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Earth Science

A 3D-printed model of Airbus’s future concept plane for 2050

Aircraft Design Inspired by Nature and Enabled by Tech

In 2050, Airbus hopes to fly you around in a see-through jet shaped like a bird skeleton, with morphing seats, spa treatments, and virtual entertainment

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What Caused the Deadly Iranian Earthquakes?

Straddling the seam between the Eurasian and Arabian tectonic plates, Iran has a history plagued with earthquakes

A new technology harnesses the energy in wastewater to produce electricity.

Could Sewage Be Our Fuel of the Future?

A new way of treating wastewater uses bacteria to produce electricity, potentially solving a pair of environmental problems

Once-Hurricane Ernesto is currently passing over Mexico as a tropical storm

Get Ready for a Bunch of Hurricanes Between Now and November, Says NOAA

This year’s hurricane season has started with a whimper, but the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects it to go out with a bang

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Mining Company to Start Digging up the Ocean Floor

Dubai’s man-made Jumeirah Islands.

If We All Lived Like UAE Citizens, We’d Need 5.4 Earths

Tim De Chant’s Per Square Mile answers through infographics: How much land would 7 billion people need to live like the people of these countries?

Hydraulic fracturing for natural gas may increase the risk of earthquake, a new study finds.

‘Fracking’ for Natural Gas Is Linked With Earthquakes

A new study finds a correlation between the underground injection of waste fluids from fracking and dozens of small earthquakes

The Campi Flegrei caldera lies to the west of of Naples in southern Italy. (Naples is the giant city on the right).

Italian Supervolcano Could End Eurozone Crisis the Easy Way

Deep underground in southern Italy, just outside the city of Naples, the Campi Flegrei supervolcano has been resting for the past 500 years

Down and down and down it goes. Arctic sea ice extent, 1979 to 2012.

Everything You Need to Know About Arctic Sea Ice Melt, in One 10-Second Animated Gif

The Arctic is melting,

This palm frond fossil dating to the the Eocene period was found in Utah’s Green River Basin.

Ancient Climate Change Meant Antarctica Was Once Covered with Palm Trees

53 million years ago, Antarctica was so warm that palm trees lived along its shores.

The Beaufort Sea, off the coast of Alaska, on July 25, 2006.

Miners, Drillers Push Into Void Left By Melting Arctic Ice

The opening of parts of the Arctic Ocean each summer, and the melting of surface ice on northern landscapes, driving a gold rush into the Arctic frontier

Experiments show several natural herbs provide some protection from the sun.

Can Natural Herbs Protect Your Skin From the Sun?

A number of studies indicate that several herb extracts could protect against sunburn and other damage from UV light

Climate change could produce an ozone hole over the U.S. similar to the one observed over Antarctica, above, in 2006.

Climate Change Could Erode Ozone Layer Over U.S.

New findings indicate that effects of climate change could increase ozone depletion, UV exposure and skin cancer

Why 97 Percent Of Greenland’s Icy Surface Just Melted

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NASA Successfully Tests Inflatable Heat Shield for Descending Spacecraft

A new type of heat shield, made of kevlar-woven fabric and an inflation system, survived a 288-mile descent to Earth

Neanderthal skulls

New Study Suggests Humans, Not Climate, Killed Off Neanderthals

400 Years Worth of Water Discovered in Sub-Saharan Namibia

Death Valley

At 107°F, Death Valley Sets Record for Hottest Daily Low

Death Valley, California set an unusual new record last week matching the hottest low temperature ever recorded on Earth

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Ocean Acidity Rivals Climate Change As Environmental Threat

Rising ocean acidity is now considered to be just as much of a formidable threat to the health of Earth’s environment as the atmospheric climate changes

Volcanic ash from the Ejyafjallajokull eruption floats in the stratosphere.

Harvard Geoengineers Want To Fake a Volcanic Eruption

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