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Search results for “Geology”

1,000+ results for "Geology"

Utah mountain ranges may store a billion tons of hidden ice

Researchers have created a 3D map of a hidden 'rock glacier' in the Wasatch Mountains, one of over 800 in Utah, and found it contains enough frozen water to fill 600 Olympic swimming pools. The study uses a novel technique to image the 3D ice body within a large rock glacier, revealing the scale of ice storage in Utah's mountains.

SourceUniversity of Utah·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 26, 2026

Topography controls how mountains respond to large earthquakes

A new study reveals that topography is the key factor controlling how mountain erosion responds to large earthquakes. Researchers found that differences in landscape steepness, hillslope-to-channel connectivity, and river transport capacity determine the erosion process. In steeper areas, deep-seated landslides carried material from de...

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalGeology·TypeMeta-analysis·DateAug 17, 2026

FSU scientists find gas emissions from rocks may have contributed to ancient climate swings, mass extinctions

Researchers discovered natural sulfur and carbon emissions from metamorphic rocks contribute to cooling spikes, while carbon remains in the atmosphere for centuries, influencing ancient ecosystem reorganizations. These findings shed new light on mass-extinction events, such as the Ordovician, Devonian, Permian, and Triassic Periods.

SourceFlorida State University·JournalScience Advances·DateJul 8, 2026

How a landmark study revealed the Great Barrier Reef’s survival over 30,000 years of upheaval

A review paper synthesizes nearly 20 years of research on the Great Barrier Reef's responses to sea-level shifts, finding five distinct reef phases that formed, drowned, and reformed over 30,000 years. The study highlights the reefs' dynamic nature and reveals they were shaped by multiple environmental pressures.

SourceUniversity of Sydney·JournalMarine Geology·TypeObservational study·DateJun 29, 2026

The mystery of Utah’s deep quakes

Researchers confirmed locations for nine well-below-Earth's-crust deep earthquakes, proving the existence of continental mantle earthquakes. The study revealed striking patterns, including extremely high temperatures and a heterogeneous structure in the Wyoming Craton.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalThe Seismic Record·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 28, 2026

Evidence of a subsurface lava tube on Venus

A team from the University of Trento has identified an empty subsurface lava tube beneath Venus' surface, estimated to be approximately one kilometer in diameter and 375 meters deep. The discovery was made possible by analyzing Magellan's radar images and provides new insights into Venus' volcanic processes and geology.

SourceUniversità di Trento·JournalNature Communications·TypeImaging analysis·DateFeb 9, 2026

Looking inside icy moons

Researchers have discovered that tidal heating can cause ice shells to melt, leading to ocean boiling and unique geological features. The process can also drive compressional tectonics, shaping the surface of icy moons.

SourceUniversity of California - Davis·JournalNature Astronomy·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 24, 2025

Microbes at Red Sea vents show how life and geology shape each other

A new study reveals an unusual microbial world in the Hatiba Mons hydrothermal vent fields, showcasing remarkable metabolic versatility. The microbes present demonstrate a unique ecosystem dominated by iron-driven metabolisms, which drive chemical transformations and sustain life under extreme conditions.

SourceKing Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)·JournalEnvironmental Microbiome·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 20, 2025

Researchers uncover potential biosignatures on Mars

A new study has revealed chemical signatures of ancient Martian microbial life in the Bright Angel formation, a region of Jezero Crater known for its fine-grained mudstones rich in oxidized iron and organic carbon. The findings suggest that early microorganisms may have played a role in shaping these rocks through redox reactions.

SourceTexas A&M University·JournalNature·DateSep 10, 2025

Cambrian explosion may have occurred much earlier than previously thought

A new study published in Geology analysis the body profiles of organisms from around 545 million years ago and suggest that the Cambrian explosion may have happened much earlier than estimated. The researchers found that organisms with slender body profiles thrived during this period, indicating a level of complexity and adaptability t...

SourceUniversity of Barcelona·JournalGeology·TypeObservational study·DateJun 26, 2025

The West’s spring runoff is older than you think

Most spring runoff heading to reservoirs is actually several years old, indicating that most mountain snowfall has a years-long invisible journey as groundwater before it leaves the mountains. The findings indicate there is an order of magnitude more water stored underground than most Western water managers account for.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalCommunications Earth & Environment·TypeObservational study·DateMay 5, 2025

Researchers forecast shaking damage from crustal earthquake scenarios in Mexico City

Researchers forecast shaking damage from crustal earthquake scenarios in Mexico City, with varying levels of damage depending on the region's underlying geology. The study modeled earthquakes up to magnitude 5.5 and found that one- to two-story buildings received the most damage, particularly in areas with soft lakebed sediments.

SourceSeismological Society of America·JournalBulletin of the Seismological Society of America·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 11, 2025

SwRI models Pluto-Charon formation scenario that mimics Earth-Moon system

Researchers at Southwest Research Institute propose a new model for the formation of Pluto and Charon, suggesting they may have originated from a giant collision similar to the Earth-Moon system. The scenario supports Pluto's active geology and possible subsurface ocean, with implications for the Kuiper Belt.

SourceSouthwest Research Institute·JournalNature Geoscience·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 7, 2025

Insect fossil find ‘extremely rare’

A new study reveals rare whitefly insect fossils found in Miocene age crater lake sediments at Hindon Maar, near Dunedin. The fossils, preserved in the position they lived and died, provide evidence of the ecological component of ancient forests on the South Island.

SourceUniversity of Otago·JournalPalaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments·TypeObservational study·DateDec 2, 2024

Ancient sunken seafloor reveals earth’s deep secrets

Researchers discovered a mysterious subduction zone deep beneath the Pacific Ocean, reshaping our understanding of Earth's interior structure. The team found an unusually thick area in the mantle transition zone, suggesting the presence of colder material that slows down oceanic slabs as they sink through the mantle.

SourceUniversity of Maryland·JournalScience Advances·TypeImaging analysis·DateSep 27, 2024

Record-breaking 1.2-kilometer drill core unveils new insights into Earth's mantle

A nearly continuous 1268-meter-long drill core of serpentinized abyssal mantle peridotite has provided new insights into Earth's deep geology and the potential biogeochemical conditions involved in the origins of life. The findings reveal significant mineralogical variations, including low pyroxene content and oblique melt migration.