Earth

  1. Oceans

    Earth got first whiff of oxygen 3.2 billion years ago

    Photosynthesis by early cyanobacteria pumped oxygen into Earth’s oceans 200 million years earlier than once thought, new geochemical analyses show.

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  2. Environment

    Molting seals shed mercury along with fur

    Seals spew amassed mercury when they shed, creating hotbeds of pollution in otherwise pristine coastal environments.

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  3. Planetary Science

    The sad magnetic state of the solar system’s rocky worlds

    While a strong magnetic shield protects Earth from the sun’s occasional outbursts, the solar system’s other rocky planets are mostly defenseless.

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  4. Environment

    Latest BPA replacement seeps into people’s blood and urine

    Replacements for BPA called BPS and BPSIP may raise health risks for cashiers.

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  5. Earth

    The magnetic mystery at the center of the Earth

    The history of the planet’s all-important magnetic field has scientists ramping up simulations and lab experiments to resolve a baffling paradox.

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  6. Climate

    Virtual twister reveals possible source of tornado longevity

    First computer simulation of a long-lived EF5 tornado may reveal why some twisters stick around.

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  7. Earth

    Volcanic activity convicted in Permian extinction

    Precision dating confirms that Siberian volcanic eruptions could have triggered the Permian extinction.

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  8. Climate

    Hurricane’s tiny earthquakes could help forecasters

    Hurricane Sandy set off small earthquakes under its eye as it moved up the U.S. East Coast in 2012. The tiny tremors could help researchers track the behavior of future storms, researchers propose.

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  9. Climate

    Katrina’s legacy: Refining hurricane forecasting

    Ten years following Hurricane Katrina’s formation, the storm’s devastating legacy in New Orleans and beyond continues to drive storm forecast improvements.

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  10. Earth

    Millions of dollars’ worth of gold and silver found beneath volcanoes

    A jackpot of dissolved gold and silver discovered in reservoirs of hot water beneath New Zealand’s Taupo Volcanic Zone.

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  11. Climate

    Carbon cuts could save U.S. farmers billions of dollars

    Reducing carbon emissions could save U.S. agriculture industry billions of dollars annually by curtailing droughts.

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  12. Microbes

    Bacteria in flowers may boost honeybees’ healthy gut microbes

    Honeybees may deliver doses of probiotics to the hive to help feed baby bees’ microbiome.

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