Earth Science News - SciTechDaily

Alarming Threat: New Research Reveals That U.S. Groundwater Is Getting Saltier

Geological Society of America — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 13:44:23 +0000

For over thirty years, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists have been tracking the quality of groundwater in wells throughout the nation. Their focus has been...

Desert Paradox: The Sahara’s Lost Civilization That Defied Nature’s Odds

Geological Society of America — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 16:09:34 +0000

With its low quantities of rain and soaring high temperatures, the Sahara Desert is often regarded as one of the most extreme and least habitable...

Unlocking Earth’s Ancient Secrets: New Study Rewrites Our Understanding of Earth’s Deep Carbon and Chlorine Cycles

Macquarie University — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 15:04:53 +0000

A recent study led by Macquarie University earth scientist Dr. Chunfei Chen sheds new light on geological processes from up to three billion years ago...

Unlocking the Secrets of Climate Evolution: The Tipping Points That Changed Earth Forever

University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 16:21:53 +0000

Over the past 66 million years, two major climate events have shaped the climate system, dividing the period into two distinct climate eras. An analysis...

Tipping the Scales: Did an 11,700-Year-Old Event Seal the Horn of Africa’s Dry Fate?

Utrecht University — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 21:06:19 +0000

Recent studies indicate that the Horn of Africa may experience increasing dryness, contrary to the majority of climate models that forecasted more rainfall. For decades,...

4 Billion Years Old – Earth’s Oldest-Known Rocks Provide Clues About Early Tectonics

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 11:22:19 +0000

Currently, Earth stands alone as the only identified planet that sustains life, thanks in large part due to the dynamics of plate tectonics. This process...

Hydrothermal Vents and Global Warming – New Revelations From Below the Ocean’s Surface

Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR) — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 03:46:47 +0000

Recent research reveals that volcanic activity 56 million years ago emitted a higher amount of methane than previously estimated. Approximately 55 million years ago, the...

Rewriting Earth’s Early History: Scientists Discover High Iron Oxidation in Primordial Magma

Ehime University — Sun, 06 Aug 2023 18:14:47 +0000

New study sheds light on the composition of the Earth’s earliest atmosphere. Understanding the atmospheric and surface conditions of early Earth, especially before life originated,...

600 Million-Year-Old Time Capsule – New Discoveries From the Himalayas Shed Light on Earth’s Past

Indian Institute of Science (IISc) — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 10:52:58 +0000

High up in the Himalayas, researchers from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Niigata University in Japan have found water droplets trapped in mineral...

The Unseen Spark: How Ancient Microorganisms Helped Cause Massive Volcanic Events

Rice University — Sun, 23 Jul 2023 22:38:02 +0000

New research suggests that ancient microorganisms helped cause massive volcanic events. Banded iron formations, sedimentary rocks with stunning strata of burnt orange, yellow, silver, brown,...

Seismic Enigma: Scientists Shed New Light on “Segment-Jumping” Ridgecrest Earthquakes

University of California - San Diego — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 23:51:16 +0000

Scientists use a supercomputer to unveil the intricate dynamics of multi-fault earthquake systems. In the early hours of July 4, 2019, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake...

Deciphering Disasters: How Santorini’s Seafloor Is Unveiling the Secrets of Volcanic Tsunamis

Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR) — Sun, 25 Jun 2023 22:34:49 +0000

The imprints left on the seafloor of the Aegean serve as valuable indicators for improved evaluation of hazards of volcanic tsunamis. The colossal Minoan eruption...

Where Did Earth’s Water Come From?

Carnegie Institution for Science — Tue, 13 Jun 2023 11:33:43 +0000

Newly discovered exoplanets contribute to the development of a novel model that offers potential explanations for the origin of some of Earth’s signature features, such...

Unveiling Ancient Climate Change: Australia’s Transformation From Lush to Dust

Curtin University — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 09:34:05 +0000

Curtin University researchers have uncovered the time frame of when the Nullarbor Plain in Australia became arid using a novel method, illuminating the impact of...

Hiding in Plain Sight: Scientists Discover Hidden Secret of “Jellyfish” Fossils

University of Illinois Chicago — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 12:38:39 +0000

Despite being abundant on the ocean floor, sea anemones are among the most elusive fossils due to their soft bodies lacking hard parts that can...

Rare “Cosmogenic Radionuclides” Help Unlock Mysteries in the Andes

Syracuse University — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 04:39:23 +0000

The Earth is constantly subjected to an overwhelming influx of cosmic rays — subatomic particles that are undetectable to the human eye and originate from...

The “New Normal”: Climate Changing Is Causing a Shift To Flash Droughts

University of Southampton — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 23:15:17 +0000

According to recent research conducted by the University of Southampton, flash droughts have become more frequent as a result of human-induced climate change, and this...

Cheaper and More Efficient: New Camera Could Help Scientists Forecast Volcano Eruptions Affecting Millions

Frontiers — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 05:15:43 +0000

Researchers have made long-term volcano monitoring a possibility by creating a more efficient and cost-effective camera. Gas emissions are a manifestation of the activity taking...

A New Look at the Climate of the West Coast: Only a Few Thousand Years Old

University of California - Davis — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 04:44:19 +0000

The climate that is commonly perceived as being characteristic of the West Coast is a relatively recent phenomenon, existing for only a few thousand years....

Severely Underestimated: Study Reveals Hidden Ice Melt in Himalayas

Chinese Academy of Sciences — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 11:31:54 +0000

Revealing “invisible” glacier loss underwater Recent research shows that the mass loss of lake-terminating glaciers in the Himalayas has been severely underestimated, due to the...

Previously Undetectable: Releases of Deep-Sea Methane Happen More Often Than Expected

Brown University — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 09:10:14 +0000

New findings reveal that deep-sea methane deposits are converting into gas at a higher rate than previously observed and that a specific group of fossilized...

“Shattering Records” – Wildfires in 2021 Emitted a Record-Breaking Amount of Carbon Dioxide

University of California - Irvine — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 20:44:10 +0000

A study led by UC Irvine found that forest fires in northern latitudes are the primary source. An international team of researchers, led by Earth...

Climate Change Could Cause Devastating Mass Exodus of Tropical Plankton

University of Texas at Austin — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 05:53:40 +0000

The tropical oceans harbor the most varied plankton communities on our planet, which serve as the foundation of marine food webs. However, it may come...

“Irreversible Degradation” – Existential Threats to the Iconic Nile River Delta Identified

University of Southern California — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 17:29:44 +0000

According to new research from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, the Nile River Delta, which is crucial for the survival of 60 million Egyptians...