fungus
White Nose Syndrome has devastated bats across North America in recent years, but possible genetic resistance to the fungus has now been …
July 14, 2016
Jawless fish more like jawed fish than thought
Vertebrates come in all shapes and sizes, but the one thing almost all have in common are jaws, which developed early in vertebrate evolution. …