Scientists found that ice on Greenland's ice sheet slides across hard bedrock at high speeds, moving more ice than previously thought to the ocean. This discovery suggests the ice sheet can efficiently respond to climate change and potentially increase melting.
Researchers used high-resolution microscopic techniques to fine-tune climate records, revealing a correction factor for coral-based sea-surface temperature measurements. The study improves the accuracy of global climate predictions.
Dr. Kelsi Singer has been awarded the 2019 Harold C. Urey Prize for her outstanding contributions to planetary research, particularly in impact cratering and the geology of icy worlds. Her work has revealed insights into the collisional history of the Kuiper Belt and planetesimal formation.
A new Dartmouth-led study updates the geological record of the Arctic Ocean, revealing that parts of Alaska's Brooks Range were likely transported from Greenland. The research provides clues into the region's natural resources and could help revise predictions about oil, gas and mineral wealth.
Researchers found that microbes consume and trap carbon sinking into the trench off Costa Rica's Pacific coast, potentially influencing geological processes on similar scales as volcanoes. This discovery has important implications for understanding carbon movement from Earth's surface into its interior over geological timescales.
Researchers have found that logging practices can cause significant bedrock incision, eroding geology at a rate of up to 100 times the natural rate. The study, conducted on the Teanaway River in Washington state, shows that human activity has transformed the riverbank, creating new terraces and altering the landscape.
The Cassini spacecraft gathered data on five small moons close to Saturn's rings, revealing no volatiles other than water ice. The moons' geology was shaped by complex processes, including tidal stresses, with optical properties influenced by contamination from the main rings and ring material.
A new theory by QUT geologist Professor Balz Kamber explains why diamonds formed as precious gemstones rather than graphite, contradicting a common belief. The study suggests the upper mantle was relatively cool, leading to diamond formation during the Archaean era.
A new study published in Geology reveals that the largest delta plain in Earth's history formed along Pangea's northern coast during the late Triassic period. The delta plain covers an area equivalent to nearly 1% of the modern world, outscaling modern counterparts by an order of magnitude.
A Southwest Research Institute-led team has discovered that the surface geology on asteroid Bennu is older than expected, with large impact craters and fractured boulders indicating ages of hundreds of millions of years. The OSIRIS-REx mission revealed ancient features on Bennu's surface while also showing signs of recent resurfacing.
Researchers have discovered fossilized worm tunnels dating back to the Cambrian period, suggesting animal life was more widespread than previously thought. The finding reveals evidence of large populations of worms living in sedimentary rocks, which were once believed to be barren.
Two Rice University faculty members, Mark Torres and Ming Yi, have been selected as 2019 Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellows for their work in ocean sciences and physics. The fellowships provide $70,000 in funding to support fundamental research by early-career scientists.
A geosciences professor at the University of Akron has received a $512,045 NSF CAREER grant to investigate how lower crust strength anisotropy affects aftershock earthquake events. The study aims to provide new insights into rock properties and seismic release during earthquakes.
Researchers found a direct connection between river bend curvature and migration rate, with sharper bends causing higher erosion rates and faster migrations. The study used satellite data to track river migration in the Amazon Basin over 30 years.
A palaeontologist is researching the evolution of a mineralised vertebrate skeleton, which led to an explosion in species diversity around 500 million years ago. The unique nanocrystal structure allows for flexibility and stability, enabling species to conquer new habitats and ecosystems.
Researchers Graham Andrews and Sarah Brown from West Virginia University discovered drumlins, a type of hill formed by glaciers, in the Namibian desert. The study provides evidence of an ice stream in southern Africa during the late Paleozoic Age, about 300 million years ago.
Researchers used Curiosity's repurposed inertial measurement units to detect subtle variations in gravitational fields, contradicting the theory of a buried rock layer. The study suggests that Mount Sharp formed largely in its current form as a free-standing mound within Gale crater.
The study found that during the Pleistocene ice age, sediments in the Gulf of Mexico came primarily from the Mississippi River, which collected sediments from across North America. The research provides new insight into how climate change affects geological processes and their impact on environments.
A new global carbon isotope negative excursion defines the Cambrian base at 539 Ma, 2 million years younger than current charts. The authors propose a revised Cambrian chronostratigraphy for China, including a new Xiaotanian Stage.
Researchers from Tomsk Polytechnic University propose a new origin for the Bakchar deposit, suggesting that hydrothermal fluids and brine migration through marine sediments could be the source of its massive iron reserves. The study challenges the long-held theory that iron came from eroded mountainous areas.
The DFG is funding ten new Research Units and one Clinical Research Unit to address pressing issues in hydrology, oceanography, glaciology, geology, and climatology. The units will investigate the effects of volcanic eruptions on the Earth's climate system and develop novel evaluation methods for satellite data.
Researchers at UC are using isotopic analysis to identify the habitats of migratory hawk species. By analyzing the strontium and hydrogen isotopes in feathers, they can determine the geographic origin of individual birds, providing valuable insights for conservation efforts.
The University of Cincinnati is studying landslides to improve public safety and understanding of these natural disasters. The research aims to add specific details on landslides to Nevada's map of known hazards, including areas prone to wildfires, flash-flood zones, and earthquake fault lines.
A new study by the University of Texas at Austin found that where produced water is stored underground increases earthquake risk. The research identified factors that can help reduce seismicity, including managing injection rates and regional volumes.
Researchers at Portland State University found that millions of cubic meters of buried ice have melted in the last decade, leading to unprecedented change over Antarctica's historic period. The culprit is believed to be meltwater, which can conduct heat and cause rapid changes.
Researchers found evidence of a skeleton in ancient organisms, challenging previous assumptions about fossil chronicle. The discovery confirmed that these creatures had a skeleton composed of single-row chambers, similar to modern giant protozoa.
Researchers found that ripple defects resembling hourglasses, zigzags, and tuning forks are associated with periods of environmental flux. These defects can serve as fingerprints to understand how dramatic the shifts in weather conditions were at the time.
Researchers estimate only 3-4% of recorded fossil locations are documented in published literature, highlighting the need for museums to invest in digital preservation. The EPICC database compiles marine invertebrate fossils from the eastern Pacific, providing a vast resource for scientists.
Researchers at Dartmouth College have characterized the phenomenon of radium transfer in hydraulic fracturing, a widely-used method for extracting oil and gas. The study found that radium present in the Marcellus Shale is leached into saline water, becoming increasingly enriched as wastewater travels through the fracture network.
A new study reveals that kidney stones are built up in calcium-rich layers resembling mineralizations in nature. The research found that the stones partially dissolve and regrow again and again as they form, contradicting the widely held notion that they never dissolve.
The University of California, Davis, is targeting underrepresented students in geoscience fields through a five-year project funded by the National Science Foundation. The initiative aims to increase diversity in these areas by providing scholarships and field experiences for eligible students. It will also test a research question abo...
Researchers from Rutgers University discovered that lunar swirls are produced by strongly magnetized lava flows, challenging the existing understanding of the moon's geology. The study provides new insights into the moon's ancient volcanic activity and internally generated magnetic field.
A new model provides the clearest picture yet of the geology below the Tibetan Plateau, revealing tears in the Indian upper mantle layer. The research suggests that these tears are responsible for earthquakes in the region, shedding light on the complex geological processes at play.
Researchers developed a statistical approach combining astronomical theory and rock formation data to estimate Earth's axial precession rate and distance from the Moon. The study also reconstructed periods of astronomically influenced climate cycles, providing insights into ancient Solar System behavior.
A new study suggests that wild swings in oxygen levels may have sent life scrambling to adapt, leading to a major burst of diversity during the Cambrian period. The research, published in Geology, proposes that extreme fluctuations in oxygen levels, rather than gradual increases, triggered the explosion of life forms.
A new geological study provides evidence supporting a coastal theory of early settlement in the Americas. The research suggests that part of a coastal migration route became accessible to humans 17,000 years ago, coinciding with the receding of ancient glaciers.
A study published in Geology suggests that major volcanism led to the late Devonian extinction event, marked by a sharp increase in mercury levels in rocks from Morocco, Germany, and northern Russia. The discovery provides new evidence for the role of volcanism in mass extinctions.
Researchers at University of Illinois found geological signs pointing to catastrophic supervolcano eruptions would be detectable hundreds to thousands of years before an eruption. The study suggests that people need not panic, as the precursors to massive eruptions will be long-lasting and far greater than recent seismic activity.
A University of Cincinnati geology student, Andrew Gangidine, is developing a marker for ancient bacterial life on Mars to aid NASA's search. He's studying microbial life in silica hot springs at Yellowstone National Park to create a useful indicator of life on the red planet.
Using computer modeling, University of Oregon scientists have unveiled a thick crustal transition zone that may control the movement of magma emerging from the Earth's mantle. This discovery provides a new explanation for the geology underlying recent seismic imaging of magma bodies below Yellowstone National Park.
A study published in Science reveals that up to 26 percent of the nitrogen in ecosystems comes from weathering of rocks at Earth's surface. This discovery sheds light on the mysterious gap in nitrogen balance and has implications for forest growth, carbon sequestration, and conservation efforts.
A new study reveals the Mississippi River Delta is experiencing seafloor erosion at an alarming rate, threatening marine ecosystems and infrastructure. The research, published in Marine Geology, found that sediment deposition has stopped, leading to land loss and degradation of wetlands and seafloors.
Researchers have identified a new species of ancient reptile, Colobops noviportensis, with unusually developed jaw muscles, revealing insights into prehistoric environments and animal adaptations. The discovery sheds light on the origins of modern vertebrates in a world already inhabited by diverse physical extremes.
A new study provides a comprehensive understanding of paleoenvironments in Kenya's Rift Valley, shedding light on how early humans adapted to rapidly changing landscapes. The research reveals that tectonics and climate played a crucial role in shaping the region's geological history and human evolution.
Scientists have found fossilized starch granules on ancient plant megaspores, suggesting they were used as a spore-dispersal device. This discovery provides early evidence for mutualism between plants and animals in the Permian period.
Researchers are using a $349,520 grant to analyze fragments of the Tissint meteorite from a Martian volcano, shedding light on the red planet's geological history and potential signs of life.
Researchers at Yale University have discovered a mineral signature that enables them to predict the presence of rare, soft-tissue preserving fossils. The study found that rocks rich in berthierine are more likely to contain Burgess Shale-type fossils.
A new species of arachnid resembling a spider with a tail has been discovered in 100-million-year-old amber from Myanmar. The finding provides insight into arachnid evolution and suggests that tailed descendants may still be alive today.
A new climate study found that recent temperatures across North America and Europe are unusually high, exceeding past decade highs by 0.5 degrees Fahrenheit, and have few natural precedents over the last 11,000 years. The research suggests that human activity has significantly contributed to this warming trend.
Researchers found that 500-million-year-old macroorganisms, such as Beltanelliformis, were actually colonies of cyanobacteria. The study used biomarkers to determine the composition of ancient organisms, shedding light on the evolution of life on Earth.
Scientists have discovered that the basis for photosynthesis in today's plants was set in place 1.25 billion years ago, according to a new study published in Geology. The research pinpoints the age of ancient algae fossils, which had previously been estimated between 720 million and 1.2 billion years.
A new study suggests that heat from a deep-seated oceanic mantle source, rather than a traditional mantle plume, drives crustal melting and surface volcanism in the western US. The research uses seismic tomography to peer into the subsurface and develop a hybrid geodynamic model that better matches observed geologic histories.
Geologists in Scotland have identified a 60-million-year-old meteorite strike on the Isle of Skye, revealing rare minerals from outer space. The discovery has sparked questions about the impact's connection to Paleogene volcanic activity across the North Atlantic.
Researchers found that dust-derived nutrients can be vital to mountain ecosystems, even when nutrient supply from bedrock is substantial. This phenomenon is not limited to the Sierra Nevada and has been observed worldwide.
A Rutgers-led study has detected a massive upwelling of warm rock beneath central Vermont and western New Hampshire, contradicting established notions of how continents behave. The phenomenon, revealed through seismic data, is thought to be driven by the movement of tectonic plates.
Recent North Texas earthquakes occurred on faults inactive for at least 300 million years, supporting the assertion they were induced by human activity. The study discriminates between natural and induced seismicity using classical structural geology analysis techniques.
A scientific team, led by geologist Rebecca Dorsey of the University of Oregon, theorizes that the river's route off the Colorado Plateau was influenced by a combination of tectonic deformation and changing sea levels. The research challenges long-held conventional thinking on river connection to ocean.
Scientists have found evidence that komatiites, three-billion-year-old volcanic rocks found within the Earth's mantle, had a different composition than modern ones. This discovery may provide new information about the first one billion years of Earth's development and early origins of life.
The discovery of exceptionally well-preserved microfossils in Mongolia's Khesen Formation may confirm the existence of animal ecosystems earlier than previously thought. The cache, comprising eight genera and 17 species, represents a critical transition in life's history.
The encyclopedia is a valuable resource for understanding the structure, processes, and genesis of the marine geosphere, essential for addressing global challenges. It presents an interdisciplinary synopsis of marine geosciences, incorporating multiple disciplines, and is regularly updated as a 'living' eReference work.