Earth

  1. Life

    ‘Racing Extinction’ documents plight of endangered species

    The new documentary "Racing Extinction" offers hope that people can halt the sixth mass extinction.

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  2. Earth

    Earth’s water originated close to home, lava analysis suggests

    Scarcity of a hydrogen isotope called deuterium in molten rock from Earth’s depths suggests that the planet’s H2O originated from water-logged dust during formation, not comets.

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  3. Paleontology

    Land life spared in Permian extinction, geologists argue

    New rock layer dating in South Africa’s Karoo Basin suggests that extinctions of land species didn’t coincide with the Permian extinction around 252 million years ago.

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  4. Climate

    Kangaroo farts may not be so eco-friendly after all

    Kangaroos fart methane, but not much thanks to the metabolism of gut microbes

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  5. Science & Society

    Quantum spookiness, magnetic mysteries and more feedback

    Letters and comments from readers on quantum spookiness, Earth's magnetic field, and more.

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  6. Earth

    New recipe for diamonds: Just add acid

    Rises in acidity during interactions between rocks and water in Earth’s interior can spark diamond formation, simulations show.

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  7. Earth

    New recipe for diamonds: Just add acid

    Simulating the chemistry, pressures and temperatures in Earth’s interior, scientists have discovered a new way diamonds can form.

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  8. Climate

    Eocene temperature spike caused by half as much CO2 as once thought

    Revised experiments demonstrate that hot temperatures during the Eocene resulted from lower carbon dioxide concentrations than previously thought.

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  9. Climate

    How to melt an ice cave

    Frigid winter air keeps gives ice caves their perpetual chill, researchers find, warning that airtight seals on some ice caves could cause the frigid formations to melt within decades.

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  10. Earth

    New fascination with Earth’s ‘Boring Billion’

    The Mesoproterozoic era, known as the boring billion, had very low oxygen, but it set the stage for the evolution of animals.

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  11. Oceans

    Rising temperatures complicate efforts to manage cod fishery

    Higher water temperatures in the Gulf of Maine could play a role in Atlantic cod crashes.

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  12. Earth

    Parched parts of Earth expanding

    More drylands, largely impacting developing nations, are forecasted for near future.

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