Earth Science News - SciTechDaily

Decoding Earth’s Ancient Atmosphere: Life’s Role in Shaping Our World

Syracuse University — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 23:41:38 +0000

A recent scientific study traces the co-evolution of Earth’s atmosphere, oceans, and life over 500 million years, revealing how organisms like algae have modified and adapted to changing environmental conditions, ultimately enhancing Earth’s habitability. Over the past 500 million years, interactions between the atmosphere, the ocean, and life on Earth have created conditions that allowed [...]

Cracking the Climate Code: Scientists Unearth Clues From 380 Million Years Ago

Ruhr-University Bochum — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 00:36:00 +0000

Rocks undergo transformations over millions of years, but they still hold valuable information about the climate during their formation. Fluids circulating underground gradually alter rocks over time. These processes must be considered when using rocks as climate archives. Dr. Mathias Müller from the Sediment and Isotope Geology research group at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, along [...]

2.5 Billion-Year-Old “Time Capsule” Rocks Rewrite History: New Study Challenges Mantle Oxidation Theory

Smithsonian — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 03:31:09 +0000

Smithsonian scientists conduct new research on ancient ‘time capsule’ rocks, dating back at least 2.5 billion years. Researchers at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History have conducted a new analysis of rocks believed to be at least 2.5 billion years old, shedding light on the chemical history of Earth’s mantle, the layer beneath the [...]

Arctic’s Cooling Power Has Plummeted by 25%, Alarming Study Reveals

University of Michigan — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 10:25:11 +0000

Changes in the melting patterns of Antarctica and the slushy condition of Arctic ice are driving global warming toward the upper limits predicted by climate models. New research led by scientists at the University of Michigan reveals that the Arctic has lost approximately 25% of its cooling ability since 1980 due to diminishing sea ice [...]

Dispelling the Doomsday Myth: New Research Reveals There Is No Global “Ticking Time Bomb” in Permafrost Thaw

Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 01:46:52 +0000

Experts from AWI have not discovered any evidence of a global climate tipping point related to permafrost; instead, they observe that permafrost soils are thawing in alignment with global warming trends. Permafrost soils contain substantial amounts of organic carbon and are frequently described as a crucial tipping point in the Earth system, potentially collapsing suddenly [...]

A Relic of Ancient Oceans and Planetary Collisions – Scientists Shed New Light on Earth’s Mysterious D” Layer

Science China Press — Thu, 30 May 2024 08:18:22 +0000

New research suggests the mysterious D” layer at Earth’s core-mantle boundary might have formed from remnants of an early colossal impact, with iron-rich peroxide playing a key role in its unique and enduring features. Deep within Earth, there lies a mysterious layer called the D” layer. Located roughly 3,000 kilometers down, this zone sits just [...]

The Paradox of February 2024: Warmest Global Temperatures Meet Record-Breaking Cold

GIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology) — Sun, 21 Apr 2024 11:41:46 +0000

The frequency of Warm Arctic-Cold Continent events is anticipated to increase until the 2020s, but is expected to decrease after the 2030s, influencing weather patterns worldwide. The Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that February 2024 was the warmest February ever recorded globally. However, North America, Asia, and parts of Europe experienced record-breaking cold temperatures. In [...]

Sulfur’s Secret Role in the Origin of Life – Scientists Unveil Prebiotic Secrets

University of Arizona — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 21:22:13 +0000

A study led by the University of Arizona highlights sulfur, a widely recognized chemical element that has intriguingly defied scientific attempts to understand its role in the origin of life. Many artists have tried to depict what Earth might have looked like billions of years ago, before life made its appearance. Many scenes trade snow-covered [...]

The Secret Keepers of Earth’s History: Zircons Reveal Billion-Year Geological Mysteries

Science China Press — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 21:28:10 +0000

A new study leverages detrital zircons to unveil the ancient geological processes shaping Earth, from crust-to-mantle recycling to the formation of supercontinents. The research was led by Dr. Rui Wang and his Ph.D. student Shao-chen Wu (Institute of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Beijing), Dr. Roberto Weinberg and Dr. Peter Cawood (Monash University), and [...]

What Made Denver, the Mile High City, a Mile High? Geologists Uncover Hidden History

University of Colorado at Boulder — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 19:11:36 +0000

If you’ve driven the mostly flat stretch of I-25 in Colorado from Pueblo to Trinidad, you’ve seen them: the Spanish Peaks, twin mountains that soar into the sky out of nowhere, reaching altitudes of 13,628 and 12,701 feet above sea level. In a new study, geologists from the University of Colorado Boulder have laid out [...]

Rethinking Earth’s Surface: Geoscientists Discover Hidden Faults of the Pacific Plate

University of Toronto — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 21:16:56 +0000

Research indicates that the Pacific Plate is being torn apart at undersea plateaus across the ocean, due to the weight of the oceanic plate subducting along the Western Pacific Ring of Fire. Recent research conducted by geoscientists from the University of Toronto is refining the long-standing model of plate tectonics, which suggests that the oceanic [...]

Ocean’s SOS: The Looming Threat of Deoxygenation on Marine Life

Max Planck Institute for Chemistry — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 06:01:34 +0000

Enhanced oxygen levels in the tropical ocean during an abrupt global warming event in geological history Oxygen is essential for maintaining life on Earth. The ocean receives its oxygen from the top layers that are in contact with the atmosphere. However, as the Earth warms, the ocean’s ability to hold oxygen is slowly diminishing, leading [...]

Unlocking the Mysteries of Rainfall With FY-3G, Earth’s New Eye in the Sky

Journal of Remote Sensing — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 23:56:45 +0000

Measuring the precise quantity of rainfall in a particular area is straightforward when there is equipment specifically designed to accurately capture and relay precipitation data. However, quantifying and identifying the types of precipitation across all locations on Earth presents significant logistical challenges. Importantly, this information could provide a wealth of data for characterizing and predicting [...]

Global Implications: More Aerosol Particles Than Thought Are Forming Over Siberia

University of Helsinki — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 21:55:39 +0000

Recent research has discovered that, in contrast to earlier assumptions, substantial quantities of aerosol particles are generated across extensive regions of the West Siberian taiga during spring. These findings indicate that rising temperatures can greatly influence the climate due to this phenomenon. Aerosol particles significantly contribute to the Earth’s cooling process. They can impact the [...]

Hidden Danger: Researchers Warn That Climate Change Can Put the Planet’s Largest Reserves of Drinking Water at Risk

Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 01:32:50 +0000

A global study examining temperature changes in 12 caves across the world indicates that a significant portion of the Earth’s readily available freshwater supplies may be endangered by climate change. Caves allow scientists to observe the underground systems that are distributed throughout the planet – systems which, in their vast majority, are inaccessible to human [...]

Unraveling Earth’s Ancient Secrets: New Study Reshapes Understanding of Devonian Era Mass Extinction

Indiana University — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 21:06:07 +0000

A new study indicates that a combination of volcanic activity and oceanic purification processes drove Earth’s ecosystems to a tipping point. Diverse and full of sea life, the Earth’s Devonian era — taking place more than 370 million years ago — saw the emergence of the first seed-bearing plants, which spread as large forests across [...]

Pushing the Boundaries: How Human Activities Threaten Earth’s Critical Systems

Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:15:38 +0000

In a recent paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers contend that tipping elements in the Earth’s system ought to be regarded as global commons. They argue that the definition of global commons should extend beyond just the regions beyond national borders, such as the high seas and Antarctica, [...]

Snowflake Secrets: Scientists Discover That Their Movement Is Astonishingly Predictable

University of Utah — Sat, 27 Jan 2024 14:09:15 +0000

Researchers from Utah have conducted a study that may significantly improve weather forecasting by finding that the movement of snowflakes is astonishingly predictable. Tim Garrett has dedicated his scientific career to studying snowflakes, the ever-changing ice particles that originate in clouds and dramatically transform as they descend to Earth. Now the University of Utah atmospheric [...]

The Lost Continent of Sahul: Archaeologists Uncover Prehistoric Secrets

Griffith University — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 18:23:34 +0000

A team of archaeologists and earth scientists have recently unveiled insights into the ancient terrains of Sahul, the landmass that during the Ice Age included Australia and New Guinea. Their research, which was published in Quaternary Science Reviews, reveals intriguing details about a lesser-known period in human history. For the majority of the last 65,000 [...]

Redefining Earth’s Future: Scientists Advocate for Revolutionary Planetary Commons Framework

University of Lincoln — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 12:11:10 +0000

A pioneering research paper redefines traditional concepts of global commons, proposing a broader framework known as the “Planetary Commons”. A groundbreaking research paper, recently published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), challenges conventional notions of global commons and advocates for a more expansive framework called the “Planetary Commons.” The study, [...]

36.8 Billion Tons – Fossil CO₂ Emissions Reach Record High

Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 15:04:09 +0000

The latest carbon budget report from the Global Carbon Project reveals that global CO2 emissions remain significantly higher than the reductions required to achieve our climate targets. The time left to reach the climate goals of the Paris Agreement is running out fast. This is the conclusion of the latest Global Carbon Budget, which is [...]

Alarming Threat: New Research Reveals That U.S. Groundwater Is Getting Saltier

Geological Society of America — Fri, 20 Oct 2023 13:44:23 +0000

For over thirty years, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists have been tracking the quality of groundwater in wells throughout the nation. Their focus has been on detecting potentially harmful chemicals or substances that could negatively impact ecosystems or human health. In all, they have measured up to 500 chemical constituents, including major ions, metals, pesticides, [...]

Desert Paradox: The Sahara’s Lost Civilization That Defied Nature’s Odds

Geological Society of America — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 16:09:34 +0000

With its low quantities of rain and soaring high temperatures, the Sahara Desert is often regarded as one of the most extreme and least habitable environments on Earth. While the Sahara was periodically much greener in the distant past, an ancient society living in a climate very similar to today’s found a way to harvest [...]

Unlocking Earth’s Ancient Secrets: New Study Rewrites Our Understanding of Earth’s Deep Carbon and Chlorine Cycles

Macquarie University — Tue, 05 Sep 2023 15:04:53 +0000

A recent study led by Macquarie University earth scientist Dr. Chunfei Chen sheds new light on geological processes from up to three billion years ago and marks a significant shift in the scientific community’s understanding of the early Earth. Recently published in the journal Nature, the research explores the transformative effects of Earth’s gradual cooling [...]