Arctic Scientists Discover Previously Unknown Deep-Sea Ecosystem Thriving on the Arctic Seafloor
After spotting the deepest hydrate seep ever, scientists were shocked to discover a deep-sea ecosystem thriving on the Arctic seafloor.
Environment
Microbes Found Colonizing Fresh Lava May Offer Clues to Life on Mars, Scientists Say
Scientists studying volcanic eruptions in Iceland say microbes begin colonizing new lava flows faster and more predictably than once thought.
A Robot Vanished, Then Mysteriously Reappeared Near Antarctica—Now Researchers Reveal What It Discovered While It Was Missing
A rogue Argo oceanographic float drifted away to accidentally collect data on one of Antarctica’s most inaccessible regions.
Giant Marine Predators Once Hunted in Freshwater Rivers, New Study Suggests
Large prehistoric marine reptiles known as mosasaurs dominated the oceans until their extinction 66 million years ago.
Colossal Foundation Expands Its Ambitious Genetic Rescue and De-Extinction Programs to Save Endangered Species
Colossal Foundation, the nonprofit element of the Texas-based de-extinction and conservation science company Colossal Biosciences, has announced a $50 million funding boost that is advancing its efforts to support wildlife recovery projects.
A Thousand-Year Drought May Have Driven “Hobbits” to Extinction, New Research Reveals
A recent climate study from the University of Wollongong suggests that Homo floresiensis, the small early human species from Liang Bua cave, endured centuries of increasingly severe drought on Flores
African Rainforests Are Now Releasing More Carbon Than They Absorb, Study Finds
African rainforests, long vital carbon absorbers, are now releasing more carbon than they capture, according to new research.
Yellowstone Quakes Offer Clues to Finding Underground Life on Other Worlds
A recent study published in PNAS Nexus reports that a swarm of small earthquakes beneath Yellowstone National Park set off a burst of biological activity deep underground.
Arming the Battle Against Illegal Poaching with Technology, Scientists Can Now Detect Gunshots with Acoustic Sensors and Neural Networks
Scientists have tapped into the power of neural networks to detect and locate gunshots connected to poaching with a web of acoustic sensors.
Scholars Investigated 13th-Century Texts for Clues to India’s Environmental Past—What They Found Was Unexpected
India’s tales from long ago are helping scholars piece together the flora and foliage that once covered the country’s present-day savannas.
“Tectonics, Climate, and Life Co-Evolved Through Deep Time”: How a Supercontinent Breakup Produced All Complex Life on Earth
All complex life on Earth may be the result of plate tectonics tearing apart the ancient supercontinent Nuna 1.5 billion years ago.
Extraterrestrial Dust Trapped in Arctic Ice Challenges Our Understanding of Climate Change
A new study has opened a window into the Arctic’s distant past by using cosmic dust to reconstruct nearly 30,000 years of sea ice history.
Controversial Geoengineering Strategy Can’t Save Coffee, Chocolate, or Wine from Climate Change, New Study Finds
New study finds Geoengineering like stratospheric aerosol injection may fail to protect coffee, wine, and chocolate crops.
“The Silent Strain We See Today Could Lead to Tomorrow’s Disasters”: India’s Sinking Cities Put Millions of Lives at Risk
India’s largest cities are sinking, which may lead to a future catastrophe with millions of lives and thousands of buildings at risk.
New Study Warns Planet-Cooling Stratospheric Aerosol Injections are Unpredictable, Risky, Could End in Disaster
New study reveals stratospheric aerosol injections may be far riskier than expected, with major technical and governance limits.
As the Arctic Melts, a Hidden Process Beneath the Ice Could Help Fight Climate Change
While the loss of Arctic Sea ice remains an impending climate disaster, the melting may give an unexpected boost to carbon-eating algae.
Study Reveals Lead Exposure May Have Shaped Ancient Human Brains, Driving the Struggle Between Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals
Research reveals that ancient Homo sapiens and Neanderthals encountered unexpected levels of lead exposure, shaping how our brains evolved.
From Sunken ‘Ghost Fleets’ to Baltic Bombs, Remnants of Human Conflict Are Playing a Surprising Role in Forming New Ocean Habitats
Discarded World War munitions and shipwrecks are unexpectedly contributing to new undersea ecosystems, a pair of new studies reveal.
Scientists Reveal Odd “Flexoelectric Effect” in Ice Could Explain Lightning’s Mysterious Origins
A new study in Nature Physics reveals that ordinary ice can generate electricity when it is bent or deformed.
Canadian Breakthrough Unveils Cost-Effective Method of Turning CO2 Pollution Into Useful Products
Scientists have created a catalyst that matches the performance of precious metals in turning carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide.
Discovering Australia’s Mysterious ‘Lost’ Asteroid Impact: Ancient Glass Reveals Evidence of a Long-Hidden Event
An ancient asteroid impact in Australia is revealed in shards of glass created when the giant space rock collided with the Earth.
Something Deep Within the Earth is Altering Our Planet’s Gravity—and Satellite Data May Hold Clues to the Mystery
Orbital data reveals that rocks transforming deep inside the Earth may be responsible for changes to our planet’s gravitational field.
Insect Apocalypse: These Ants Are Vanishing at an Alarming Rate
Scientists concerned with a recently identified “Insect Apocalypse” have discovered an alarming rate of decline in Fijian ant populations.
These 5 Geoengineering Ideas Won’t Save Humanity, and Will Probably Do More Harm Than Good
Top climate experts say that some geoengineering-based climate solutions may be cures worse than the disease.
This New Material Can Use Plastic Waste To Solve the Climate Crisis by Capturing Carbon Dioxide
Plastics are a major source of pollution and rising levels of atmospheric CO₂ continue to drive climate change. A new material could help address both problems.
Scientists Have Traced Mysterious Earthquakes Rocking Southern Europe to an “Anomaly” Deep Beneath the Seafloor
New evidence is helping scientists track the origins of mysterious earthquakes that have been rattling Southwest Iberia in recent months.
Europe to Face Increased Onslaught of Costly and Dangerous “Supercell Thunderstorms” in the Coming Years
Supercell thunderstorms, one of the most significant extreme weather events affecting Europe today, may soon be occurring more frequently.
Antarctica is Undergoing ‘Abrupt Changes’ That Scientists Can’t Easily Explain—And They Might Fuel Future Catastrophes
A concerning new study warns that Antarctica is entering an era of abrupt environmental change, which scientists warn may be irreversible.
A Giant Rockfall at Yosemite Decades Ago Caused a Supersonic Airblast—Here’s What Made the One-of-a-Kind Event So Deadly
In 1996, an large rockfall in the Yosemite Valley resulted in a devastating event that generated a sonic boom and a huge granite dust cloud.
Scientists Say This “Strange Physics Mechanism” Could Enable Objects to Levitate on Sunlight
Scientists say a breakthrough nanofabricated device is capable of sunlight-driven propulsion in one of the most difficult-to-reach parts of Earth's atmosphere.
New Clues to the Mysterious Fall of the Mayan Civilization Have Been Unearthed Deep Within a Yucatán Cave
New insights into factors believed to have contributed to the collapse of the Mayan civilization have been unearthed in a Mexican cave.
Scientists Use Lasers to Reveal Mysterious Hidden Phenomena Occurring Over Ocean Waves
Scientists using lasers have discovered a previously hidden environment that exists in the transitional zone between the air and the sea.
Scientists Uncover New Evidence Supporting Controversial Theory That a Comet Impacted Earth 12,800 Years Ago
Core samples collected near Greenland support the controversial theory a comet impact 12,800 years ago caused global temperatures to drop.
Medical Emergency Prompts Evacuation of U.S. Antarctic Base in Daring Midwinter Rescue Operation
An emergency medical situation prompted a demanding mid-winter evacuation from the United States' McMurdo Station in Antarctica this week.
A Damaging Aquatic Invader Was Discovered in the Colorado River—Officials Have Finally Solved the Mystery of Its Origins
Officials were baffled by the surprise discovery of a destructive invasive species in the Colorado River earlier this year.
“Rare Snapshot of a Vanished Arctic World”: 75,000-Year-Old Cave Reveals Complex Ice Age Community
An international team of explorers have revealed unexpected findings discovered in a 75,000-year-old ice age European Arctic cave.
The Deepest Ecosystem Ever Found Has Been Discovered in the Ocean’s Mysterious Hadal Trenches
Chinese ocean explorers have discovered the deepest life on record, existing at extreme depths on the sea floor.
“We Call it Megaflash Lightning”: Scientists Use Satellites to Find New Record-Breaking Weather Extremes
Scientists have now observed the largest megaflash lightning strike ever documented across 515 miles of the Great Plains.
Fossilized Space Dust is Helping Scientists Unlock the Secrets of Earth’s Ancient Atmosphere
International researchers have devised a new technique for studying a sort of fossilized atmosphere left behind by micrometeorites.
Scientists Propose Origin Story for “Puzzling” Hot Zone Beneath America They’re Calling the North Atlantic Anomaly
Scientists studying a puzzling hot zone beneath America, called the North Atlantic Anomaly, have proposed a mantle wave origin hypothesis.
Eruption of Meltwater from Beneath Greenland Ice Sheet Reveals First Look at an Unexpected New Climate Concern
A meltwater flood beneath the Greenland ice sheet created such pressure that it cracked the glacier, defying previous climate models.
Tsunami Waves Strike Pacific Nations After 8.8-Magnitude Russian Earthquake—Here’s What You Should Know
Several countries remain on tsunami alerts after a colossal magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula late on Tuesday.
13,000 Years Ago, a Catastrophic Flood Scoured Oregon’s Ancient Landscape—New Satellite Images Reveal the Lasting Impact
Evidence of an ancient catastrophic flood that occurred 13,000 years ago has been revealed in new images obtained by the Landsat 8 satellite.
Scientists Decode “Perplexing Mystery” of How X-rays, Electric Fields, and Electron Avalanches Create Powerful Lightning Strikes
Penn State University scientists have demonstrated the complex series of events occurring inside thunderclouds that create lightning strikes.
Baltic Sea Turns an Eerie Green as Ancient Organisms Invade Its Waters, New Satellite Images Reveal
Brilliant swirls of green are adding color to the waters of the Baltic Sea, as its summer waters are being overrun with microorganisms.
Scientists Reveal Most Detailed Map of Antarctica’s Seafloor Canyons Ever Made
Scientists have just published the most detailed map of Antartica's seafloor revealing ultra-deep canyons reaching up to 4,000 meters.
Seismologists Identify Rare Supershear Event During Devastating Myanmar Quake
Seismologists reveal that the March 28, 2025, Myanmar earthquake likely moved at 'supershear' velocity, which is analogous to supersonic.
Satellite Images Reveal Strange Circles, Smiley Faces, and Other Seasonal Curiosities on the Greenland Ice Sheet
With the arrival of summer, the Greenland Ice Sheet has adopted its ‘summer look,’ revealing a few odd shapes and other curiosities.
30,000-Acre ‘Gothic Fire’ Scorches Military Training Range Near Nevada’s Secretive Area 51
A massive wildfire raging near Area 51 continues to burn its way across the Nevada Test and Training Range, according to federal officials.
American Southwest Faces ‘New Reality’ as Scientists Warn Severe Megadrought May Endure for Centuries
The worst megadrought in 1200 years is affecting the American southwest, and there's likely no relief coming anytime soon.