All Stories by Carolyn Gramling
- Paleontology
Signs of the color blue have been found in a fossil for the first time
Scientists think they’ve spotted hints of blue plumage in a fossilized bird from 48 million years ago.
- Climate
Cold War–era spy satellite images show Himalayan glaciers are melting fast
Declassified spy satellite photographs reveal that glacier melt in the Himalayas has sped up dramatically in the last two decades.
- Earth
Is a long-dormant Russian volcano waking up? It’s complicated
Scientists debate how to interpret seismic activity near Bolshaya Udina on the remote Kamchatka Peninsula.
- Climate
The National Weather Service has launched its new U.S. forecasting model
The United States has finally unveiled its new, highly touted weather prediction model, but some scientists worry that it’s not ready for prime time.
- Earth
Soil eroded by glaciers may have kick-started plate tectonics
How plate tectonics got going is a mystery. Now scientists say they’ve found a key part of the story: massive piles of sediment dumped in the ocean.
- Science & Society
The Smithsonian’s ‘Deep Time’ exhibit gives dinosaurs new life
The Smithsonian’s renovated fossil hall puts ancient dinosaurs and other creatures in context.
- Climate
Thousands of birds perished in the Bering Sea. Arctic warming may be to blame
A mass die-off of puffins and other seabirds in the Bering Sea is probably linked to climate change, scientists say.
- Climate
Himalayan glacier melting threatens water security for millions of people
Asia’s glaciers are melting faster than they are accumulating new stores of snow and ice.
- Earth
This iconic Humboldt map may need crucial updates
A seminal, 212-year-old diagram of Andean plants by German explorer Alexander von Humboldt is still groundbreaking — but outdated, researchers say.
- Paleontology
Signs of red pigment were spotted in a fossil for the first time
For the first time, scientists have identified the chemical fingerprint of red pigment in a fossil.
- Planetary Science
Apollo-era moonquakes reveal that the moon may be tectonically active
Moonquakes recorded decades ago suggest the moon is tectonically active. Knowing more about that activity could help scientists identify where to land future spacecraft.
- Earth
Only a third of Earth’s longest rivers still run free
Mapping millions of kilometers of waterways shows that just 37 percent of rivers longer than 1,000 kilometers remain unchained by human activities.
