Earth

  1. Climate

    Organic molecules help fatten cloud-making water droplets

    Cloud-forming water droplets can grow larger thanks to organic molecules on the exterior of the drop, new research suggests.

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  2. Agriculture

    Readers debate GMOs

    Genetically-modified food, nuclear fusion, black holes and more reader feedback.

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  3. Agriculture

    Climate change threatens quality of French, Swiss wines

    Wine quality could suffer as climate change desynchronizes warm temperatures and droughts, preventing grape growers from harvesting at the optimum time.

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  4. Agriculture

    Wine quality subject to climate change

    Wine quality could suffer as climate change desynchronizes warm temperatures and droughts, preventing grape growers from harvesting at the optimum time.

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  5. Earth

    CO2 shakes up theory of how geysers spout

    Carbon dioxide helps fuel eruptions of Spouter Geyser, and perhaps other features, in Yellowstone National Park, new research suggests.

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  6. Climate

    Antarctic history suggests ice sheet ‘danger’ threshold

    Carbon dioxide levels during the Antarctic ice sheet’s formation 34 million years ago suggest that Earth could soon enter “danger zone” for ice sheet’s demise.

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  7. Quantum Physics

    Finding wonders in fat

    In the latest issue of Science News, Editor in Chief Eva Emerson talks fat cells, thermodynamics, and lead poisoning.

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  8. Oceans

    Swirls of plankton decorate the Arabian Sea

    The dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans is taking over in the Arabian Sea, posing a potential threat to its ecosystem.

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  9. Climate

    Earlier blooming intensifies spring heat waves in Europe

    The early arrival of spring plants due to climate change amplifies springtime heat waves in Europe, new climate simulations suggest.

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  10. Climate

    Hurricane frequency dropped during 17th century ‘Little Ice Age’

    Atlantic hurricane activity fell around 75 percent when the sun dimmed from 1645 to 1715, a new analysis of shipwrecks and tree rings suggests.

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  11. Animals

    Parasites help brine shrimp survive toxic waters

    When brine shrimp are infected with tapeworms, the tiny aquatic organisms survive better in warm waters and in those laced with toxic arsenic.

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  12. Oceans

    Magnetism from underwater power cables doesn’t deter sea life

    High-voltage power cables that ferry electricity across the seafloor do not negatively impact local fish and crabs, new studies show.

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