Earth Science
How the Football Field Was Designed, from Hash Marks to Goal Posts
The American football field as evolved over more than 100 years, and with it, the game
September 24, 2012 |
By Jimmy Stamp
Diamond Mines Are a Paleo-Climate Scientist’s Best Friend
A column of magma worked its way up from the mantle and drilled its way to the surface, bedazzling itself with diamonds that it picked up along the way
September 21, 2012 |
By Mary Beth Griggs
Top 5 “Science Done Right” Moments in Movies
Directors take note: scientist and author David Kirby commends the accuracy in these popular films
September 21, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
After Summer Cyclone, Arctic Sea Ice Reaches New Low
On September 16, sea ice reached record lows in the Arctic, covering an area of just 3.41 million square kilometers or 1.32 million square miles
September 21, 2012 |
By Mary Beth Griggs
Fire Tornado, Fire Devil, Whatever—Just Look at This Swirling Column of Fire
According to Mark Wysocki, New York's state climatologist and a professor of atmospheric sciences at Cornell University, the columns of dust are more similar to a dust devil
September 20, 2012 |
By K. Annabelle Smith
Why Is a Russian Crater Teeming with Diamonds?
A meteorite impact 35 million years ago filled a Russian crater with diamonds
September 20, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Top 5 “Science Done Wrong” Moments in Movies
From asteroids to cloning, author and scientist David Kirby weighs in
September 19, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
The World’s 5 Most Mysterious Bird Species
Stunning plumage, strange eating habits and extreme rareness characterize these enigmatic birds
September 18, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Mysterious Spheres on Mars Are ‘Crunchy on the Outside’ And ‘Softer in the Middle’
Opportunity had found an unusual rock formation on Mars
September 17, 2012 |
By Mary Beth Griggs
Majority of Coral Reefs Will Be Damaged By 2030 Due to Rising Greenhouse Gases
A new study finds that 70 percent of coral reefs worldwide will be damaged by warmer and more acidic waters
September 17, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Flooding in Pakistan Threatens Remains of 4500-Year-Old Civilization
Strong flooding fueled by the annual monsoon threatens the ancient town of Mohenjo-Daro
September 14, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
How Does the Tiny Waterbear Survive in Outer Space?
A special adaptation allows the tiny animal known as the tardigrade to curl up into a dry, lifeless ball and survive for decades
September 11, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
All Ears! An Underwater Sculpture that Listens
A collaboration between sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor and marine biologist Heather Spence aims to track the development of a new coral reef
September 11, 2012 |
By Megan Gambino
This African Fruit Produces the World’s Most Intense Natural Color
Pollia condensata produces its striking deep blue color with a mechanism virtually unknown in plants
September 10, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
How Scientists Know the Tar Balls Hurricane Isaac Dredged Up Came From the BP Oil Spill
Scientists confirm that oil strewn by hurricane Isaac derived from BP's blown-out Macondo well
September 07, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
How Do Crabs See Food on the Ocean Floor? UV Vision
Marine biologists took a submersible more than half a mile below the surface to understand the strange creatures that glow on the ocean floor
September 07, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Fires Are Escaping Our Ability to Predict Their Behavior
Today's fires are bigger, weirder, and way harder to model
September 03, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Is Geoengineering the Answer to Climate Change?
A new study looks directly at the immediate expenses of intentionally cooling our climate, but what are the long-term costs?
August 31, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
“After the Storm” Workbook Helps Kids Deal with Hurricane Stress
The "After the Storm" workbook that helps parents sort out their kids' feelings following a potentially traumatic hurricane
August 29, 2012 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Your Last Chance to See a Blue Moon Until 2015 is Friday Night
The moon won't actually be blue in color, so where did this strange term originate?
August 29, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
