Tragic Dyatlov Pass Incident: Using Science to Explore One of the Greatest Mysteries in Soviet History
In early October 2019, when an unknown caller rang EPFL professor Johan Gaume’s cell phone, he could hardly have imagined that he was about to…
Geology
Deadly Dam Collapse – That Caused One of Brazil’s Worst Environmental Disasters – Could Have Been Predicted
One of Brazil’s worst environmental disasters — a dam collapse that also killed more than 200 people — could have been foreseen with the right…
Hidden Climate Risk Posed by Carbon-Chomping Soil Bacteria
Much of the earth’s carbon is trapped in soil, and scientists have assumed that potential climate-warming compounds would safely stay there for centuries. But new…
There’s Lots of Water in the Most Explosive Volcano in the World
Shiveluch, an active volcano located on the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia, has had more major eruptions than any other volcano in our current period…
Centuries Old Climate Records Reconstructed From a 600-Year-Old Marine Sponge
Temperature records show past volcanic activity, current climate warming trends. Scientists used a 600-year-old marine sponge to reconstruct a record of ocean temperature in the…
Plastic Pollution Is Everywhere: Research Reveals How It Travels
Plastic pollution is ubiquitous today, with microplastic particles from disposable goods found in natural environments throughout the globe, including Antarctica. But how those particles move…
New Forensic DNA Technology to Combat Terrorism – Dust on Boots, Baggage Can Track Down Suspects
Forensic science experts at Flinders University are refining an innovative counter-terrorism technique that checks for environmental DNA in the dust on clothing, baggage, shoes, or…
Continents Were Weak and Prone to Destruction in Their Infancy
Monash University geologists have shed new light on the early history of the Earth through their discovery that continents were weak and prone to destruction…
Colorado River Mystery Solved by University of Oregon Researchers
Two papers led by graduate students document that the river’s lower region long ago held a vast marine tidal basin and humid paleoclimate. A team…
Sea of Galilee Seen From Space – Source of Religious Inspiration and Intrigue
The Sea of Galilee in northern Israel—one of the lowest-lying bodies of water in the world—has long been a source of religious inspiration and intrigue….
Colorado Mountains Bouncing Back From ‘Acid Rain’ Impacts Caused by Vehicle Emissions
A long-term trend of ecological improvement is appearing in the mountains west of Boulder. Researchers from CU Boulder have found that Niwot Ridge—a high alpine…
Critical Temperature for Tropical Tree Lifespan Revealed – “These Results Are a Warning Sign”
For the first time scientists have provided clear evidence that tropical tree lifespan decreases above a critical temperature threshold. Findings published in the journal PNAS…
Natural Nanodiamonds in Oceanic Rocks – Formed Through Low Pressure and Temperature Geological Processes
Natural diamonds can form through low pressure and temperature geological processes on Earth, as stated in an article published in the journal Geochemical Perspectives Letters….
“Paradigm Shifting” – Researchers Discover a Substantial Overlooked Source of Natural CO2
The bedrock beneath our feet has a reputation as an inhospitable place. In contrast, soil is known to be teeming with life – from microbes…
Geoscientists Analyze Zircon to Trace Origin of Earth’s Continents
Geoscientists have long known that some parts of the continents formed in the Earth’s deep past, but the speed in which land rose above global…
Cluster of Islands in Alaska Could Be Single Gigantic Interconnected Volcano
A small group of volcanic islands in Alaska’s Aleutian chain might be part of a single, undiscovered giant volcano, say scientists that presented the findings…
Meteorites Reveal Chaotic Early Solar System Collisions Resembled “Asteroids” Arcade Game
One Friday evening in 1992, a meteorite ended a more than 150 million-mile journey by smashing into the trunk of a red Chevrolet Malibu in…
An Escape Route for Seafloor Methane: Puzzling Leakage From Frozen Layers Explained
Leakage from frozen layers was a puzzle, but a new study shows how the potent greenhouse gas breaks through icy barriers. Methane, the main component…