Earth Science
New Technology Maps Greenhouse Gas Emissions at the Street and Neighborhood Level
The Hestia project draws on a variety of data sources to paint a comprehensive picture of a city's greenhouse gas metabolism
October 10, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Two Companies Want to Frack the Slopes of a Volcano
Two companies want to hydraulically fracture the Newberry Volcano in Oregon
October 04, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
New Project Aims to Drill to the Earth’s Mantle, 3.7 Miles Down
Scientists aim to reach the mantle and bring back rock samples for the first time in human history
October 04, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
High Levels of Plastic and Debris Found in Waters off of Antarctica
In the world's most remote ocean waters, researchers discovered unexpectedly high levels of plastic pollution
October 03, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
New Climate-Shifting Pattern: Is PCO the Next El Niño?
Computer simulations indicate that ocean temperatures and weather patterns might vary on a 100-year-long cycle called PCO
October 02, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Fossil Finding Goes High Tech
A new high tech approach to digging in the dirt is helping paleontologists dig smarter: artificial intelligence
September 28, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
Newly Discovered Comet, Headed Toward Earth, Could Shine as Bright as the Moon
Comet C/2012 S1(ISON) could become the brightest comet anyone alive has ever seen
September 28, 2012 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Curiosity Nails It: Mars Used to Have Flowing Water
Scientists report what they suggest is the best evidence yet that water flowed on Mars
September 27, 2012 |
By Colin Schultz
Watch Drought Dry Up America’s Groundwater
A drought this year affected large parts of the United States, including a lot of agricultural land
September 27, 2012 |
By Mary Beth Griggs
Largest Quake of the Year Crossed Fault Lines, Echoed for a Week
The largest earthquake of the year left quite an impression on the earth, but not via mass destruction or tsunamis. In fact, you probably didn’t even hear about it. The 8.7 magnitude earthquake struck on April 11 in the Indian Ocean. Two people are known to have died as a result of the quake, while [...]
September 26, 2012 |
By Mary Beth Griggs
Your State Border Might Not Be Where You Think
The boundaries of your state might not be as solid as you imagined
September 26, 2012 |
By Rose Eveleth
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
