Research on Earth's systems and resources. Covers green energy, ocean oxygen and metal deposits, lunar exploration, and geothermal power.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have reconstructed the earliest stages of planet formation, revealing that Earth and Mars formed in different ways. The study's findings support the hybrid model, which suggests that both collision-based and pebble accretion mechanisms contributed to planetary formation.
Venus, Earth's twin planet, lacks a rocky satellite due to its slow spin and gravity, which causes a moon to collapse and crash into the planet. The discovery sheds light on the planet's evolution and potential habitability.
Researchers at UT San Antonio have found a way to create tiny clusters of disordered atoms that move oxygen ions more easily at lower temperatures, boosting fuel cell efficiency and durability. The breakthrough could help make fuel cells cheaper, more durable and easier to use outside the lab.
Researchers analyzed 27,000 ancient seafloor samples and found a consistent pattern of manganese enrichment in sediments from high latitudes, indicating polar oceans remained oxygen-rich. This suggests that oxygen availability drove the observed differences in ocean conditions during ancient ice ages.
Researchers at Texas A&M University are designing how humans will build and survive on the moon, focusing on sustainable construction using lunar regolith. The institution's efforts aim to reduce costs associated with shipping materials to the moon, making it possible to produce rocket propellant locally.
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.
Scientists reveal that slow orbital wobbles, known as precession cycles, generate abrupt millennial-scale climate fluctuations even under ice-free conditions. The study provides a new clue for understanding rapid climate swings and offers insights for future warming scenarios.
Mars plays a measurable role in shaping Earth's long-term climate patterns, including ice ages, through its gravitational influence and orbital cycles. The study suggests that Mars' presence is necessary for the existence of major climate cycles, which have driven evolutionary changes on Earth.
Researchers at the University of Maryland analyzed air samples from College Park, Md., and found that chemical compounds from Canada's historic 2023 fires persisted in the atmosphere, forming an 'atmospheric soup.' The study provides insights into the long-term effects of wildfire smoke on human health and the environment.
Researchers from the University of Göttingen have identified oxygen isotopes in 'cherts' as indicators of heat flow on early Earth. The study reveals that cherts record paleo-heat flow on the Shatsky Rise oceanic plateau, providing insights into the conditions on the Earth's surface up to 3.5 billion years ago.
A new study on Mars crater deposits reveals the planet went through repeated ice ages driven by shifts in its axial tilt, resulting in a gradual drying of the planet. The study provides insights that can be applied to Earth's changing environment and helps identify safe regions for future missions.
An international team has published a new framework for studying 'Earth engineers' who have fundamentally altered ecosystems globally. The framework distinguishes between engineering behaviors with local and planetary scale effects, offering insights into how humans and other organisms have shaped the planet.
A global assessment reveals that ocean plastics pose ecological risks in areas with dense marine life and pollutants, even in waters with modest plastic levels. The study identifies high-risk zones, including the North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans, where coordinated efforts can substantially lessen threats.
A new study reveals that forests take 1-2 centuries to shift tree populations in response to climate changes, highlighting the need for human intervention to keep them healthy. Assisted migration, such as planting warmer-climate trees in colder locations, may be an effective tool to aid forest adaptation.
New research reveals that the collapse of tropical forests during Earth's most catastrophic extinction event led to a prolonged period of high CO2 levels and extreme warming. The study supports the theory that thresholds exist in Earth's climate-carbon system, which can amplify warming when reached.
Researchers found several volatile phases in the polar jet stream over the past 125 years that predate significant climate change effects. The study suggests that natural fluctuations may be driving recent erratic behavior of the jet stream, rather than climate change.
A recent paper by SwRI-led researchers summarizes the scientific community's notable progress in advancing the understanding of the formation and evolution of the inner rocky planets. The study focuses on late accretion's role in controlling the long-term evolution of these planets, with implications for their habitability.
Scientists have discovered a strong correlation between the Earth's magnetic field and atmospheric oxygen levels over the past 540 million years. The study, published in Science Advances, suggests that fluctuations in the magnetic field may be influencing the planet's habitability.
A team of researchers from Syracuse University and MIT has uncovered evidence that oxygenation in the ocean—crucial for life as we know it—may have occurred earlier than previously thought. This finding provides new insights into the pace of biological evolution in response to rising oxygen levels.
Scientists on IODP³-NSF Expedition 501 aim to validate hypotheses about water origin and better understand offshore aquifer systems. The expedition will collect sediment samples and water from beneath the ocean floor, shedding light on the dynamics of these groundwater systems.
Dr. Robin Canup, a leading expert in planetary science, has received the 2025 AAS DDA Dirk Brouwer Career Award for her groundbreaking research on planet and satellite formation, including the Earth-Moon system's origins.
Aurora, a state-of-the-art machine learning model, delivers high-quality forecasts for key environmental systems like air quality, weather, and tropical cyclones. The model's flexibility enables it to be used for various future scenarios, including flood risks, wildfire spread, and renewable energy output.
A massive meteorite impact in Scotland, previously believed to occur 1.2 billion years ago, has been dated to 990 million years ago. This discovery has significant implications for our understanding of the evolution of non-marine life on Earth and its potential influence on environmental conditions.
A new study compares tropical mountain ice cores to climate model simulations, revealing discrepancies in Earth's average temperature trends. Researchers found that ice core data and computer models match for polar regions like Greenland and Antarctica, but not for tropical mountains.
Researchers found that melting ice sheets in North America and Greenland may have increased horizontal motion of plates by 25% and up to 40% at the Mid-Atlantic Ocean Ridge. This could lead to an increase in volcanic eruptions in Iceland.
The US Naval Research Laboratory showcased its latest advancements in defense technology, including the OmniGlobe, a large spherical display visualizing Earth's environmental data. NRL's PROTEUS tool provides near real-time global tracking and analysis of maritime vessels.
The Extant Life Volumetric Imaging System (ELVIS) will test a new holographic microscope on the International Space Station to analyze the adaptability and resilience of microorganisms. The system aims to reveal how life might persist on distant moons and planets, significantly enhancing our search for life outside Earth.
Researchers from the Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, have identified unusual phosphorus molecules in space. These molecules, including phosphabutadiyne and vinylphosphaethyne, were studied using cryogenic techniques and infrared spectroscopy, providing new insights into their formation and properties.
A team of researchers at the University of Oxford has found evidence in a rare type of meteorite that supports the theory that water on Earth is native, rather than originating from asteroids. The discovery suggests that the early Earth had sufficient hydrogen to form water molecules.
Researchers analyzed over 8500 meteoroids and found that the atmosphere and Sun act like giant filters, destroying fragile carbon-rich meteoroids before they reach the ground. This discovery reshapes how scientists interpret meteorites collected so far and could influence future asteroid missions.
Researchers found a new phylum of microbes, CSP1-3, thriving in deep Critical Zone soils, cleaning up impurities and regulating essential processes. The microbes were active, not dormant, and dominated their environments, making up 50% or more of the community.
The study found that solar wind radiation plays a dominant role in space weathering on the lunar farside, differing from the nearside. The Chang'e-6 samples showed less melt drops and no nanophase metallic iron particles, indicating variations in the space environment.
A Kobe University study found that temperature at the plate interface predicts earthquake type, while a specific plate shape causes a seismic gap. Water released from rock transformation explains slow slip events and tectonic tremors, reducing stress between plates.
Research suggests the Earth's oceans were green 2.4 billion years ago due to iron precipitation, leading to a new understanding of ancient photosynthetic organisms and their potential for life beyond Earth. The discovery could aid in the search for extraterrestrial life by identifying green oceans as a possible indicator.
The NRL-developed Narrow Field Imager is a compact coronagraph that will image the transition of the Sun's atmosphere to the solar wind, gaining insights into space plasma environments. The PUNCH mission aims to improve prediction and mitigation of space weather events like coronal mass ejections.
Crew-9 astronauts conducted research on protein crystallization studies and a new drug for Alzheimer's, dementia, and Parkinson's. They also supported student-led experiments, contributing to the next generation of explorers.
Adopting zero-emission vehicles in Illinois could significantly improve air quality, reducing nitrogen dioxide pollution by half. This would lead to a decrease in premature deaths and new cases of childhood asthma, with the greatest benefits seen in neighborhoods currently experiencing high levels of pollution.
Researchers propose that microlightning in water droplets, rather than lightning strikes, sparked the formation of organic molecules with carbon-nitrogen bonds. This new mechanism suggests a more plausible explanation for the origin of life on Earth, overcoming criticisms of the Miller-Urey hypothesis.
Researchers identify methyl halides as a potential sign of microbial life on Hycean planets with thick hydrogen atmospheres. The gas could accumulate in exoplanet atmospheres and be detectable from light-years away, offering an optimal strategy for the search for extraterrestrial life.
The PUNCH spacecraft will study the solar corona and track space weather events in three dimensions for the first time. The constellation includes four small suitcase-sized spacecraft that will provide a clear view of the Sun's outer atmosphere, allowing scientists to discern the exact trajectory and speed of coronal mass ejections.
New Delhi's air pollution is more severe than previously estimated, with particles absorbing atmospheric water vapor leading to significant underestimation of particulate matter levels. The study highlights the importance of considering hygroscopic growth and its impact on air quality assessments.
Scientists suggest that wind turbine blades will fossilize into the far future due to their composition of fibreglass and epoxy resin. These relics will provide a unique puzzle for future paleontologists to reconstruct and understand the human-made technology behind them.
A new study suggests that violent supernovae caused at least two mass extinction events in Earth's history, including the late Devonian and Ordovician extinctions. Researchers believe a nearby supernova could have stripped the planet's atmosphere of ozone, sparking acid rain and exposing life to harmful ultraviolet radiation.
The Crew-10 mission will support cutting-edge biomedical investigations and NSF-funded physical science projects through the ISS National Lab. Astronauts will conduct experiments on the International Space Station, with findings benefiting humanity and driving commerce in low Earth orbit.
A new study reveals that Arctic sea ice loss drives drier weather over California, especially in winter, and wetter conditions over Spain and Portugal. The research isolates the effect of Arctic sea ice melting from other climate change factors.
The ARRAKIS project team aims to understand how microbial life thrives in extreme environments by studying the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes in Alaska. Researchers will use Raman spectroscopy and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to identify and quantify organic compounds and measure ATP and total DNA.
A study published in Physical Review Letters suggests that a mysterious phenomenon at the center of our galaxy may be caused by a lighter form of dark matter. The research team detected unusual energy signatures radiating from this region, which they believe could be produced by the annihilation of tiny dark matter particles.
A study by MIT researchers found that climate change can cause the thermosphere to shrink, reducing atmospheric drag and allowing space junk to remain in orbit for decades. This could lead to increased collisions and debris, threatening the sustainability of satellite operations.
Scientists at the University of Birmingham warn that increasing CO2 levels could lead to a decrease in 'space sustainability' due to changes in the Earth's upper atmosphere. The research suggests that as the atmosphere cools, it contracts, reducing satellite density and potentially increasing the risk of collisions.
Researchers from Curtin University and Geological Survey of Western Australia have discovered the world's oldest known impact crater, dating back to 3.5 billion years ago. The discovery was made in the Pilbara region of Western Australia and provides new insights into the origins of life on Earth.
A new study by MIT confirms the Antarctic ozone layer is healing, with high statistical confidence that reductions in CFCs are the primary cause. The research uses fingerprinting to isolate the anthropogenic signal and rule out natural variability.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed a new optical photothermal infrared spectroscopy method to detect microbial cells in ancient rocks, analogous to those found on Mars. The study strengthens Mars sample return protocols by providing a reliable way to assess the presence or absence of life in samples.
New research reveals that exoplanets with masses similar to Jupiter formed much sooner than previously thought, suggesting the accretion process takes place early. This finding could lead scientists to re-evaluate and revamp their theories of planet formation for the solar system and elsewhere.
Researchers have found that similar patterns of cracks on planets Earth, Mars and Europa may indicate past water presence and potential life. The study uses a mathematical framework to analyze two-dimensional fracture networks across the solar system.
Hungarian researchers have identified unique bacterial communities in thermal waters that may help unravel the development of stromatolites, one of Earth's oldest rock formations. The findings provide valuable insights into biological and geological processes occurring in extreme environments today.
A new study published in Cell Press journal suggests that the International Space Station is overly sterile, and introducing more natural microbes could help astronauts. Researchers found that human skin was the main source of microbes on the ISS, while chemicals from cleaning products were ubiquitous.
The PUNCH mission will study the solar corona and its impact on the solar wind, improving space weather forecasting capabilities. The four small spacecraft, launched by NASA's Small Explorers program, will create a virtual instrument to image the Sun's corona, revealing previously invisible phenomena.
The EZIE mission will use a new measurement technique to study the electrojets, which can create large magnetic disturbances and power outages. By mapping the electrojets' structure and evolution, scientists hope to improve predictions of hazardous space weather.
New ESO observations have reduced the likelihood of a 2024 YR4 asteroid impact on Earth in 2032 to nearly zero. The asteroid's orbit was closely monitored with multiple telescopes, and precise measurements were made using ESO's VLT, allowing astronomers to constrain its orbit and rule out an impact.
The Solar System passed through the Radcliffe Wave galactic structure approximately 14 million years ago, compressing its heliosphere and increasing interstellar dust influx. This journey may have impacted Earth's climate and left geological traces.