Articles tagged with Isotopes
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A study by University of California, Santa Cruz researchers found a significant shift in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre's food web since 1850, driven by changes in nitrogen sources. The shift may be related to the expansion and warming of open ocean gyres, which limits nutrient delivery to surface waters.
A team of scientists has revealed the details of a microbial process regulating the global nitrogen budget in the oceans. They found that anammox, a process converting fixed nitrogen to N2, affects primary productivity and isocyan signature patterns in oxygen minimum zones.
Researchers replicate formation of first silicate dust and find matching oxygen isotopes in stony meteorites, solving long-standing solar system formation puzzle. The discovery suggests a simple physical chemistry principle governed the early solar system.
Researchers reconstructed a 900-year temperature timeline in the Eastern Mediterranean, revealing a medieval warm period and modern warming trend that may not be regional. The study uses stable carbon isotopes in tree rings to analyze environmental conditions and find correlations between temperature fluctuations and tree growth.
The NASA Mars rover Curiosity has found water in its first sample of Martian soil, with fine materials containing several percent water by weight. The discovery sheds light on the planet's surface composition and implications for future research.
Researchers have developed a new method to reconstruct past temperatures in the eastern Mediterranean using tree rings. The study, which covers over 900 years, reveals that the region experienced a medieval warm period and a little ice age, with modern warming trends not reflected in the data.
A new theoretical model suggests that an outburst event in the Sun's formative years could explain disparate evidence from comets and meteorites. The model also provides a possible explanation for the presence of heat-formed crystalline particles in comets and the ratios of aluminum isotopes found in primitive meteorites.
The Curiosity rover has made high-precision measurements of Mars' atmosphere, revealing it was much thicker in the past. Heavy isotopes of carbon and oxygen were more abundant, indicating a warmer and wetter climate.
Geochemists at Brown University have discovered noble gases can dissolve in amphibole minerals, providing a potential mechanism for their recycling between the atmosphere and Earth's interior. This finding is significant as it sheds light on how other volatiles like water and carbon are cycled.
A series of scientific papers reveals early human species like Australopithecus afarensis and Kenyanthropus platyops began eating grasses, sedges, and succulents around 3.5 million years ago. The findings show that early humans acquired a taste for C4/CAM plants after their environments seemed similar to their ancestors.
A team of scientists analyzed isotopes from the bones and teeth of the first New Zealanders, identifying their likely diet and childhood origins. The study suggests that the first group shared similar diets, while others had highly variable diets reflecting their geographical movements.
Scientists found that the Moon's water originated from the Earth, suggesting the proto-Earth was already wet at the time of the Giant Impact. The study used hydrogen isotopes to determine the origin of water in the Moon and matched it with carbonaceous chondrites on Earth.
Researchers at the University of Liverpool have observed pear-shaped atomic nuclei, challenging current understanding and informing experimental searches for electric dipole moments. The discovery aids in refining nuclear theories and directs atomic EDM search programs.
Researchers have found that oceanic volcanic rocks contain samples of recycled crust dating back to the Archean era 2.5 billion years ago. The sulfur isotopes in these rocks indicate a chemical interaction with UV radiation that stopped occurring after the Great Oxidation Event.
A scientist has revealed how an ancient Egyptian marriage certificate played a pivotal role in confirming the veracity of inks used in the Gospel of Judas. The discovery sheds new light on the intensive scientific efforts to validate the controversial text, which suggests that Jesus requested that his friend, Judas Iscariot, betray him...
The new themed issues explore the geological consequences of lithospheric removal in the Sierra Nevada, California, and the ignimbrite province and flareup swarms of subduction-related supervolcanoes. These events are linked to colossal explosive volcanic eruptions that spread ash across western Utah, Nevada, and eastern California.
The article discusses various geology topics, including the use of ancient lava-fed deltas to estimate paleo-water levels and past ice thicknesses. It also explores the formation of bubbles in volcanic conduits and the presence of iron-silicate microgranules in banded iron formations.
Researchers found that urine mercury concentrations may overestimate exposure to dental amalgam fillings, especially in populations with low occupational exposure. The study used mercury isotopes to accurately assess human exposure and provides a novel method for determining health risks.
Researchers successfully directly observed microorganisms feeding on intestinal mucosa using NanoSIMS technology, identifying Akkermansia muciniphilia and Bacteroides acidifaciens as key players. The study provides new insights into the gut microbiota's role in inflammatory bowel disease.
Researchers used the Chemical Dynamics Beamline at Berkeley Lab to examine how photochemistry determines isotope ratios in the solar system. They found that mass-independent processes, such as chemical reactions, could explain differences between Earth and meteorites/solar system elements.
A team of atmosphere chemists has created a method to analyze ancient sulfur isotopes in ice cores, allowing for precise determination of the impact of volcanic eruptions on global climate. This breakthrough resolves debates over historical episodes of cooling and provides new insights into past climate events.
Researchers at MIT found evidence of two separate collisional events: one 50 million years ago and another 10 million years later. The team analyzed rocks from the Himalayas and discovered a new timeline for India's collision with Asia, suggesting that part of ancient India 'Greater India' was smaller than previously thought.
A team of researchers from the University of York analyzed snail shells from Mediterranean caves to study past humidity levels. The findings show that the western Mediterranean was warmer and stickier when first farmers arrived in Italy and Spain thousands of years ago.
A 12,000-year-old fossil record suggests the Antarctic Peninsula's ice sheet was more vulnerable to collapse due to atmospheric warming than oceanic circulation. The study also found cyclic patterns in late Holocene atmospheric warming linked to El Niño-Southern Oscillation phenomenon.
A Wayne State University researcher is part of an international effort to study the movement of chemical compounds through the world's oceans. The project aims to investigate how carbon is exported from the upper 100 meters of ocean water to deeper waters and how hydrothermal waters affect the removal of polonium and lead.
Researchers analyzed 80 Norse skeletons to find that they mainly consumed seals, which made up 50-80% of their diet. This challenges the prevailing view of Norse as farmers and suggests a more adapted and flexible way of life.
A team of researchers has found evidence for a dramatic rise in early oxygen levels around 2.3 billion years ago, followed by an equally impressive fall. This drop in oxygen may have ushered in low-oxygen concentrations that set the stage for the evolution of eukaryotic organisms and eventually animals.
Scientists discover evidence that Moon was born in a catastrophic collision with early Earth, releasing vaporized rock that condensed into the Moon. The discovery provides physical evidence for the Giant Impact Theory and sheds light on the Moon's composition.
A new EU project has developed non-invasive methods for characterizing contaminated sites, reducing the need for costly sampling and monitoring. These methods, including geophysical measurements and vegetation analysis, enable more accurate detection of pollution and efficient rehabilitation of megasites in Europe.
Researchers found that oxygen isotopes in tree rings preserve the isotopic composition of rainwater, providing a valuable historical archive of rainfall in the Amazon. This new method allows for better understanding of long-term hydrological patterns and natural variability of the climate system.
A piece of nettle cloth from Denmark's richest Bronze Age burial mound Lusehøj suggests long-distance trade connections with Austria around 800 BC. The cloth, not made in Denmark, indicates that Bronze Age Danes imported textiles from Central Europe.
A team of MSU researchers will conduct a three-year study on how teams work together, using surveys, interviews, and high-tech devices to monitor interaction. The goal is to measure the effectiveness of both formal and informal structures when multiple teams are involved.
Researchers from Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research identified three teams of bacteria working together to degrade benzene, a highly toxic substance. By analyzing proteins, they shed light on the complex process, which could also apply to other bacterial cooperatives.
Researchers have discovered evidence of catastrophic events causing rock pulverization near major faults in California and Japan, while coral reefs at high latitudes and turbid inner bays provide insights into environmental gradients. Continental collisions are also explored through the study of Taiwan's pre-collision zone.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered an unexpected complexity in the patterns of drought during the Middle Ages. The study uses tree rings and oxygen isotopes to reveal that winters were wetter-than-expected during the Medieval Climate Anomaly, contradicting previous tree ring data.
Researchers used tree ring data from the US Pacific Northwest and oxygen isotope analysis of lake sediments to clarify ancient climate regimes. The study suggests that drought patterns in the American West may have varied across different regions, with some areas experiencing wetter winters than expected.
Researchers question Greenland ice core data on Northern Hemisphere temperatures during the Younger Dryas, a period of rapid cooling and warming. The study suggests that atmospheric carbon dioxide levels may have played a role in modulating temperature changes.
The MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR experiment aims to detect neutrinoless double-beta decay in germanium-76, a process that could rewrite the Standard Model of Particles and Interactions. The detector will use advanced shielding and materials to minimize background noise and detect even the rarest decays.
A study aims to analyze sediment cores to identify the relative contributions of land, ocean, and buried sediments to phosphorus influx. The researchers hope to provide information useful to resource managers in controlling phosphorus overloads.
Researchers at Argonne National Laboratory have measured the half-life of samarium-146, revealing it decays in just 68 million years, significantly shorter than previously thought. This new value patches holes in current understanding and matches recent lunar rock dating, providing insight into solar system evolution.
Researchers found that carbon dioxide accumulated in deep ocean during Ice Ages, causing atmospheric concentration to drop. Stored CO2 was later transported back to sea surface through changing ocean circulation and emitted into atmosphere.
A recent chemical analysis of lunar material and Earth samples suggests that the moon was formed solely from the Earth, contradicting the widely held theory of a giant collision. The research found identical titanium isotopic compositions between the moon and Earth, indicating a single parentage.
Biologists at Bielefeld University have developed a new method to quantify the impact of non-native species on ecosystem functioning. The study found that invasive species like the Sydney Golden Wattle can fertilize surrounding soil with nitrogen, extending beyond their occupied area and affecting native plants.
LAMIS, a green chemistry alternative for laser spectroscopy, can precisely date the geological age of Martian samples. By analyzing molecular isotopes, LAMIS offers a faster and less expensive method compared to traditional mass spectrometry technologies.
The new method uses optical pumping and magnetic barriers to extract desired atoms from a stream of elements, allowing for the isolation of crucial isotopes like lithium-7. This approach promises to be a more efficient and safer means of obtaining these vital elements for medical applications.
Researchers found unique changes in hydrogen and boron isotopes in submarine volcanic glass near subduction zones, indicating ancient oceanic slabs can return to the upper mantle and interact with modern seawater. This discovery suggests hydrogen diffusion rates in the deep Earth may be slower than expected.
Scientists link periodic extinctions and increased strontium-87 in marine fossils to a 60-million-year cycle of continental uplift. This process may have reduced sea depth, leading to habitat loss and decline in marine biodiversity.
Researchers at Princeton University have achieved a 100-fold increase in maintaining control over the spins of billions of electrons for up to 10 seconds, a key step towards ultrafast quantum computers. This breakthrough uses a highly purified sample of silicon and minimizes magnetism's effect, allowing for longer coherence.
Two studies published in Nature demonstrate the power of multi-isotope imaging mass spectrometry (MIMS) in tracking cell division, lipid metabolism, and protein turnover in various organisms, including humans. MIMS enabled researchers to non-invasively track biological processes with high resolution.
Scientists create technique for tagging objects and substances using stable isotopes, enabling detection of explosives and tracking wild fish and farm-raised trout. The method has potential applications in preventing fraud, counterfeiting, and monitoring populations.
The appearance of oxygen in the atmosphere likely occurred through a series of starts and stops over hundreds of millions of years, according to a new study. Oxygen levels gradually rose from 2,500 million years ago, eventually reaching about 1 percent of today's atmospheric level.
Two studies published in GSA BULLETIN examine the evolution of C4-dominated grasslands in the southern Great Plains and the tectonomagmatic evolution of northwestern Mexico. The first study uses carbon isotope composition to reconstruct the relative abundance of C4 grasses over the past 12 million years, finding a protracted history of...
Two NASA missions aim to discover what transformed Mars from a potentially habitable planet to its current inhospitable state. The Curiosity rover and the MAVEN mission will explore Martian terrain, atmosphere, and geology to uncover clues about the Red Planet's past climate and potential for life.
Researchers from Arizona State University developed a new geochemical technique to study the Earth's largest mass extinction event. The study found that the period of oceanic anoxia was much shorter than previously estimated, occurring at most tens of thousands of years before the extinction event.
Geoscientists Kyle Nichols and Paul Bierman observed vast flooding in Namibia's western mountains and coastal plain. The rivers flowed for weeks, carrying sediment and leaving behind a landscape transformed by heavy rainfall. The researchers are studying the effects of mega-floods on erosion rates and sediment sources.
The University of Miami's Stable Isotope Laboratory has acquired new equipment for analyzing stable isotopes using the 'clumped isotope' technique. This method measures temperature with high accuracy, allowing researchers to study past climates and geological processes.
Researchers at the University of Bristol analyzed ancient rock samples to determine the origin of Earth's precious metals. They found that the planet's accessible reserves of gold and other precious elements are the result of a catastrophic meteorite shower that hit the Earth after its core formation.
A team of scientists, including Carnegie's Richard Carlson, has estimated the age of a lunar rock sample at 4.36 billion years, significantly younger than earlier estimates of 4.568 billion years. This finding supports the idea that the oldest crusts on both Earth and Moon formed around the same time after a giant impact.
Researchers at the University of Florida have discovered that rocks beneath Haiti are over a billion years old and originated from 1,000+ miles away. This finding suggests that the Caribbean tectonic plate has captured ancient continent fragments, which can be transported thousands of miles through the upper mantle.
New research predicts that UK winters will become colder due to low solar activity, with a 10% chance of returning to Maunder minimum conditions within 50 years. This could lead to an average winter temperature below 2.5°C, with implications for national infrastructure planning.