Research on Earth's systems and resources. Covers green energy, ocean oxygen and metal deposits, lunar exploration, and geothermal power.
Scientists have developed a new method to overcome the limitations of astronomical time scales, allowing for the dating of geologic archives to be extended by about 8 million years. The study reveals that solar system chaos played a significant role in shaping Earth's climate during this period.
A new study reveals that hunter-gatherers, farmers, and pastoralists made significant changes to the planet by 4,000 years ago. This finding suggests a longer history of human impact on the environment than previously thought.
A new study found a previously unknown mass extinction event involving minuscule microorganisms, which shaped the Earth's atmosphere approximately 2.05 billion years ago. This die-off is estimated to be even greater than the dinosaur extinction, revealing significant changes in the planet's biosphere.
Two McGill University astronomers have assembled a transit spectrum of Earth, a fingerprint of the planet's atmosphere in infrared light. This detection could help scientists identify planets capable of supporting life, such as TRAPPIST-1 system with seven habitable zone planets.
Researchers found exoplanet oceans with efficient upwelling rates could host globally abundant and active life. The discovery suggests that Earth might not be optimally habitable and life elsewhere may enjoy a more hospitable planet.
Researchers have discovered a vast reserve of methane in the Earth's oceanic crust, formed through chemical reactions involving seawater and olivine. This finding opens up new possibilities for understanding the origins of life beyond our planet.
A TUM research team discovered iron-60 in Antarctic snow, ruling out cosmic radiation and nuclear sources. The isotope's presence suggests the solar system recently passed through an interstellar gas cloud.
A new study suggests that ancient Mars experienced warm periods with flowing water, followed by cold periods where water froze. This finding is significant as it increases the chances of simple life developing on Mars around the same time as it did on Earth.
A new study provides the most accurate estimate of the frequency that planets similar to Earth occur around sun-like stars, which will be important for designing future astronomical missions. The researchers' novel approach allows them to account for several effects not included in previous studies.
The collaboration will produce digital elevation models (DEM) of the entire Earth, leveraging Blue Waters' domain expertise in optimizing workflows and applications. The project aims to create an ecosystem for geospatial modeling, allowing researchers to assess various research areas with unprecedented speed and efficiency.
The SISTINE mission aims to identify signs of life on exoplanets by analyzing the radiation from their host stars. Astronomers have found that false-positive biomarkers can be created through non-biological processes, making it essential to study the star's spectrum to distinguish between true and false positives.
A team of scientists used a microscopic drop of ancient seawater to show that plate tectonics on Earth began 3.3 billion years ago, 600 million years before the previous estimate. This discovery provides insight into the first stages of plate tectonics and the start of stable continental crust.
Researchers confirm a 'hot Earth' exoplanet, GJ 357 b, and discover two additional worlds orbiting the same star, including one potentially habitable planet, GJ 357 d. The newly discovered planets are located in the habitable zone of their star, which receives about the same amount of stellar energy as Mars does from the Sun.
Researchers at Scripps Research Institute find that proteinaceous amino acids react more efficiently, leading to the formation of complex life forms. The study suggests a possible explanation for the selection of positively charged amino acids in proteins.
Astronomers have characterized a super-Earth discovered by the TESS satellite, which orbits a dwarf star every 55.7 days and may support liquid water on its surface. The planet's conditions could provide insight into Earth's heavyweight planetary cousins.
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has discovered three new planets orbiting a nearby star, including one slightly larger than Earth. The planets' sizes and masses are unique, with two potentially similar to Neptune in our solar system, offering insights into planetary formation and evolution.
Scientists have recalculated the Moon's age to approximately 50 million years after solar system formation, based on hafnium-tungsten systematics from Apollo samples. This new estimate significantly differs from earlier research findings and sheds light on planetary evolution.
The University of Edinburgh's space mining devices will be tested in orbit to study how microscopic organisms can recover minerals from space rocks. The experiment aims to develop ways to source essential materials for survival in space.
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has discovered three new exoplanets, including one rocky planet in the habitable zone, which could potentially support liquid water and life. The newly found planets, TOI-270, are unique in that they occupy a 'missing link' between rocky Earth-like planets and gas-dominant mini-Neptunes.
Researchers have discovered a young exoplanet orbiting one of the brightest young stars known, providing valuable information on planetary body formation. The exoplanet, DS Tuc Ab, is about six times the size of Earth and orbits its main star in just eight days.
Researchers found that cold and dry climates can produce a high frequency of hurricanes, which challenges the long-held assumption that water is necessary for their formation. The study used computer simulations to model hurricanes in extreme environments.
Scientists have discovered a new type of cell-like compartment that can trap and concentrate biomolecules, potentially critical for the origins of life. The droplets, formed by simple α-hydroxy acids, can easily merge and reform, hosting versatile early genetic and metabolic systems.
The Harvard Museum of Natural History showcases an original lunar rock sample collected by Astronaut Alan L. Bean during the Apollo 12 mission, providing insights into the Moon's geology and formation. The exhibit highlights the importance of lunar samples in understanding the origins of our solar system.
Researchers found that astronauts who exercised in space and received IV fluids upon landing were not prone to dizziness or fainting on Earth. The study's results could lead to medical advances for people with conditions like postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) on our planet.
The Apollo 11 lunar landing has left a lasting legacy in planetary science, providing insights into the Moon's formation and geology. Recent lunar exploration missions, such as China's Chang'E-4 program, continue to advance our understanding of the Moon and its potential for future human exploration.
Researchers at Washington State University have improved the software used to track thousands of near-Earth asteroids and comets, reducing modeling time from months to just hours. This breakthrough enables scientists to better predict asteroid orbits and potential collisions with Earth.
Silica aerogel could warm the Martian surface, increasing atmospheric pressure and temperatures similar to Earth's greenhouse effect. This regional approach to making Mars habitable offers a more achievable solution than global atmospheric modification.
Researchers studied EMIC waves to reveal plasma characteristics and temperature/density within the magnetosphere. This knowledge could provide insights into space weather effects on our planet and aid fusion energy development.
Researchers have created a new tool to understand exoplanet evolution, using Earth's biosignatures as a 'cheat sheet' to detect signs of life. By analyzing the colors produced by different organisms on Earth, scientists can now look beyond vegetation and detect surface biota dating back billions of years.
A team of researchers has reconstructed the late accretion history of the moon, resolving a long-standing problem about the source of highly siderophile elements. By modeling millions of meteor impacts, they found that less material was retained on the moon than on Earth due to its smaller size and shallow impact angles.
A team of scientists found that iron pseudocarbynes combine with carbon molecules to form molecular chains. These chains have identical spectra to common carbon molecules, explaining the elusive iron detection.
A study found that pushing past a critical threshold in the carbon cycle can trigger extreme ocean acidification, potentially leading to mass extinctions. The research suggests that once this threshold is breached, the Earth's response becomes self-sustaining, amplifying the effects of initial triggers.
Researchers found that nitrogen heterocycles, common in young Earth and solar system, formed similar genetic precursors under varied atmospheric conditions. These modified heterocycles may have served as subunits of peptide nucleic acids (PNAs), a proposed precursor to RNA.
SMU's 'Titans in a jar' project aims to recreate Titan's conditions in laboratory cylinders, helping assess the possibility of life on the moon. Researchers will study chemical structures and organic minerals to understand Titan's potential for past or present life.
The SULIS mission aims to understand the nature of solar eruptions and track magnetic clouds of charged gas. It will also demonstrate new technologies in space and precision alignment of small satellites flying in formation.
Astronomers have identified the atmospheric composition of a mid-size planet between Earth and Neptune for the first time using NASA's Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes. The planet, Gliese 3470 b, has a large rocky core surrounded by a deep crushing atmosphere mostly composed of hydrogen and helium.
Researchers found that solar storms become more complex as the Sun's 11-year activity cycle reaches its maximum. The study could help improve forecasting of potentially hazardous space weather events with devastating consequences for modern technologies.
The Earth's F/Cl ratio is super-chondritic, indicating enrichment of fluorine in the silicate Earth. Chlorine may have become concentrated on planetary surfaces through escape of the hydrosphere during Earth formation.
The discovery of L 98-59b marks the tiniest planet found by NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to date. The planet is around 80% Earth's size and orbits its host star every 2.25 days, receiving up to 22 times the energy of our planet.
Researchers have localized a non-repeating fast radio burst (FRB) to a medium-sized galaxy over 4 billion light years away. The findings show that the burst source and host galaxy are distinct from those of the only other localized FRB, offering insights into the properties of these enigmatic events.
The Exploring Ocean Worlds project aims to determine the potential of ocean worlds to harbor life, focusing on Europa and Enceladus. A new Network for Ocean Worlds will facilitate nationwide research coordination.
A new UC Riverside-led research reveals that some of Earth's oldest animals could travel on their own to get food, settling a longstanding debate about the earliest animal communities. The team analyzed over 1,300 fossils of Dickinsonia, which moved like worms to consume microorganisms.
Researchers at LMU Munich propose a direct mechanism for synthesizing DNA subunits from organic compounds in a prebiotic environment. This process could have given rise to DNA strands on early Earth, potentially 4 billion years ago.
Researchers found that the early Sun's rotation rate and solar activity influenced the formation of the Moon, affecting sodium and potassium levels. The study suggests that space weather played a crucial role in shaping the solar system's evolution.
The Gemini Planet Imager survey discovered six planets and three brown dwarfs orbiting 300 stars, offering new insights into the formation of Jupiter-like planets and their distribution around high-mass stars. The findings suggest that wide-orbiting giant planets are more common around high mass stars, but rare around sun-like stars.
A new study reveals that rare 'superflares' can occur on older, quieter stars like our sun, posing a threat to Earth's electronics. The events, which eject huge bursts of energy, could disrupt communication satellites and cause blackouts.
A new study suggests that glacial sediments played a crucial role in the emergence and evolution of global plate tectonics. The research found two major periods of worldwide glaciation, each boosting the rate of plate tectonics, which resulted in massive deposits of glacier-scrubbed sediment.
Scientists developed a new 3D method to reconstruct Sun's shock waves, aiding in predicting extreme space weather. The approach combines stereo vision and noise filtering techniques to estimate wave front height and propagation rate.
A research team from the University of Cologne has recalculated the distribution of volatile elements on Earth, finding that some building blocks have a chemical composition similar to primitive meteorites. The study suggests an alternative source for vital components such as water and carbon.
Researchers used supercomputers to simulate complex earthquake ruptures, documenting interactions between faults and analyzing results with advanced visualization software. The model helps understand how faults interact during earthquake rupture, enabling scientists to study past earthquakes and possible future scenarios.
A new classification system could better understand mineralogy as a process of universal and planetary evolution by accounting for minerals' distinct journeys. This system, proposed by Robert Hazen, groups minerals into natural kind clusters that reflect the inherent messiness of planetary evolution.
A team of researchers identified 5 super luminous supernovae and about 400 Type Ia supernovae using the Subaru Telescope's Hyper Suprime-Cam. The discovery includes 58 Type Ia supernovae 8 billion light years away, revealing new insights into the expansion of the Universe.
A Stanford geophysicist discusses how a geothermal energy project in Pohang, South Korea, caused a magnitude 5.5 earthquake that injured dozens and forced residents into emergency housing. The study highlights flaws in common methods for minimizing earthquake risk when harnessing Earth's heat for energy.
Researchers from Ireland and France used large radio telescopes and ultraviolet cameras to study the Sun's plasma, revealing its unstable nature and potential for harnessing clean energy. The discovery could pave the way for developing safe and efficient nuclear fusion reactors.
A team of planetary scientists found that processes on Mars differ significantly from those on Earth, with large-scale features and differences in landform surface temperature playing key roles. The study reveals that active sand dunes are concentrated in three distinct regions, including Syrtis Major and North Polar Erg.
Scientists discover a vast, well-preserved collection of meteorites aged over two million years, providing insights into the rate of falling meteorites. The discovery, made in the Atacama Desert, reveals that the meteorite flux has remained constant over time.
Researchers discovered that high pressure deep inside the young Earth may have driven vast stores of carbon into its core, while water ice undergoes complex crystalline metamorphosis under extreme conditions. The findings provide clues about how Earth-like planets are built and could be useful for studying worlds with icy surfaces.
A recent study found early signs of cartilage breakdown in mice exposed to microgravity for 30 days. The researchers theorize that the lack of gravity's biomechanical forces leads to joint unloading, causing cartilage degradation. This could have significant implications for future astronauts on long-term space missions.
Researchers from the University of Münster find that the Moon's collision with Earth brought large quantities of water, essential for life. The discovery sheds light on the Moon's origin and its role in making Earth a habitable planet.
Researchers found that at least eight moonquakes were likely caused by tectonic activity along thrust faults, not asteroid impacts or internal moon movements. The team suggests the moon may be shrinking today and still experiencing quakes