Geology
Articles tagged with Geology
Stephanie Plaza-Torres named 2026–2027 GSA-USGS Congressional Science Fellow as program marks 40 years
Scientists uncover how mid-latitude westerlies contribute moisture to Asian water towers
Researchers identify a 'vertical conveyor' mechanism that transports moisture from the mid-latitudes to the Asian Water Towers through a process of nocturnal decoupling. This process integrates up to 30% of westerlies-advected moisture into the local cycle without precipitation, sustaining near-surface moisture accumulation.
New tectonic plate boundary could be forming in Zambia, scientists say
Researchers analyze helium isotope readings from geothermal springs in Zambia's Kafue Rift to confirm the presence of a weakness in the Earth's crust that has broken through to reach the mantle. The discovery could have significant economic implications for geothermal energy and potentially influence the future shape of Africa.
Microfossils interpreted as animal traces were actually algae and bactéria
Reanalysis of 540-million-year-old microfossils from Brazil reveals they are not animal traces but rather communities of fossilized microscopic bacteria and algae. This finding suggests that invertebrates may not have existed or left marks during the Ediacaran period due to limited oxygen levels.
A new explanation for 'Snowball Earth'
Analysis of 2025 Tracy Arm Fjord megatsunami suggests routes for earlier event detection
Researchers identified a massive landslide triggering a megatsunami in the Tracy Arm Fjord, Alaska, which posed distinct hazards due to confined environment. The study highlights potential new tools for identifying and monitoring landslide-generated tsunamis, including precursory warning signals.
Relamination is described, a mechanism that has been shaping continents for billions of years
A study redefines continental evolution by identifying relamination as a key mechanism shaping continents over billions of years. This process explains the origin of certain magmas and offers new insights into post-collisional magmatism, resulting in the formation of large granitic batholiths.
Wildfires leave lasting risks: Improving predictions of hazardous debris flows in burned areas
Researchers developed a new method to predict debris flows in post-fire landscapes, incorporating vegetation recovery, which reduces unnecessary warnings and improves accuracy. The updated method reflects changes in soil absorption and plant water uptake after wildfires, providing more accurate hazard maps and rainfall threshold guidance.
How rock removes CO2 from the atmosphere
Researchers at TU Wien have demonstrated a remarkable mineralogical mechanism where certain minerals convert CO2 into solid carbonate quickly, mediated by water. This process enables rapid CO2 capture and storage in rocks, potentially solving the issue of atmospheric CO2 removal.
Location, location, location: How the Nile helped an ancient Sudanese city thrive for centuries
The University of Michigan study reveals that Napata, an ancient city in Sudan, benefited from the Nile's relatively stable flow and deposits of clay and silt. This landscape feature reduced flood risk while maintaining access to water, allowing for successful settlement and cultural development.
A sinking lithospheric root raised Mongolia’s Hangay Mountains
Researchers found that a dense piece of lithospheric mantle beneath the Hangay Mountains broke off and sank into the deeper mantle about 125-114 million years ago. This 'foundering' event triggered melting of the mantle, generated magma, and caused the overlying crust to dome upward.
Quaise Energy on track to build world’s first power plant using superhot geothermal energy
Quaise Energy is building the world's first power plant using superhot geothermal energy, with the goal of producing at least 50 megawatts of clean electricity. The project aims to harness temperatures greater than 300 degrees C and validate its long-held hypothesis that higher subsurface temperatures can improve power production.
The Colorado River disappeared from the geological record for 5 million years. Scientists now know where it went
Researchers discovered that the river flowed into an upstream lake before flowing into the Grand Canyon, marking its transition to a continental-scale river. The study provides new insights into the formation of the Grand Canyon and the Colorado River's path.
Novel technique drills more detail into ice core records
Researchers used a novel technique to analyze millions of individual particles in Antarctic ice cores, revealing common dust sources during the last Ice Age. The study highlights the importance of atmospheric circulation changes and provides insights into ancient climate systems and potential future environmental shifts.
How landslides happen without heavy rainfall: Early strong runoff coincides with weak geomaterials
A study published in Geology found that up to 75.7% of landslides occur during low or no rainfall periods, with early-stage rainfall reaching the sliding surface through three runoff supply modes and two migration stages. The team recommends mass monitoring, public education, and engineering mitigation measures to prevent such disasters.
Ancient lake spillover may have set the Colorado River’s Grand Canyon course
Researchers suggest that an ancient lake overflowed 5.6 million years ago, establishing the Colorado River's course through the Grand Canyon. The study used uranium-lead dating to confirm a shared sediment source and indicate that the ancestral river was connected by 6.6 million years ago.
Waves hit different on other planets
Scientists at MIT have developed a new wave model called PlanetWaves that predicts how waves will behave on planetary bodies with different liquids, atmospheres, and gravity. The model reveals that gentle winds can create massive waves on Titan, while hurricane-force winds barely move the surface of lakes on exoplanet 55-Cancri e.
Human changes in land-cover increase global landslide fatalities in mountains considerably
A new study reveals that human transformations in land cover have a substantially greater influence on landslide fatalities than physical factors, particularly in low- and lower-middle-income nations. This research highlights how increasing human pressure on nature worsens the vulnerability of socioeconomically disadvantaged people.
Ancient tectonic processes the key to locating rare minerals
Research reveals strong global link between ancient subduction zones and formation of rare earth element deposits and carbonatites. Ancient tectonic processes are critical to locating economically viable rare mineral deposits.
‘Serendipitous’ discovery of Martian ripple marks reveals an ancient sandstorm
A team of scientists using Curiosity rover images discovered ancient Martian ripple marks, indicating intense sandstorms swept through Gale crater around 3 billion years ago. The findings provide insight into the planet's atmosphere at that time, suggesting conditions were higher and closer to Earth's than they are currently.
Spectacular fossil treasure trove pushes back origins of complex animals
A newly discovered fossil site in southwest China reveals that many key animal groups evolved before the start of the Cambrian Period. The study found fossils of ancestors of modern starfish, sea cucumbers, and chordates, pushing back the timeline of complex animal life by at least 4 million years.
New research highlights the importance of sublimation for the Rocky Mountain snowpack
A new study reveals that climate change is accelerating the rate of sublimation, causing less ice to melt into water that feeds reservoirs and rivers. The research found evidence of increasing sublimation rates from 6,000 to 600 years ago, with implications for future snow droughts.
New study challenges the age of a key human occupation site in South America
A new study reexamines the geological context of Monte Verde II and finds that it is Middle Holocene in age or younger, challenging earlier interpretations. The researchers suggest that earlier dates were influenced by Late Pleistocene-age materials from older sediments that were redeposited into the site via erosion.
Ancient brines helped build Idaho’s Silver Valley and the Idaho Cobalt belt
A new study from Washington State University sheds light on the formation of mineral deposits in Idaho's Silver Valley and the Idaho Cobalt Belt. Ancient brines helped concentrate metals and transport them to the surface, where they formed rich veins of ore.
Study documents conflict between commerce and conservation at mining operation in Bangladesh
Researchers found that the river recovered its natural shape within four years after mining stopped, but the local economy did not bounce back. The study recommends a fairer, more sustainable model for river sediment extraction to minimize environmental and human impacts.
New discovery of younger Ediacaran biota
Researchers have uncovered a new, exceptionally preserved fossil site in Newfoundland, Canada, dating back to 551 Ma. This find dramatically alters our understanding of the 'Kotlin Crisis,' the first extinction event in animal history, which is now estimated to have resulted in an astonishing 80% loss of biodiversity.
Impact-formed glass evidence of cosmic collision in Brazil about 6 million years ago
Researchers have identified a field of tektites in Brazilian territory, which may have been formed by a single cosmic collision event. The geraisites, named after the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais where they were first discovered, have distinct geochemical signatures and date back approximately 6.3 million years.
New study unveils the mechanism behind “boomerang” earthquakes
Researchers at MIT identify conditions that enable 'back-propagating fronts' in simple faults, which may have been undetected in past seismic data. The findings suggest boomerang quakes could be more common than previously thought.
Understanding “snowball earth” extreme climates — when the world is covered in ice
Researchers reveal that seafloor weathering may be responsible for the discrepancy in Snowball Earth event durations, with faster rates linked to longer glaciations. This finding has significant implications for predicting future climate change.
New analysis of crystal deformation reveals surprising results
A new study led by University of Liverpool scientists used advanced electron microscopy techniques to analyze olivine crystals. The research found that a significant proportion of the crystals showed evidence of 'b' dislocation slip, challenging previous understanding and improving our understanding of Earth's mantle deformation.
Look again! Those wrinkly rocks may actually be a fossilized microbial community
Researchers propose a new explanation for wrinkly textures in rocks, suggesting that microbes lived in deepwater environments and used chemosynthetic energy. This finding could lead to a reevaluation of fossil records and the classification of ancient formations.
Mars’ “young” volcanoes were more complex than scientists once thought
Research on Mars' volcanic systems shows that they were shaped by long-lasting and evolving magma beneath the planet's surface. The study found that these volcanoes experienced multiple eruptive phases, transitioning from early fissure-fed lava emplacement to later point-source activity.
Understanding the hazard potential of the Seattle Fault zone: It’s “pretty close to home”
A new study investigates the dynamics of a complex fault zone under Seattle, revealing that secondary faults rupture more frequently than previously thought. Researchers hope to refine their understanding of these faults and determine how much hazard they pose to Seattle's four million residents.
Ancient rocks reveal annual climate cycles during Snowball Earth
Scientists have discovered evidence of repeating climate cycles operating every few years to decades during the Cryogenian glaciation, a period known as Snowball Earth. The findings suggest that these cycles were likely exceptions rather than the norm, and were triggered by small patches of open ocean in the tropics.
Extensive freshened water beneath the ocean floor confirmed for the first time
An international team has successfully documented and sampled freshened water within a zone nearly 200 metres thick beneath the ocean floor. This discovery sheds light on offshore freshened groundwater systems and their relevance to coastal communities relying on groundwater for freshwater supply.
Key drivers of recurrent extinction in the Triassic
A new study in Geology suggests that massive undersea volcanism triggered at least four Triassic extinctions. Marine large igneous provinces were found to be a key driver of these events, accounting for half of the extinctions with an identifiable geological trigger.
Scientists establish a means of using lasers to increase muon lifetime
Researchers at the University of Plymouth have discovered a method to increase muon lifetime using intense laser pulses. By applying quantum interference principles, they aim to develop new scientific facilities that utilize muons instead of electrons.
Scientists find extremely rapid evolution of new species after the end-cretaceous mass extinction
A recent study published in Geology found that new single-celled marine species evolved rapidly, occurring in some places in under two thousand years. This rapid evolution helps scientists understand how ocean ecosystems respond to environmental changes and could provide insights into future mass extinctions.
Scientists solve 66 million-year-old mystery of how Earth’s greenhouse age ended
Researchers discovered that a significant drop in calcium levels in the ocean led to a massive decrease in carbon dioxide, driving global cooling and ending the planet's greenhouse era. The study suggests that changes in seawater chemistry played a key role in shaping climate history.
GSA increases J. David Lowell Field Camp Scholarship in honor of Dr. Paul E. Potter
The Geological Society of America (GSA) has increased the award amount of the J. David Lowell Field Camp Scholarship from $2,000 to $3,000 per recipient starting with the 2026 summer field season. This increase is in honor of Dr. Paul E. Potter and aims to support students pursuing geoscience education and training.
Surprisingly in sync: Sunlight and sediments
A new study using sediment drill cores reveals a link between solar cycles and the stability of fast ice in Antarctica. The research team found that changes in solar activity disrupt zonal winds over the Southern Ocean, leading to the retreat of sea ice along the coast.
Geoscientists use satellite to determine not the shape of water, but how water shapes land
Researchers are utilizing the SWOT satellite to study how rivers and streams shape the Earth's surface, transforming scale in river studies. By covering all rivers worldwide, SWOT enables tracking of dam failures and understanding their long-term effects on ecosystems.
Analyzing submerged fault structures to predict future earthquakes in Türkiye
A new 3D model of the fault beneath the Marmara Sea reveals where a future major earthquake could take place, helping improve earthquake forecasts. The study uses magnetotelluric measurements to identify distinct high-resistivity and low-resistivity zones, shedding light on ongoing processes of fault mechanics.
Fossils reveal ‘latitudinal traps’ that increased extinction risk for marine species
Researchers found that animals living on convoluted coastlines were more likely to go extinct than those living on north-south orientated coastlines. This study provides new insight into patterns of biodiversity distribution throughout Earth history and highlights the importance of coastline geometry for survival during climate change.
Cosmogenic krypton enables reconstruction of landscapes millions of years old
Scientists have developed a new way to track landscape development over millions of years using cosmogenic krypton in zircon minerals. This method reveals how climate, tectonics, and sediment transport are linked, providing insights into the Earth's surface history.
Deborah S. Kelley awarded the Wallace S. Broecker Medal
Dr. Kelley's discovery of the Lost City Hydrothermal Field revolutionized scientific understanding of fluid–rock interactions and chemosynthetic ecosystems. Her work has also transformed ocean observation through the NSF's Ocean Observatories Initiative Regional Cabled Array.
Signs of ancient life turn up in an unexpected place
Researchers discovered chemosynthetic microbial communities formed wrinkle structures in ancient turbidites, which should not have existed in the deep-water setting. The team analyzed geologic evidence and determined that the sediment layers were indeed turbidites with biotic textures.
How did these strange, ancient organisms turn into such remarkable fossils?
Scientists discovered that authigenic clays played a crucial role in preserving the Ediacara Biota fossils. The unusual chemistry of the Ediacaran seawater helped to form these clays, which acted as cement, holding together sand particles and replicating the organisms' soft-bodied forms.
Early hominins from Morocco reveal an African lineage near the root of Homo sapiens
The study of new hominin fossils from Thomas Quarry I in Morocco reveals an African population near the base of the Homo sapiens lineage. The 773,000-year-old fossils provide insights into the shared ancestry of H. sapiens, Neandertals, and Denisovans.
Deepest gas hydrate cold seep ever discovered in the arctic: International research team unveils Freya Hydrate Mounds at 3,640 m depth.
An international scientific team led by UiT The Arctic University of Norway has discovered the deepest known gas hydrate cold seep on Earth at a staggering depth of 3,640 meters. This groundbreaking finding reveals a previously unknown ecosystem thriving in the Greenland Sea and expands the known depth limit for gas hydrate outcrops.
Study finds ocean sediments are key to survival of northeastern US salt marshes
Researchers find ocean sediment supply crucial for salt marshes to keep pace with rising seas. Southern New England marshes are showing signs of stress due to declining coastal sediment supply.
Team investigates significance of newly discovered hydrothermal fields off the island of Milos
Researchers found three major vent areas aligned with active fault zones, controlled by the island's tectonic fabric. The discovery establishes Milos as a natural laboratory for studying hydrothermal activity, volcanism, and tectonics.
Sticky beginnings: When life began to gel
A team of international researchers proposes that sticky, surface-bound gels may have played a crucial role in the origins of life on Earth. These primitive gels could have provided the necessary structure and function for early chemical systems to become increasingly complex. The study's findings also extend to astrobiology, suggestin...
Caribbean rainfall driven by shifting long-term patterns in the Atlantic high-pressure system, study finds
A new study challenges long-standing climate science paradigms, finding that the Caribbean often experiences drought during intensified summer insolation due to the strengthening and westward expansion of the North Atlantic Subtropical High. This high-pressure system suppresses convection and reduces rainfall across the region.
2025 Santorini seismic unrest triggered by “pumping” magma flow
A massive swarm of earthquakes in 2025 was triggered by pulses of magma tunneling far below the seafloor, according to a new study. The findings provide a detailed look at a 'pumping' magmatic dike in action and offer insights into more reliable eruption forecasting.
Ancient bogs reveal 15,000-year climate secret, say scientists
Researchers have discovered that sudden shifts in the Southern Westerly Winds 15,000 years ago triggered a massive growth of ancient bogs across the Southern Hemisphere. The study found that the shifting winds created an ideal climate for the swamps to form, and now believe they play a crucial role in regulating carbon stores in peatland.
Ancient sediments reveal Earth’s hidden wildfire past
A team of scientists has uncovered evidence of ancient wildfires during the Early Triassic epoch, about 250 million years ago. The findings suggest that wildfires played a significant role in shaping ecosystems during this time period, contrary to previous assumptions based on a lack of charcoal in the geologic record.
Discover the world’s most dynamic geysers in a newly updated classic
The latest edition of Geysers: What They Are and How They Work offers fresh insights into the shifting activity and personalities of Yellowstone's iconic geysers. Readers will discover why some erupt with clockwork regularity while others slumber for decades before roaring back to life.
Drones map loggerhead sea turtle nesting site hotspots
Researchers used drones to create detailed maps of a high-density nesting beach, identifying steepness and proximity to dune crossover stairs as key factors influencing turtle nesting success. The study provides insights into how changing coastal conditions affect sea turtle habitats, informing conservation policy and coastal development.