Earth Science
Europe Is Warmer Than Canada Because of the Gulf Stream, Right? Not So Fast
A long-accepted explanation for a warm Europe is up for debate
February 18, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Parched Middle East Faces Severe Water Crisis
Drought and over-pumping has led to groundwater losses in the Middle East that equal almost the entire volume of the Dead Sea, a new study shows.
February 15, 2013 |
By Claire Martin
The Last Massive Exploding Meteor Hit Earth in 1908, Leveling 800 Square Miles of Forest
In 1908, a meteor exploding in mid-air released the energy equivalent to "185 Hiroshima bombs"
February 15, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Flushing Your Anti-Anxiety Pills Down the Toilet Could Affect the Behavior of Wild Fish
A study shows that wild perch are less fearful, eat faster and are more anti-social when exposed to a common pharmaceutical pollutant
February 14, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Is It Love? Why Some Ocean Animals (Sort Of) Mate For Life
A look at the mating systems of some monogamous ocean animals show that finding life partners helps species protect themselves and their young
February 13, 2013 |
By Emily Frost
In the Middle East, Supplies of Fresh Water Are Dwindling
A 2007 drought, and an over-reliance on groundwater, means the the Middle East's aquifers are fading
February 13, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
This Sea Slug Discards Its Penis After Sex and Grows Another
Chromodoris reticulata, native to the Pacific, engages in mating behavior previously unknown in the rest of the animal kingdom
February 13, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
Trash Threatens Fragile Antarctic Environment
Decaying field huts, open pits of trash and oil-slicked beaches mar King George Island, a logistical hub for Antarctic research
February 12, 2013 |
By Mohi Kumar
An Asteroid Will Skim Right By the Earth on Friday Afternoon
The 147-foot-wide rock will pass a scant 17,200 miles from Earth's surface, under the orbits of some telecom satellites
February 12, 2013 |
By Joseph Stromberg
NASA Has Been Recording Earth’s Surface for 40 Years, and Today Is Its Last Chance to Keep That Going
The mission has been tracking the Earth's changing face since 1972 and has unveiled everything from the near-disappearance of the Aral Sea to the devastation of Mount St Helens and the development of Alberta, Canada's expansive tar sands projects
February 11, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Photos of Starfish Up Close: What Are You Looking At?
A stunning look at starfish reveal beautiful patterns--but what exactly are those wormy structures, bald patches, and spiky maces?
February 08, 2013 |
By Hannah Waters
Salmon Swim Home Using Earth’s Magnetic Field as a GPS
Their intuitive sense of the magnetic field surrounding them allow sockeye salmon to circumnavigate obstacles to find their birth stream
February 07, 2013 |
By Marina Koren
A Massive 8.0 Earthquake Hit the South Pacific Last Night
Huge magnitude 8.0 earthquakes are rare--but not as rare as you'd think
February 06, 2013 |
By Colin Schultz
Tour the Grand Canyon From Your Computer With Google Street View
Now, thanks to Google, you don't need a plane ticket or hiking boots to experience some of the Grand Canyon's geologic magic
February 06, 2013 |
By Rose Eveleth
The Year’s Most Outstanding Science Visualizations
A juried competition honors photographs, illustrations, videos, posters, games and apps that marry art and science in an evocative way
February 05, 2013 |
By Megan Gambino
Searching for the Russian Loch Ness Monster in a Frozen Siberian Lake
In a record-breaking dive, the head of the Russian Geographical Society sunk to the bottom of Lake Labynkyr in Siberia, one of the coldest lakes in the world
February 04, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
Scientists See Insect Outbreaks From Space
A new tool uses satellite imagery to help researchers track small disturbances such as bug infestations, which may increase in scope as climate changes
February 01, 2013 |
By Claire Martin
New Research Disproves Prehistoric Killer-Comet Theory (Again)
Maybe the problem here is that other prevailing theories of the Clovis’ decline are just super boring by comparison
January 31, 2013 |
By Lauren Kirchner
Some Microbes Are So Resilient They Can Ride Hurricanes
By comparison, other lifeforms such as fungal spores and pollen don’t thrive nearly as well as the microbes, the survey found.
January 30, 2013 |
By Lauren Kirchner
Google’s New Maps Reveal That, Yes, There Are Roads in North Korea
Seemingly overnight the formerly Google map-blank North Korea modernized, with highways, roads and train stops clustering around the capital and snaking into the country's northern stretches
January 30, 2013 |
By Rachel Nuwer
