Articles tagged with Planet Earth
Comprehensive exploration of living organisms, biological systems, and life processes across all scales from molecules to ecosystems. Encompasses cutting-edge research in biology, genetics, molecular biology, ecology, biochemistry, microbiology, botany, zoology, evolutionary biology, genomics, and biotechnology. Investigates cellular mechanisms, organism development, genetic inheritance, biodiversity conservation, metabolic processes, protein synthesis, DNA sequencing, CRISPR gene editing, stem cell research, and the fundamental principles governing all forms of life on Earth.
Comprehensive medical research, clinical studies, and healthcare sciences focused on disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Encompasses clinical medicine, public health, pharmacology, epidemiology, medical specialties, disease mechanisms, therapeutic interventions, healthcare innovation, precision medicine, telemedicine, medical devices, drug development, clinical trials, patient care, mental health, nutrition science, health policy, and the application of medical science to improve human health, wellbeing, and quality of life across diverse populations.
Comprehensive investigation of human society, behavior, relationships, and social structures through systematic research and analysis. Encompasses psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, linguistics, education, demography, communications, and social research methodologies. Examines human cognition, social interactions, cultural phenomena, economic systems, political institutions, language and communication, educational processes, population dynamics, and the complex social, cultural, economic, and political forces shaping human societies, communities, and civilizations throughout history and across the contemporary world.
Fundamental study of the non-living natural world, matter, energy, and physical phenomena governing the universe. Encompasses physics, chemistry, earth sciences, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, materials science, and the investigation of physical laws, chemical reactions, geological processes, climate systems, and planetary dynamics. Explores everything from subatomic particles and quantum mechanics to planetary systems and cosmic phenomena, including energy transformations, molecular interactions, elemental properties, weather patterns, tectonic activity, and the fundamental forces and principles underlying the physical nature of reality.
Practical application of scientific knowledge and engineering principles to solve real-world problems and develop innovative technologies. Encompasses all engineering disciplines, technology development, computer science, artificial intelligence, environmental sciences, agriculture, materials applications, energy systems, and industrial innovation. Bridges theoretical research with tangible solutions for infrastructure, manufacturing, computing, communications, transportation, construction, sustainable development, and emerging technologies that advance human capabilities, improve quality of life, and address societal challenges through scientific innovation and technological progress.
Study of the practice, culture, infrastructure, and social dimensions of science itself. Addresses how science is conducted, organized, communicated, and integrated into society. Encompasses research funding mechanisms, scientific publishing systems, peer review processes, academic ethics, science policy, research institutions, scientific collaboration networks, science education, career development, research programs, scientific methods, science communication, and the sociology of scientific discovery. Examines the human, institutional, and cultural aspects of scientific enterprise, knowledge production, and the translation of research into societal benefit.
Comprehensive study of the universe beyond Earth, encompassing celestial objects, cosmic phenomena, and space exploration. Includes astronomy, astrophysics, planetary science, cosmology, space physics, astrobiology, and space technology. Investigates stars, galaxies, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, black holes, nebulae, exoplanets, dark matter, dark energy, cosmic microwave background, stellar evolution, planetary formation, space weather, solar system dynamics, the search for extraterrestrial life, and humanity's efforts to explore, understand, and unlock the mysteries of the cosmos through observation, theory, and space missions.
Comprehensive examination of tools, techniques, methodologies, and approaches used across scientific disciplines to conduct research, collect data, and analyze results. Encompasses experimental procedures, analytical methods, measurement techniques, instrumentation, imaging technologies, spectroscopic methods, laboratory protocols, observational studies, statistical analysis, computational methods, data visualization, quality control, and methodological innovations. Addresses the practical techniques and theoretical frameworks enabling scientists to investigate phenomena, test hypotheses, gather evidence, ensure reproducibility, and generate reliable knowledge through systematic, rigorous investigation across all areas of scientific inquiry.
Study of abstract structures, patterns, quantities, relationships, and logical reasoning through pure and applied mathematical disciplines. Encompasses algebra, calculus, geometry, topology, number theory, analysis, discrete mathematics, mathematical logic, set theory, probability, statistics, and computational mathematics. Investigates mathematical structures, theorems, proofs, algorithms, functions, equations, and the rigorous logical frameworks underlying quantitative reasoning. Provides the foundational language and tools for all scientific fields, enabling precise description of natural phenomena, modeling of complex systems, and the development of technologies across physics, engineering, computer science, economics, and all quantitative sciences.
Researchers ran supercomputer simulations to track material from the early Earth and a Mars-sized planet, Theia, after their collision. Simulations produced an orbiting body that could potentially evolve into a Moon-like object.
A Rutgers-led study suggests the most habitable region for life on Mars would be up to several miles below its surface due to subsurface melting of thick ice sheets. Liquid water may have been stable at great depths, allowing life to thrive through hydrothermal activity and rock-water reactions.
A team of scientists from Michigan State University discovered that supernovae can forge carbon atoms over 10 times faster than previously thought. This finding challenges existing theories about the creation of Earth's heavy elements, particularly ruthenium and molybdenum isotopes.
A new study models the climate on a future supercontinent, predicting significant changes in temperature and habitability. The Amasia scenario, with continents converging around the poles, would lead to colder temperatures and more snowfall, while the Aurica scenario, closer to the equator, would result in warmer temperatures.
Researchers used statistical analysis of zircon ages to determine continental formation timelines. The study suggests that modern-scale watersheds formed as early as 2.7 billion years ago.
A new study using VERA data has revised Earth's velocity around the Galactic Center from 220 km/s to 227 km/s, making it faster. The revised calculation places Earth approximately 2000 light-years closer to the supermassive black hole at the Galaxy's center.
Engineers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a brine electrolysis system that produces oxygen and hydrogen from salty water, potentially changing the game for Mars missions and resource utilization on Earth.
Fruit flies exposed to microgravity for three weeks showed profound changes to their hearts, including smaller size and reduced contractility. These findings suggest that astronauts may benefit from protective measures to keep their hearts healthy during long-duration space travel.
An international team of scientists is calling for a dedicated decade-long programme to greatly advance discovery in the remote regions of the world's oceans. The programme, named Challenger 150, aims to generate new data through global cooperation and application of new technology.
The study found that Earth's early atmosphere was slightly oxidizing, with carbon dioxide as its main constituent, and had a surface pressure much higher than today due to the hot surface.
The NSF's National Solar Observatory has predicted the arrival of a large sunspot on November 18, coinciding with Thanksgiving. The prediction uses helioseismology to detect changes in sound waves from the Sun's interior and is valuable for understanding space weather effects.
Scientists warn that limited resources on the moon could lead to overcrowding and conflict as site selection and extraction become reality. A framework for managing these challenges already exists, drawing from analogs on Earth like common-pool resources.
Researchers discovered microplastics on Mount Everest, with highest concentrations near Base Camp but also found high-altitude samples below the summit. The study suggests that high-performance outdoor clothing is a major source of pollution.
A comprehensive expedition reveals decades of glacier mass changes, accelerating ice loss and meltwater predictions. Climate change also increases oxygen availability on the mountain, posing a new challenge for human climbers.
A team of researchers, led by Northern Arizona University and Lowell Observatory, will investigate the behavior of chemical elements in Titan's lakes and seas. They aim to understand how molecules interact and change under extreme conditions, which could inform NASA's Dragonfly mission and our understanding of early Earth.
A team of scientists discovered ancient zircon minerals in a Martian meteorite that date back to 4.5 billion years ago, but also contain younger ages suggesting volcanic activity in the northern hemisphere. The zircons' hafnium isotope composition reveals a primitive reservoir in Mars' interior, unchanged since the planet's formation.
A new study has created the first high-resolution seismic images of a rocky tectonic plate within Earth's mantle transition zone. The research provides evidence that the slab hasn't completely mixed with the surrounding mantle, shedding light on the processes that shaped Earth's surface over billions of years.
Researchers decoded the origin of love waves, generated by ocean storms, which travel through the solid Earth. Stanford University geophysicist Lucia Gualtieri's study suggests that Love waves originate within the Earth itself, not on the seafloor.
The University of Helsinki is leading a €1.2 million project to develop next-generation miniaturised hyperspectral imagers for autonomous Earth and planetary observation. The project aims to reduce the costs of space operations by combining compact sensors, advanced algorithms, and CubeSat platforms.
Astronomers used the VLA to study how a crowded environment affects galaxies in the Perseus Cluster. The research reveals complex filamentary structures in radio lobes and bending of jets due to motion through intergalactic material, providing new insights into galaxy clusters.
Researchers found evidence suggesting that relatively close supernovas could have triggered four disruptions to Earth's climate over the last 40,000 years. The study used tree ring records to search for fingerprints of distant cosmic explosions, with promising candidates including a 13,000-year-old Vela supernova.
A recent study suggests that bacteria can extract useful materials from rocks on Mars and the Moon, paving the way for new technologies to support human exploration and settlement. The findings also highlight the potential of microorganisms to enhance the removal of rare earth elements from lunar and Martian landscapes.
Two University of Arizona research teams will explore the origins and evolution of life in the universe using $12 million NASA grants. Led by Betül Kaçar and Dániel Apai, the teams will investigate essential attributes of life and its relationship with metal elements on ancient Earth and potential habitability on alien planets.
Researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill have linked quick flashes of light to growing satellite and space debris, providing a potential explanation for mysterious night sky phenomena. The study's findings may help reduce false alarms in astronomical surveys and improve data accuracy.
A volcanic province in the Indian Ocean was the world's most continuously active supervolcanoes, erupting for 30 million years, fueled by a constantly moving magma conveyor belt. This allowed for an enormous accumulation of volcanic rocks, equivalent to filling up 184,000 Olympic-size swimming pools with lava every year.
The study predicts extreme weather conditions on K2-141b, including supersonic winds and rocky rains, which can be detected from hundreds of light years away with next-generation telescopes. The team also found that two-thirds of the exoplanet faces perpetual daylight, leading to frigid temperatures on the night side.
A theoretical model shows that solar radiation, UV light, and antigenic shift/drift frequency drive the cyclicality of epidemics. The Italian team's work accurately reproduces seasonal patterns for various viruses, including influenza and SARS-CoV-2, and predicts high-intensity initial cycles followed by moderate-intensity annual cycles.
A team of researchers used specially-adapted drones to collect gas samples from Manam volcano in Papua New Guinea, enabling local communities to better predict future eruptions. The project also improved scientists' understanding of the Earth's carbon cycle and its contribution to sustaining life on Earth.
Researchers have developed a new drone technology that combines measurements from the air, earth and space to better understand highly active volcanoes. This allows for more accurate forecasting of future eruptions and provides insights into the global carbon cycle.
A team of scientists, led by Matt Clement, used simulations to study the formation of Jupiter and Saturn. The findings suggest that these two planets were originally closer together than previously thought, with a ratio of two Jupiter orbits to one Saturnian orbit being more consistent with the current configuration.
A recent study published in Meteoritics & Planetary Science reveals that the 'Fireball' meteorite, recovered quickly from a frozen lake in Michigan, contains pristine extraterrestrial organic compounds. This discovery provides valuable insights into the origins of life on Earth.
Researchers recommend a 'safety net' of multiple, ambitious nature goals to tackle biodiversity decline. The new goals should focus on ecosystems, species, genetic diversity, and nature's contributions to people, with high ambitions and holistic delivery.
Researchers at the University of Sydney have developed a new 'photonic wavefront sensor' using AI and machine learning to correct atmospheric distortion, allowing for direct imaging of exoplanets from Earth. This innovation could revolutionize the study of exoplanets and their potential for life.
Astronomers have identified 1,004 main-sequence stars that might contain Earth-like planets in their habitable zones, all within 300 light-years of Earth. These exoplanets could detect signs of a biosphere in Earth's atmosphere.
A new study from Rice University shows that biochar can help farmers save money by retaining water in sandy soils, with potential irrigation savings of over 50%. The research provides formulas for farmers to estimate water-holding capacity and irrigation cost savings.
Researchers have discovered a reaction pathway that forms sugars in the absence of water, using minerals as catalysts. This finding provides a plausible explanation for the formation of sugars under extraterrestrial settings.
A study published in Science Advances confirms that the Moon's localized strong magnetic fields are remnants of an ancient core dynamo. The researchers used complex simulations to disprove the asteroid impact theory, showing that the resulting magnetic field is a thousand times weaker than necessary to explain the observations.
Scientists compiled new evidence that atolls are formed by cyclic changes in sea level, contradicting Darwin's 1842 theory. Researchers found that atolls were created by flat-topped banks built over 5 million years ago, driven by fluctuations in the Earth's climate.
Apep, the newest star to join an elite club of elegant binary pairs, has been found to break all rules. Its dust spiral is expanding four times slower than the measured stellar winds, a phenomenon unheard of in other systems. This discovery makes Apep a strong contender for producing a gamma-ray burst when it does finally explode.
Scientists have successfully measured the iron lines in the solar spectrum using a laser frequency comb and HARPS instrument, verifying one of Einstein's predictions - the gravitational redshift effect. This confirms that General Relativity theory is correct and has significant implications for satellite navigation systems like GPS.
The OSIRIS-REx mission has published findings on asteroid Bennu's surface, including widespread carbon-bearing materials, bright carbonate veins, weak boulders, and a heterogeneous mass distribution. These discoveries suggest that asteroids like Bennu may have brought organic molecules to Earth billions of years ago.
A new study proposes that pieces of Venus could have crashed on the moon, providing a possible solution for testing Earth-like environment theories. Ancient rocks from Venus are thought to contain valuable information about the planet's history and its interactions with asteroids and comets.
Researchers Jeremy Bloxham and Rakesh K. Yadav use a 3D simulation model to understand the formation of Saturn's massive hexagon storm, which has remained relatively unchanged for nearly 40 years. The study suggests that deep thermal convection plays a key role in creating the unique shape and persistence of the storm.
Research from Rice University found that certain cooling magmas can grow large crystals in just hours or days, defying traditional understanding of crystal growth. The study used advanced techniques to measure the chemical composition and growth rates of sample crystals, revealing surprisingly fast growth rates.
A study by Washington State University scientists has identified two dozen exoplanets that could potentially support complex life. These superhabitable planets are characterized by being older, slightly warmer, and possibly wetter than Earth, with some orbiting stars that may be more suitable for life than our sun.
Scientists at Imperial College London have developed a method to estimate the likelihood of future earthquakes in high-risk areas, improving precision by up to 49%. By analyzing rare atoms in precarious balance rocks (PBRs), they created a new technique to validate earthquake hazard estimates.
Researchers found that recurrent ice discharges from the Cordilleran ice sheet in the North Pacific contributed to global climate disturbances, including changes in deep ocean circulation and retreat of ice sheets in the North Atlantic. The study challenges theories that these events originated in the North Atlantic.
Researchers have confirmed the existence of a supernova that exploded near Earth 2.5 million years ago, producing iron-60 and manganese-53. The discovery was made using ultra-trace analysis, which detected the presence of these elements in ancient sediment layers.
An international research team found large diamonds and nanodiamonds in ureilite meteorites, suggesting they formed through massive impact events rather than continuous pressure in planetary precursors. The discovery challenges existing theories and provides insights into the extreme forces that shaped the early solar system.
Research led by Durham University found that massive collisions could have stripped the early Earth of up to 60% of its atmosphere, leading to the Moon's creation. The study developed a new method for predicting atmospheric loss from any collision, which could aid in understanding the Moon's origins and other giant impacts.
Researchers at Hiroshima University have challenged a long-held timeline for cataclysmic events in the early solar system. The study suggests that the late heavy bombardment period started earlier and decreased in intensity over time.
A Stanford-developed model shows that fluids ascending by fits and starts weaken the fault, propelling the boundary or locking depth upward. This process can trigger earthquake swarms, strings of quakes clustered in a local area, often too subtle to notice but sometimes strong enough to rattle cities.
MoonRanger, a small robotic rover developed by Carnegie Mellon University, will search for signs of water at the moon's south pole. The rover is designed to explore at unprecedented speeds in both sunlit and dark conditions, and will use innovative technologies such as laser line stripes for night vision.
Researchers found that Jupiter's storms behave similarly to hurricanes on Earth but with a much larger scale. The team used math derived from Lord Kelvin's proof to explain the storms' stable geometric arrangement, discovering anticyclonic rings cause them to repel each other.
Researchers found evidence of arsenic-based photosynthesis in deep time, providing insight into early life's metabolic processes. The discovery of an active microbial mat in the Atacama Desert suggests that life may have used arsenic instead of oxygen for energy in ancient times.
New seismic data gathered by Stanford University researchers provides the first west-to-east view of the subsurface where India and Asia collide. The study suggests two competing processes are operating beneath the collision zone: movement of one tectonic plate under another, as well as thinning and collapse of the crust.
Astronomers have discovered an Earth-sized 'pi planet' called K2-315b, which orbits its star every 3.14 days and has a surface temperature of around 350 degrees Fahrenheit, making it unlikely to support life.
A new forecasting method, developed with public input, shows increased accuracy in predicting coronal mass ejections and their impact on Earth. The Solar Stormwatch project demonstrated the value of wide-field CME imaging cameras on future space weather monitoring missions.
Hurricane Teddy's satellite appearance steadily developed overnight, with a ragged warming eye surrounded by convection. The storm is moving northwest at 12 mph, expected to continue for days, with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph.
Researchers have made the first-ever measurements of liquid water at extremely cold temperatures, revealing that it exists in two distinct structures that co-exist and vary in proportion dependent on temperature. This discovery provides long-sought experimental data to explain water's bizarre behavior at low temperatures.