Researchers have identified 10 additional superchrons in the Proterozoic Eon, revealing a similar rate of geodynamo-driven reversals for most of the past two billion years. This discovery challenges existing models of core evolution and the geodynamo process.
A recent study published in Cell reveals how eggs store fuel for embryo development by accumulating sugars during the final stages of maturation. Insulin signaling is inactivated, leading to reduced mitochondrial activity and sugar buildup.
The newly discovered super-luminous supernova, ASAS-SN-15lh, is the most luminous ever recorded, outshining the entire Milky Way galaxy. Its unusual characteristics challenge current theories on magnetar-powered explosions.
New research indicates that stars older than the Sun spin less than expected, affecting age calculations. This discovery has significant implications for understanding stellar aging and predicting future changes in our own Solar System.
A new study from Carnegie Institution reveals that up to 58 million large trees in California experienced severe canopy water loss between 2011 and today, putting them at risk. The research used advanced tools to measure the impact of the drought on forest canopies and mapped changes in canopy water content.
Astronomers have discovered a planetary system with an enormous planet sandwiched between a Sun-like star and a dwarf star. The planet's massive eccentric orbit indicates gravitational influence from the dwarf star, leading to Kozai oscillations that cause it to 'dance' between the two stars.
Scientists have observed unusual seismic wave speeds that suggest the frozen olivine structure within the flat-slab slab has vanished and been replaced by a new unexpected structure. This implies that slabs are weak enough to deform internally in the upper mantle over time.
A team of researchers found that ferredoxin-5 is necessary for nighttime growth and proper membrane organization in photosynthetic organisms. The protein's electron-donating abilities drive biochemical reactions that alter fatty acid saturation, leading to aberrant membrane structure and impaired metabolic processes.
A team of scientists has discovered a gene called SWEET4 that plays a crucial role in increasing seed size and yield by importing sugars into seeds. This breakthrough discovery could lead to the development of new crop varieties with improved nutritional value and resistance to pathogens.
A recent study by Carnegie Institution for Science found that elephants are responsible for a high tree-fall rate in Kruger, driven by population density and fire frequency. The research used LiDAR technology to map millions of trees across the reserve, providing insights into ecosystem management and conservation.
A new study found that most utility-scale solar energy facilities in California are located in natural habitats, leading to environmental conflicts. The researchers identified areas for more sustainable siting, including built-up lands and those already affected by human activities.
Researchers have elucidated the molecular structure of a plant sugar transporter called SWEET2, which plays a critical role in limiting the sugar supply to beneficial microbes while preventing pathogens from thriving. This discovery provides insights into how plants control carbon sequestration and energy homeostasis.
Researchers tracked cellulose production in real-time to understand how thick and strong secondary cell walls are built, shedding light on the essential adaptation of plants from sea to land. The discovery may also aid in engineering plants with improved mechanical properties.
Researchers uncover the crucial function of a protein called BuGZ in assembling the spindle matrix and microtubules during mitosis. The discovery could lead to new insights into cancer and other diseases caused by errors in cell division.
A recent study suggests that burning all accessible fossil fuels would lead to a 50- or 60-meter sea level rise, putting over a billion people at risk. The team's models indicate that the West Antarctic ice sheet becomes unstable within 60-80 years if carbon emissions continue at current levels.
Researchers found that magnesium oxide can react with oxygen under high-pressure conditions, potentially leading to the formation of magnesium peroxide in rocky planets outside our Solar System. This suggests that the interiors of these planets may have a different chemical composition than Earth's mantle.
Research predicts Earth's mineralogy is unique in the cosmos, with over 1,500 undiscovered minerals, influenced by physical characteristics, geological activity, and biological processes.
A study by Carnegie's Alan Boss and Sandra Keiser suggests that a shock wave from a supernova may have induced the spin of our Solar System, enabling the formation of a disk around our proto-Sun. This finding challenges previous theories and provides new insights into the earliest phases of planet formation.
Researchers used seismometers to study Peruvian flat slab subduction, revealing its structure and evolution over time. The team found the angle of subduction is shallowest near the Nazca Ridge, where the plate sinks 90 km down before flattening out.
Scientists successfully induced colossal magnetoresistance in pure lanthanum manganite for the first time using high-pressure conditions. The phenomenon occurs when the competition between two phases is at its maximum, driving the transition from an insulator to a metal. This breakthrough has significant implications for harnessing col...
A new study projects that Manhattan's climate will resemble Oklahoma City's by the end of this century due to climate change. The study found that heating and cooling usage will decrease in Northern states and increase in Southern states as temperatures warm up.
A new study warns that continued carbon dioxide emission trends would leave a lasting impact on the deep ocean, with acidification and warming posing significant threats to marine life. Removing CO2 from the atmosphere through Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) strategies may not be effective in reversing these effects.
A team of researchers has discovered that the presence of salty impurities in ice can push the formation of electrically conducting ice to occur at higher pressures, potentially explaining the magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune. This finding challenges current assumptions about the physics of icy planetary bodies.
Researchers mimicked the conditions of distant planets and stars using a laboratory technique, revealing how noble gases behave under extreme pressures and temperatures. This discovery sheds light on the atmospheric and internal chemistry of celestial objects, including the mystery of Saturn's internal heat emission.
A study by Carnegie's Xiaochun Zhang and Ken Caldeira found that the carbon dioxide-caused warming exceeds the amount of heat released by a lump of coal in just 34 days. Continuous power plant burning also triggers similar effects, with CO2 accumulation surpassing combustion emissions within three months.
Researchers found that hot spring bacteria exchange genetic material through quasi-sexual gene transfer, driving genetic diversity and creating new combinations of genes. This process is driven by frequent swapping of DNA between organisms, allowing for rapid spread of gene variations.
Researchers have discovered a key link between superconductivity and structure in iron arsenide compounds, which could potentially lead to higher-temperature superconductivity. Under pressure, the compound undergoes a structural change that leads to a loss of superconducting ability.
Researchers used high-tech instruments to map canopy chemistry in the Amazon, finding that plants in different areas produce unique chemicals based on topography. The study reveals a hidden tapestry of chemical variation, highlighting the importance of geography in shaping ecosystem functions.
New research from the Palomar Transient Factory team provides evidence supporting the single degenerate channel theory for type Ia supernovae. The strong UV pulse detected in iPTF14atg indicates a collision between material ejected from the supernova and its companion star.
Researchers have discovered that carbonates in the deep mantle can contain significant amounts of iron, contrary to previous thought. The study found that these minerals undergo a spin transition under pressure, redistributing iron between them.
A team of scientists has developed a new chemical model to determine the pH of Enceladus' ocean, finding it to be salty and alkaline with a pH of 11-12. This suggests that serpentinization, a geochemical process, could have created conditions suitable for life on the moon.
Scientists propose whitening Arctic Ocean to restore sea ice, but research shows it would not effectively cool the climate or prevent methane release. The study found that ocean whitening could lead to wetter and milder winter conditions in some regions.
Scientists Russell Hemley and Ivan Naumov found that certain metals transition from being metallic to insulating under pressure, and vice versa. They identified the physics framework underlying these transformations, which involves specific electron configurations and asymmetry.
The Carnegie Airborne Observatory-3 (CAO-3) is a cutting-edge aircraft-based mapping system that can gather global data on ecosystem structure, biomass, and biodiversity. The new laboratory features advanced sensor capabilities, allowing for more flights and increased flexibility in operational decisions.
Researchers from Carnegie Institution for Science discovered that brassinosteroids and auxin hormones work antagonistically to regulate root cell elongation, affecting the rate of root growth. This finding could lead to engineering more-efficient crops with idealized root growth and water uptake.
A new modeling tool predicts that drought-induced forest mortality will occur across the US and Canada by the 2050s due to climate change. The model simulates widespread aspen mortality caused by the 2000-2003 drought, highlighting the importance of understanding tree physiology under water-stressed conditions.
Researchers found two ancient stars in Sculptor dwarf galaxy with unusual chemical content, suggesting a single supernova explosion may have seeded the gas cloud. This discovery provides an unprecedented view of the earliest history of another galaxy.
A recent Carnegie Institution study has identified three SWEET family proteins essential for delivering sugars from plant leaves to embryonic plants inside seeds. The research found that eliminating these transporters retards embryonic development and reduces seed quality, with potential applications in crop yield enhancement.
A team of scientists has discovered five new forms of silica under extreme pressures at room temperature, revealing a four-to-six configuration shift in the deep Earth. The findings provide valuable insights into the transition between different chemical phases under high-pressure conditions.
A new study suggests that ocean pipes would increase global warming due to decreased cloud cover and increased sea-ice melting, rather than cooling the Earth as predicted.
Research by Carnegie Institution scientists links steroid hormone ecdysone with fat accumulation and egg development in fruit flies. The findings suggest that increased stored body fat and sugars support healthy oocyte production and fertility.
A new study suggests that integrating solar facilities into urban and suburban environments can generate up to 15,000 terawatt-hours of energy per year. The research found that California has millions of acres of land compatible for photovoltaic and concentrating solar power construction with minimal environmental impact.
Scientists have created global-scale maps of Mercury's surface chemistry, revealing previously unrecognized geochemical terranes with distinct compositions. The presence of these terranes has important implications for the planet's history and evolution.
Astronomers have found a super-bright quasar powered by the most massive black hole ever observed for an object from that time, located at a distance of 12.8 billion light years away. The quasar is 7 times brighter than the most distant known quasar and has a luminosity of 420 trillion solar units.
Researchers found intact thin sheets of shell proteins preserved for up to 15 million years in fossilized Ecphora shells from southern Maryland. The discovery shares characteristics with modern mollusk shell proteins, providing a unique window into the evolutionary history of these creatures.
Scientists from Carnegie Institution have made a groundbreaking discovery that resolves the long-standing debate on how metals become less conductive when heated. Their work reveals that the missing piece of the traditional theory explaining this phenomenon was needed to complete the puzzle for generating Earth's magnetic field.
An international team of astronomers has observed a fast radio burst happening live for the first time, providing new insights into this mysterious phenomenon. The burst is believed to have originated up to 5.5 billion light years away, making it an extremely bright and potentially useful tool for understanding our universe.
A massive dead zone in Lake Erie was linked to the 2012 drought, according to a new study. Researchers found that agricultural practices and meteorological conditions explain year-to-year variability in the size of the dead zone.
Hydrogen transforms into a layered sheet structure resembling graphene at high pressures, exhibiting unique aromaticity and conductivity. This discovery validates earlier predictions made by chemists three decades ago, expanding our understanding of chemical bonding in extreme conditions.
The Carnegie Institution has published a new report on the mysterious 90% of Earth's carbon, exploring its quantities, movements, forms, and origins. The Deep Carbon Observatory, led by Robert Hazen and Russell Hemley, aims to answer remaining questions about this essential element.