Earth

Earth

Alpine glaciers on a hasty retreat

Comparisons of satellite images, aerial photos, and old surveys of Alpine glaciers indicate that the ice masses are losing area at an accelerating rate.

Earth

Hidden Canyons

Among Earth's unsung geological masterpieces are undersea canyons, some of which stretch hundreds of kilometers and can be deep enough to hold skyscrapers.

Earth

Ancient Heights: Leaf fossils track elevation changes

A new technique using altitude-dependent differences in fossil leaves may make it possible to chronicle the rise and fall of mountain ranges over millions of years.

Earth

Snow Blow: Image of Mount Everest from orbit captures enormous plume

A photograph from Earth orbit of an immense plume of snow wafting from Mount Everest could shed new light on how strong winds redistribute precipitation in the Himalayas and other mountain chains.

Earth

Some temblors probably were triggered by tides

Detailed analyses of large earthquakes suggest that some of them may have been triggered by strong tides in Earth's crust.

Earth

Inhaled particles damage vascular lining

Airborne soot and other pollutant particles can impair the ability of tiny vessels in the body to properly regulate blood flow, an animal study finds.

Earth

Damp sandcastles

What keeps the 500-meter-tall dunes of China's Badain Jaran desert immobile, despite arid, windy conditions, is a previously unknown source of groundwater.

Earth

Salmon puzzle: Why did males turn female?

Most of the spawning female Chinook salmon in one part of the Columbia River appear to have started life as males.

Earth

Dead zones may record river floods

Microorganisms that live in seafloor sediments deposited beneath periodically anoxic waters near the mouths of rivers could chronicle the years when those rivers flooded for extended periods.

Earth

Lead’s a moving target at rifle ranges

The lead used in bullets and shotgun pellets can be a threat to the environment near rifle ranges but many of its hazards are manageable.

Earth

Can Banking Carbon Cool the Greenhouse?

Stockpiling carbon dioxide in plants and soil may be effective only for the short term, if at all.

Earth

Wafting pesticides taint far-flung frogs

Agricultural pesticides blowing into California's wilderness areas have played a role in mysterious declines in frog populations.