7,845 results
7,845 results for: Geology
- Paleontology
New computer analysis hints volcanism killed the dinosaurs, not an asteroid
Scientists take a creative approach to investigating what caused the mass extinction 66 million years ago, but the debate is far from settled.
- Climate
How powdered rock could help slow climate change
A method called enhanced rock weathering shows promise at capturing carbon dioxide from the air. But verifying the carbon removal is a challenge.
- Astronomy
The black hole–powered jet in galaxy M87 is making stars explode
Hubble Space Telescope data show a surprising number of nova blasts along the jet of high-speed gas coming from the galaxy M87.
- Space
Salty water may have flowed near Mars’ equator as recently as 400,000 years ago
Crusts and cracks on Martian sand dunes are a sign salty water flowed near the equator thousands, not billions, of years ago — and may still exist.
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Rock from the impact that formed the moon may linger in Earth’s mantle
When the young Earth and a Mars-sized body collided 4.5 billion years ago, it left behind dense mantle rock that survives to today, a study finds.
- Plants
On some Australian islands, sea level rise may be helping mangroves thrive
Rising seas usually spell trouble for mangroves. But the first survey of the Howick Islands in 50 years finds that mangroves there have expanded a lot.
- Earth
How Kenya is helping its neighbors develop geothermal energy
Renewable energy is crucial to halting climate change. In East Africa, the region’s geology makes geothermal energy a viable option.
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The Hunga Tonga eruption sparked the highest-altitude lightning ever recorded
The plume from the 2022 eruption spawned flashes of lightning that started 20 to 30 kilometers above sea level.
- Archaeology
Human footprints in New Mexico really may be surprisingly ancient, new dating shows
Two dating methods find that human tracks in White Sands National Park in New Mexico are roughly 22,000 years old, aligning with a previous estimate.
- Archaeology
A puzzling mix of artifacts raises questions about Homo sapiens' travels to China
A reexamined Chinese site points to a cultural mix of Homo sapiens with Neandertals or Denisovans.
- Earth
To form pink diamonds, build and destroy a supercontinent
The Argyle deposit in Australia formed about 1.3 billion years ago, a study shows, along a rift zone that sundered the supercontinent Nuna.
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How the science of rocks is like the science of humans
Editor in chief Nancy Shute examines how a simple question can lead to a complex search for answers in both geology and human psychology.
