Earth's Crust
The Geology Behind Italy’s Catastrophic Quake
A magnitude 6.2 earthquake shook the Apennine Mountains—and given the region’s geology, that’s no surprise
This 340-Million-Year-Old Ocean Crust Could Date Back to Pangaea
Researchers believe they've found the world's oldest ocean crust
Go Deep: 5 Places on Earth to See Seriously Old Rocks
See geology "in action"—or at least as action-packed as rocks can be—at these five spots
What Happened in the Seconds, Hours, Weeks After the Dino-Killing Asteroid Hit Earth?
The Cretaceous forecast: Tsunamis, a deadly heat pulse, and massive cooling.
Seismic Slowdowns Could Warn of Impending Earthquakes
An "earthquake machine" in the lab is helping scientists understand what goes on just before a quake
Defying Critics, Paleontologist Paul Olsen Looks for Hidden Answers Behind Mass Extinctions
From a childhood spent discovering fossils to tangling over questions of ancient life and death, this scientist constantly pushes the boundaries.
Tides Trigger Tiny Earthquakes Along the San Andreas Fault
The spring tides trigger small tremors deep in the fault, revealing the fault's structure
Study Says Earth's Plate Tectonics May Be Just a Phase
New models suggest that earth's plates could grind to a halt in about five billion years.
Scientists Explore Breathtaking Hydrothermal Vents in Virtual Reality
With a high-tech remotely operated vehicle, a team is able to map a dark, hot and toxic vent field on the ocean floor
What Caused the 2011 D.C. Earthquake?
A thinning mantle led to the 5.8 magnitude shake in the Southeast, and more may be in store
San Andreas May Have Had Help Triggering a Historic Earthquake
New evidence about a devastating quake in 1812 hints that the San Jacinto fault may be a bigger seismic risk than anyone thought
Dive Between Two Continents in This Frigid Fissure in Iceland
Filled with pure glacier water, Silfra is the only place on Earth where divers can touch two continental plates at once
Inner Earth Is Teeming With Exotic Forms of Life
More than a mile below the surface, our planet supports diverse creatures that could give us clues about life across the solar system
This African Plant Leads the Way to Diamond Deposits
A palm-like plant seems to grow only on top of diamond-rich deposits called kimberlite pipes
Giant New Magma Reservoir Found Beneath Yellowstone
While an eruption is still unlikely, the find improves our understanding of the supervolcano underneath the national park
This is What An Underwater Volcano Sounds Like
Decoding the noises of magma and bubbles will help scientists study explosions from afar
These Breathtaking Photos of Vietnam’s Caves Bring Out the Armchair Spelunker in Everyone
Photographer Ryan Deboodt discovers beauty in this subterranean realm
Ask Smithsonian: What's the Deepest Hole Ever Dug?
The answer to the question, says a Smithsonian researcher, is more about why we dig, than how low you can go
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