Earth

  1. Earth

    New app puts an earthquake detector in your pocket

    Smartphone app MyShake uses motion-sensing accelerometers to detect nearby quakes. The app could provide early warnings of incoming tremors, its creators say.

    By
  2. Astronomy

    In all sorts of circumstances, life finds a way

    Editor in Chief discusses the new marine habitats formed by human pollution and the alarming rise of the Zika virus.

    By
  3. Environment

    Urban heat islands exist even in the Arctic

    Arctic cities are a source of warming in the far north. Unlike midlatitude heat islands, poorly insulated buildings — not the sun — are a primary source.

    By
  4. Earth

    Ocean’s plastics offer a floating fortress to a mess of microbes

    Microbes take up residence on ocean plastics, potentially causing changes in ocean environments.

    By
  5. Agriculture

    Plants trick bacteria into attacking too soon

    Scientists have discovered that a plant compound interferes with bacterial communication.

    By
  6. Science & Society

    ‘GMOs’ isn’t a four-letter word, but it is hard to define

    The definition of what constitutes a genetically modified organism is a challenge to those tasked with developing standards for labeling foods that contain GMOs.

    By
  7. Climate

    Forest management not so hot at fighting warming

    Forest management practices in Europe have slightly worsened climate change, new research shows.

    By
  8. Earth

    Ancient tectonic plate blocks magma plume at Yellowstone, simulation shows

    A rising plume of hot rock from Earth’s mantle may not be responsible for the Yellowstone supervolcano, new research suggests.

    By
  9. Climate

    Phytoplankton rapidly disappearing from the Indian Ocean

    Phytoplankton populations in the Indian Ocean fell 30 percent over the last 16 years largely due to global warming, new research suggests.

    By
  10. Genetics

    GMOs haven’t delivered on their promises — or risks

    Genetically modified foods have been studied extensively and are abundant on supermarket shelves, but they haven’t managed to end world hunger yet.

    By
  11. Animals

    Climate change may be deadly for snowshoe hares

    The mismatch between coat color and the landscape can be deadly for a snowshoe hare.

    By
  12. Environment

    Converted milk proteins clean pollution, strike gold

    A new membrane uses sticky amyloid proteins to trap contaminants in water.

    By