Earth
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Life
Microbes flourish at deepest ocean site
At the bottom of the Mariana Trench, eleven kilometers down, bacteria prosper despite crushing pressure and isolation.
- Earth
Extreme storm surges may occur more often
Climate simulations suggest hurricane-caused flooding will increase in frequency as temperatures warm.
- Earth
Canada’s ice shrinking rapidly
Melt from Arctic Archipelago will raise sea levels by 3.5 centimeters.
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- Life
Camel ancestors lived in the Arctic
Fossils on Ellesmere Island suggest famous desert dweller got its start in cold regions.
- Animals
Native pollinators boost crop yields worldwide
Farms with crops from coffee to mangoes don’t get the best yields if they rely solely on honeybees.
- Life
Impact craters may have been a toasty home for early life
The heat generated during a cosmic crash could have nurtured ancient organisms.
- Earth
Nutrients matter in tropical forests
Soil nutrients and rainfall predict tree species range in Panama’s tropical forests.
- Earth
Moderate climate warming could melt permafrost
Ancient cave formations in Siberia reveal effects of warmer past on frozen ground.
- Earth
Intensive care linked to BPA exposure in newborns
High levels of pollutant BPA occur in sickest babies, study finds.
- Earth
Blood levels of BPA become source of controversy
New data question whether human blood measurements of BPA reflect sample contamination or just exaggerated exposures.
- Earth
Aquatic predators affect carbon-storing plant life
Freshwater predator species can prevent the overgrazing of plants that suck up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
