Earth

Earth

Dry sand can bubble and swirl like a fluid

Put two types of sand grains together in a chamber, and they can flow like fluids under the right conditions.

Physics

Here’s what causes the aurora-like glow known as STEVE

Amateur astronomer images and satellite data are revealing what causes the strange atmospheric glow called STEVE.

Animals

Endangered green sea turtles may be making a comeback in the U.S. Pacific

The numbers of green sea turtles spotted around Hawaii, American Samoa and the Mariana Islands have increased in the last decade.

Microbes

A global survey finds that the Arctic Ocean is a hot spot for viruses

Scientists mapped virus diversity around the world’s oceans. That knowledge may be key to making better climate simulations.

Earth

More than a million tiny earthquakes revealed in Southern California

By putting millions of tiny quakes on record, scientists hope to learn more about what triggers the big ones.

Earth

Warm, dry winds may be straining Antarctica’s Larsen C ice shelf

Wind-induced melting that occurred during the Antarctic autumn may be accelerating the Larsen C ice shelf’s collapse, which could raise sea levels.

Climate

Tiny microplastics travel far on the wind

Airborne bits of plastic that originated in cities ended up in pristine mountains at least 95 kilometers away, a study finds.

Climate

Climate change made the Arctic greener. Now parts of it are turning brown.

Arctic browning could have far-reaching consequences for people and wildlife, affecting habitat and atmospheric carbon uptake as well as increasing wildfire risk.

Climate

Antarctica’s iceberg graveyard could reveal the ice sheet’s future

Drilling deep into the seafloor beneath Antarctica’s “Iceberg Alley” could reveal new clues about how quickly the continent has melted in the past.

Earth

How deadly, fast-moving flows of volcanic rock and gas cheat friction

Mixtures of hot volcanic rock and gas called pyroclastic flows travel so far by gliding on air, a new study suggests.

Health & Medicine

Readers seek answers to stories about shingles, Neandertal spears and more

Readers had questions about Neandertal spears, Earth’s inner core and more.

Plants

A major crop pest can make tomato plants lie to their neighbors

Insects called silverleaf whiteflies exploit tomatoes’ ability to detect damage caused to nearby plants.