Articles tagged with Planet Earth
Researchers found evidence of two transient oxygenation events on early Earth, with the first occurring around 2.66 billion years ago and the second around 50 million years later. These findings may help astronomers detect life on exoplanets by avoiding false negatives caused by undetectable oxygen levels.
Researchers confirm nitrogen becomes a metallic fluid when subjected to high pressures and temperatures, with implications for the Earth's deep nitrogen cycle. The findings could inform the creation of energetic nitrogen polymers and superconducting states.
A new study found that most asteroids in the inner asteroid belt originate from five or six ancient minor planets, with at least 85% of them tracing their origins to these primordial bodies. This discovery provides a more robust understanding of the evolutionary history of asteroids and the materials that form them.
A recent study suggests that Mars' river networks were shaped by superficial run-off of rainwater, contradicting previous hypotheses about groundwater seepage. The researchers found similarities in the branching angles of Martian valleys with those in arid landscapes on Earth.
A team of scientists has discovered that Yosemite granite minerals crystallized at lower temperatures than previously thought, challenging our understanding of how granites form and record the planet's history. This finding has significant implications for geoscientists studying the Earth's crust formation and volcanic processes.
Jessica Irving and her team developed a new model, EPOC, that fits the data better than existing models, providing information about the material properties of the outer core. The outer core is crucial for understanding the history of the magnetic field and providing heat to the mantle.
Scientists estimate that planets around almost every star in the galaxy may harbor life, prompting new research to identify biosignatures. Researchers propose solutions to detect gases and light signatures produced by life on exoplanets.
The UCR team's guidebook outlines three types of biosignatures that astrobiologists have proposed as markers for life on other planets. The review articles provide a comprehensive framework for scientists searching for signs of life, called biosignatures, in the data they collect from future telescope observations.
Scientists at MIT have discovered nearly 80 new planetary candidates in the K2 dataset, including a likely planet that orbits HD 73344 every 15 days. The planet is estimated to be 2.5 times the size of Earth and 10 times as massive, with surface temperatures reaching 1,200-1,300 degrees Celsius.
A massive Martian dust storm has engulfed the planet, prompting NASA's Opportunity rover to suspend science operations. However, Curiosity remains largely unaffected due to its nuclear-powered battery. The storm has grown to a 'planet-encircling' size, with atmospheric haze blocking sunlight at Gale Crater.
The Geological Society of America's 130th Annual Meeting & Exposition will offer science journalists the opportunity to meet geoscience experts face-to-face and cover scientific findings. Twenty-six pre- and post-meeting field trips will explore geological landscapes in the Midwest.
University of Queensland researchers recommend diverse, ambitious and area-specific conservation targets to support critical services that nature provides. The current 17% target is insufficient to protect all species and provide benefits to humanity.
Scientists discovered that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet regrew in recent history due to a previously unknown mechanism involving its own shrinking and crustal uplift. The findings contradict previous assumptions and suggest that global sea levels may decrease due to ice sheet readvances.
Researchers found that up to 40-50% of the spectral signal on Ceres could be explained by organics, a much higher concentration than previously reported. The findings raise questions about the source of the material, with two competing possibilities: internal production or delivery by an impact from an organic-rich comet or asteroid.
The Hubble Space Telescope has discovered the most distant star ever observed, Icarus, located 9 billion lightyears away. The star's brightness was amplified by gravitational lensing, allowing its detection.
Two new planetary systems have been discovered, one featuring three Earth-sized planets orbiting a red dwarf star. These planets are thought to be rocky worlds with temperatures tens of degrees higher than Earth due to their close proximity to the star.
The Curiosity rover has discovered a seasonal cycle in Martian methane levels, suggesting it may be trapped in water-based crystals. Additionally, the rover has detected ancient organic matter, including thiophene and methanethiol, which are reminiscent of Earth's organic-rich sedimentary rock.
A new technomarker, the Clarke exobelt, could be used to detect intelligent civilizations. The optimal conditions for observing these artificial belts are found for planets in orbit around red dwarf stars.
A Rutgers-led ENIGMA team will investigate the evolution of protein nanomachines, which may have arisen before life began, using a $6 million NASA grant. The team aims to understand the earliest processes that support life, including the movement of electrons and hydrogen atoms.
Physicists at NIST have performed the most accurate test of Einstein's general relativity theory using remote atomic clocks. The experiment confirmed that measurements of nongravitational effects are independent of time and place, with a result consistent with predicted values.
Researchers found evidence that the Earth's continental crust could have formed hundreds of millions of years earlier than previously thought, suggesting a habitable environment for life. The study used unique instruments to count strontium atoms in ancient rocks and found silica presence, altering the classic view of early Earth.
A new study suggests that no civilization can sustainably survive climate change, with four possible scenarios emerging: die-off, sustainability, collapse without resource change, or collapse with resource change. Researchers used mathematical models to analyze the co-evolution of civilizations and planets.
Researchers found ancient lake mud and fly species that record two interglacial periods in northwest Greenland, revealing warmer temperatures than previously thought. This discovery could improve climate models and predictions of how the ice sheet might respond to man-made global warming.
A University of Maryland-led study has observed the electron heating process in Earth's bow shock, revealing a new mechanism for converting energy from the solar wind to heat. This breakthrough provides valuable new insights into Earth's magnetic field and its ability to protect the planet from harmful particles and radiation.
Scientists have discovered dunes made of solid methane on Pluto, defying expectations due to the dwarf planet's thin atmosphere. The findings were made possible by New Horizons' detailed images and modeling, which suggest that wind can create these unique landforms through a process involving sublimation.
New research by Rice University geophysicists reveals that the asthenosphere's convective cycling and pressure-driven flow can move faster than the tectonic plates on top of it. This challenges a long-held theory that the lithosphere moves independently of the asthenosphere.
Researchers used ancient dust records to develop a new understanding of the Earth's long-term climate. They found that the Asian summer monsoon drove global changes in wind and ocean currents, affecting polar ice cap growth or shrinkage over tens of thousands of years.
A University of Oregon-led study found that the rapid rise of land above the ocean 2.4 billion years ago triggered dramatic changes in climate and life on Earth. The researchers discovered archival-quality evidence of rainwater weathering, which led to a stepwise change in oxygen isotopes, coinciding with the emergence of eukaryotes an...
A team of astronomers has performed one of the highest resolution observations in astronomical history of a pulsar 6,500 light-years away, observing two intense regions of radiation around a rapidly spinning star. The observation could provide clues to the nature of Fast Radio Bursts, which may be amplified by plasma lenses.
A new map for a birthplace of stars provides unprecedented detail of the structure of the Orion A molecular cloud. The maps will help researchers calibrate star formation models for extragalactic studies and better understand how fast and efficiently stars form in the region.
The study found that the ice stream has lost about 12% of its mass over the past 45,000 years, with losses occurring during both warm and cold periods. This suggests that NEGIS is particularly sensitive to environmental changes, which may exacerbate the impact of anthropogenic climate change.
Graptoloids' species evolution and extinction rates exhibit multimillion-year rhythms linked to periodic astronomical oscillations. Astronomical processes likely shaped the evolution of early complex life on Earth.
Researchers at UCR's Alternative Earths Astrobiology Center are developing a framework for dynamic biosignatures based on seasonal changes. They found that ozone could be a more easily measurable marker for seasonal variability in oxygen, which is produced by life. Observing atmospheric seasonality in exoplanets may help detect life.
Scientists have found a new type of magnetic event, reconnection, occurring in turbulent plasma near Earth. The discovery bridges the gap between magnetic reconnection and turbulence, shedding light on dynamic space weather systems.
Scientists have observed turbulent magnetic reconnection at small scales in the magnetosheath just outside Earth's magnetic field. This phenomenon, involving only electrons, helps dissipate magnetic energy and may play a role in heating the solar corona.
Researchers have discovered a new breed of magnetic reconnection in the magnetosheath, a turbulent region near Earth's atmosphere. This phenomenon is distinct from previous observations and has significant implications for understanding turbulence in space.
MMS mission discovers a new process of magnetic reconnection that converts turbulent magnetic energy into high-speed jets of electrons. This finding helps scientists understand the role of magnetic reconnection in heating the solar corona and accelerating the solar wind.
A Rutgers-led study found that the 405,000-year cycle of gravitational tugs from Jupiter and Venus has shaped our planet's climate for over 215 million years. This consistent pattern allows scientists to precisely date geological events like the spread of dinosaurs.
Researchers propose a link between the dawn of plate tectonics and the 'Snowball Earth' period, which sent the planet into a deep freeze lasting millions of years. The hypothesis suggests that the drastic climate change could be a consequence of the Earth's transition from single lid to plate tectonic activity.
Scientists have documented a 405,000-year climate cycle in ancient rocks, which repeats every 405,000 years and plays a role in natural climate swings. The cycle is believed to result from a complex interplay with the gravitational influences of Venus and Jupiter.
Researchers suggest that the onset of plate tectonics initiated the dramatic cool-down of the Earth's surface, resulting in 'Snowball Earth' climate changes. This theory proposes to explain 22 previously proposed mechanisms for Neoproterozoic global cooling.
The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation - GEDI is a first-of-its-kind laser instrument designed to map the world's forests in high resolution and three dimensions. It will gather height information about everything in its path, but is specifically designed to measure forests.
A new article in BioScience proposes that education can be a powerful tool to empower students and inspire action on environmental sustainability. The authors argue that teachers should encourage students to investigate environmental issues, collect data, and participate in citizen science and conservation efforts.
A recent study suggests that early Mars was modestly warm and prone to rain, with only small patches of ice. The research challenges the long-held idea of an icy climate on Mars.
GTOSat will gather measurements from a highly elliptical Earth orbit and use its instruments to measure high-energy particles in the Van Allen belts, providing new data after the Van Allen Probes mission is over. The Dellingr-X spacecraft bus and its instruments are designed to withstand the hostile environment of the radiation belts.
A study of recent geomagnetic excursion events found no resemblance between current changes and past reversals, suggesting recovery without extreme event. The research implies the weakened magnetic field will recover, making a reversal unlikely.
A team of scientists, including Kansas State University's Saugata Datta, will explore lava caves in Northern California using a robotic vehicle called CaveR. The research aims to understand the conditions necessary for life on Mars by studying similar environments on Earth.
Scientists at Johns Hopkins University and Princeton University simulated the deep interiors of super-Earths using intense X-ray beams, revealing insight into their crystal structure. The study's findings have significant implications for understanding planetary architecture and may lead to breakthroughs in exoplanet research.
A Rice University-led study has provided first clues about internal structure of the Galicia margin using a seismic probe. The data revealed seismic images of the S-reflector, a prominent detachment fault within the continent-ocean transition zone, which accommodated slipping along the zone.
Experiments show that asteroids can retain up to 30% of their water content after impact, suggesting a mechanism for water delivery to the early Earth. This process could also explain later water activity in the solar system.
Scientists propose a new model where a heavy layer of molten rock sits on top of the Moon's metal core, driving the dynamo and creating a strong magnetic field. This model explains the Moon's early strong magnetic field and its subsequent weakening.
The project seeks to understand the evolution and organization of life by sequencing and functionally annotating the genomes of 1.5 million eukaryotic species, including plants, animals, fungi, and single-cell organisms. This initiative aims to reveal unknown species and provide a freely available resource for scientific discovery.
The Earth BioGenome Project proposes sequencing genomes of all known eukaryotic species, an undertaking estimated to take 10 years and cost $4.7 billion. This initiative aims to create a complete digital library of life that will guide future discoveries, building on the success of previous genomics projects like the Human Genome Project.
A new model predicts that the Martian moons Phobos and Deimos were formed from debris left over after a large impact between proto-Mars and a dwarf-planet-sized object. The model suggests that the moons' compositions will be similar to Mars, but they are expected to be dry due to lost water vapor.
Researchers Adam Frank and Gavin Schmidt propose a new definition of civilization based on its energy use, exploring the potential for detection in the geological record. They discuss various signs left behind by industrial activities, such as fossil fuel emissions and global warming, to determine if human beings existed.
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will survey nearly the entire sky for signs of passing planets. The spacecraft aims to detect thousands of stars hosting transiting planets and measure the masses of at least 50 small planets less than four times that of Earth.
A team of planetary scientists from MIT has identified large concentrations of sulfidic anions in shallow lakes on early Earth, which may have sped up the chemical reactions required to convert simple prebiotic molecules into RNA. This finding fundamentally changes our knowledge of early Earth and its potential role in the origin of life.
Researchers found a small but measurable difference in oxygen isotopes between lunar and terrestrial rocks, proposing that most of Earth's water was acquired during the main stage of its growth. This challenges the widely accepted theory that the Moon formed from debris left over after a giant impact.
A European team of scientists re-examines giant solar structures, finding they don't rotate like traditional tornadoes. By analyzing data from several years' worth of observations using the Doppler effect, researchers determine magnetic field direction and plasma movement.
Astronomers found intense X-ray radiation from red dwarf stars can strip away a planet's ozone layer, making it uninhabitable. This means that life on land might only survive in the oceans.