Earth
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Earth
Mineralogy’s link to ecology makes an Earth twin unlikely
Earth’s unique blend of minerals emerged with the evolution of life, making it extremely unlikely that another planet has Earth’s exact mineral composition.
- Climate
California drought worst in at least 1,200 years
The current California drought is the most severe in 1,200 years, according to historical information gleaned from tree rings.
- Climate
Resilience protects corals from hurricanes — and climate change
Coral reefs have evolved to be resilient in the face of hurricanes that can devastate human populations. But climate change is reducing the ability of reefs to bounce back from disaster.
- Environment
Black carbon fouls New York subway stations
Black carbon, a respiratory irritant, fouls air in New York subway stations.
- Climate
Greenhouse gases may spell wet future for Africa
Greenhouse gases played a role in boosting rainfall in Africa 14,000 to 21,000 years ago, a finding that may help predict future abundance of water on the continent.
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- Planetary Science
Preparing for disaster, celebrating success
Science cannot prevent all disasters or solve all the problems they spawn, but it can point to the best ways to prepare, making disasters less damaging than they might otherwise be
- Earth
Studying a volcano in a war zone
New isotope analyses offer bad news for the people of Goma, a burgeoning city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Mount Nyiragongo may be more dangerous than expected.
- Earth
Exhibit lays out principles for disaster-resistant structures
The National Building Museum’s ‘Designing for Disaster’ exhibit showcases the science and engineering of making disaster-resistant infrastructure.
- Earth
Earth’s most abundant mineral finally has a name
Bridgmanite, the planet’s most common mineral, christened after traces found in 1879 meteorite.
- Oceans
Robotic subs reveal thicker Antarctic sea ice
New measurements by robotic subs suggest that scientists have underestimated Antarctic sea ice thickness.
- Earth
‘Mass Extinction’ vivifies the science of die-offs
The dinosaurs were killed off some 65 million years ago after a colossal asteroid struck Earth. But what many people probably don’t know is how paleontologists came to that conclusion. "Mass Extinction: Life at the Brink" tells that story.
