Earth Science
How a Trove of Whaling Logbooks Will Help Scientists Understand Our Changing Climate
Researchers are examining more than 4,200 New England documents to turn descriptions of the wind into data
Another Volcanic Eruption Hits Iceland, Launching Lava More Than 160 Feet Into the Air
It's the fifth eruption near the town of Grindavik since December, signaling a new era of volcanic activity for the region
Earth's Magnetic Field Nearly Collapsed 600 Million Years Ago. Then, Weird and Complex Life Evolved
A new study suggests more solar radiation reached Earth while the magnetic field weakened, leading to a rise in oxygen that drove an explosion of multicellular organisms during the Ediacaran Period
How the Great Alaska Earthquake Shook Up Science
Sixty years ago, the largest earthquake in U.S. history shocked geologists. It’s still driving scientific discoveries today
Is Geothermal Power Heating Up as an Energy Source?
Long confined to regions with volcanic activity, the method of harnessing energy from the Earth promises to become much more versatile thanks to new technologies
What Myths About the Anthropocene Get Wrong
These ten misconceptions underplay how much we have altered the global environment and undermine the new perspective we need to deal with a drastically changed world
What Happens When Animals Cross the Road
Our byways are an unnatural incursion into the natural world, especially when they’re allowed to fall into disuse. Meet a roadkill scientist and a journalist tracking how roads mess with nature—and what we can do about it
Iceland Volcano Spews Lava in Fourth and Most Powerful Eruption in Three Months
Officials detected signs of an eruption only 40 minutes before fountains of lava burst from the ground
Iceland's Recent Volcanic Eruptions Are Unleashing Deep Secrets
Each dramatic episode over the past few years has led to fresh geologic revelations, and researchers think another bout is on the way
Citizen Scientists Document a Recovering Colorado River
The Returning Rapids Project charts a resurgent waterway and its surrounding ecosystems
Why Central American Volcanoes Are Ideal for Studying Earth's Evolution
The volcanic arc extending from Mexico to Costa Rica expels a variety of magma types that make for a geological paradise
How Citizen Scientists Rescued Crucial World War II Weather Data
Newly declassified documents from the Pacific theater have been digitized and could improve climate models
Mysterious Lumps in Earth's Mantle May Be Remains of the Crash That Formed the Moon
Chunks of a protoplanet called Theia became lodged within Earth after the two worlds smashed together, new computer simulations suggest
Dust May Have Triggered the Global Winter That Killed the Dinosaurs
A new study, based on modeling, suggests fine silicate particles could have blocked sunlight and shut down photosynthesis across the globe
Atlantic Hurricanes Are Getting More Dangerous, More Quickly
If such changes are in response to climate change, the future may feature more sudden, daunting storms
Earth's Next Supercontinent Could Wipe Out Mammals in 250 Million Years
Termed “Pangea Ultima,” the predicted future landmass might be extremely hot, plagued by volcanoes and largely inhospitable, per a new modeling study
Humans Have Exceeded Six of the Nine Boundaries Keeping Earth Habitable
Scientists find we are “well outside the safe operating space for humanity” in a new study meant to assess the health of our planet
How Cellphones Connect Us All
A new Natural History Museum exhibition explores how the devices link us to Earth and to a network of people worldwide involved in their supply chain
These Objects Tell the Story of Human-Driven Climate Change
Smithsonian curators dig into the collections to find artifacts that illustrate how we arrived at this moment
Scientists Discover Microbes That Could Revolutionize Plastic Recycling
These bacteria and fungi can break down certain plastics at cool temperatures, saving money and energy compared to some current methods
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