Articles tagged with Planet Earth
A NASA-led team has identified that gravity waves are the primary driver of Jupiter's equatorial jet stream's reversal, with convection in the lower atmosphere producing waves that travel up to the stratosphere. The findings could help scientists better understand the dynamic atmosphere of Jupiter and other planets.
The discovery of microscopic fossils in a 3.5-billion-year-old rock piece in Western Australia confirms life on Earth began before this date. The study identified 11 microbial specimens from five separate taxa, linking their morphologies to chemical signatures characteristic of life.
The California Academy of Sciences has described 85 new plant and animal species, including flowering plants, sharks, fish, scorpions, and sea slugs. The discoveries were made over five continents and three oceans, highlighting the vast diversity of life on Earth.
Researchers found small, Earth-like planets in Alpha Centauri that may have been overlooked and eliminated the possibility of large Jupiter-sized planets. The study uses advanced spectrographic instruments to narrow the search for habitable planets in our closest neighboring system.
Researchers have solved a six-decade-old mystery about the source of energetic particles in Earth's inner radiation belt using data from a CubeSat. The study found that cosmic rays born from supernova explosions create charged particles, including electrons, that become trapped by Earth's magnetic field.
A University of Colorado Boulder student-built satellite has solved a 60-year-old mystery regarding the source of energetic and potentially damaging particles in Earth's radiation belts. The study found that these particles are created by cosmic rays entering the atmosphere, producing charged particles trapped by Earth's magnetic field.
A study led by University of Leicester scientist Dr. Leigh Fletcher found that massive northern storms on Saturn can disrupt its equatorial atmospheric patterns, similar to those seen on Earth. The research reveals a link between distant events in a planet's climate system, known as teleconnection.
Scientists from NASA and universities are investigating exoplanets to determine their habitability, focusing on astrophysics, Earth science, heliophysics, and planetary science. Researchers use tools like DSCOVR's high-resolution images to simulate habitable planets and study the interaction between stars and planets.
Researchers at USC Viterbi School of Engineering have developed a new material to self-regulate the temperature of satellites, reducing on-board power reserves and increasing lifespan. The hybrid structure of silicon and vanadium dioxide performs 20 times better than current semiconductors in maintaining optimal satellite temperatures.
Researchers are using a new 3D mapping technique to assess the risk of space weather events on the US power grid. The method uses data from EarthScope to create detailed maps of ground conductivity, which can help identify vulnerable sections of transmission lines and inform real-time power-flow management.
Farouk El-Baz, a NASA scientist and geologist, will receive the 2018 Inamori Ethics Prize for his pioneering work in applying space images to groundwater exploration in arid lands. His research has led to the discovery of critical groundwater resources worldwide.
Researchers developed a model that shows how planetary chemistry could create a greenhouse effect on an exoplanet, keeping it warm despite a cold sun. The model, based on Earth's possible geological and biological chemistry three billion years ago, suggests that methane may have played a key role in maintaining the planet's temperature.
Researchers gathered data on Sun's atmosphere and its impact on Earth's atmosphere, revealing new insights into the Sun-Earth connection. The eclipse also provided an opportunity to test models of the ionosphere's effects on communication signals.
Researchers discovered that high-pressure air in front of meteoroids seeps into their pores, cracking them and causing explosions. A unique computer code allowed the team to simulate this phenomenon, explaining why some meteoroids disintegrate before reaching Earth's surface.
CU Boulder's Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor (TSIS-1) instrument suite is set for launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, aiming to monitor the planet's climate by measuring solar radiation. The mission will help distinguish between natural and human influences on climate, with implications for understanding Earth's processes.
Scientists use a simulation program called DaMaSCUS to study how dark matter particles interact with normal matter, potentially affecting detector performance. The researchers found that if dark matter interacts strongly with atoms, deep site detectors may struggle to detect it.
Researchers have discovered two super-Earths around the red dwarf star K2-18, one of which could be a scaled-up version of our own planet. The newly found planet, K2-18c, is likely too hot to support life, but its companion, K2-18b, has potential for liquid surface water and might harbor conditions suitable for life.
A new study by the University of Manchester reveals that meteorites forming the Earth billions of years ago had much lower halogen levels than previously thought. The research found consistent and uniform halogen content across different types of meteorites, shedding light on the origin of life on Earth.
New study reveals that frequency and magnitude of large Himalayan earthquakes depend on tectonic plate collision rate, which controls temperature and earthquake generation areas. The team found a link between plate collisions in the Alps and Himalaya, with slower collisions increasing earthquake hazard.
Researchers simulated massive collisions after the Moon's formation, finding that moon-sized objects delivered significantly more mass to the young planet. This late accretion period lasted for hundreds of millions of years and had important consequences for the earliest evolution of Earth.
A Rutgers-led study has detected a massive upwelling of warm rock beneath central Vermont and western New Hampshire, contradicting established notions of how continents behave. The phenomenon, revealed through seismic data, is thought to be driven by the movement of tectonic plates.
Scientists combined data from 16 NASA and LANL spacecraft to understand substorms, a phenomenon that can cause auroras, disrupt GPS communications, and damage power grids. The study revealed complex behavior during small substorms, highlighting the need for further research.
Phosphorus recycling was much lower in ancient oceans than today, limiting biological productivity and potentially causing a false negative in searches for life on other planets. Volcanic sulfate played a crucial role in phosphorus cycling before oxygen became abundant.
The IceCube Collaboration reports a critical measurement that shows energized neutrinos can be stopped cold as they pass through the Earth, exceeding previous expectations. The new study confirms the Standard Model of particle physics but also suggests potential for new physics beyond previously unknown spatial dimensions.
Scientists demonstrated that the Earth stops energetic neutrinos, interacting with matter and being absorbed by the Earth. The probability of neutrino absorption was consistent with expectations from the Standard Model of particle physics.
Fast-moving space dust could collide with biological particles, enabling bacteria and organisms to travel to other planets. The study suggests that asteroid impacts are not the sole mechanism for transferring life between planets.
Researchers used NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission data and computer simulations to investigate the small-scale physics of plasma tornadoes at Earth's magnetosphere borders. They found that these tornadoes are extremely efficient at transporting charged particles into the magnetosphere.
A team of scientists from Rice, UCLA, Michigan State, and UNM discovered a significant enrichment of heavy nitrogen molecules in the Earth's atmosphere. This finding suggests that life on Earth is locked in a tug-of-war with the deep Earth and upper atmosphere over the presence of these rare molecules.
Researchers analyzing data from the HAWC gamma-ray observatory suggest that excess positrons may originate from dark matter annihilation or decay. The study's findings indicate that positrons generated by nearby pulsars cannot reach Earth, leading to the conclusion of an exotic origin.
A new physical model proposes that most of Earth's water came from objects scattered into the inner Solar System by Jupiter's rapid growth. The model suggests that Jupiter's massive size and gravitational pull disturbed thousands of water-rich planetesimals, delivering them to the region currently occupied by Earth's orbit.
A new study using the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory found that two rapidly spinning stars are unlikely to be the source of excess anti-matter particles near Earth. The observations rule out a simple explanation involving nearby collapsed stars, leaving dark matter as a possible culprit.
Scientists have identified a common plasma wave as the cause of high-energy electron loss into Earth's atmosphere. Whistler mode chorus waves are created by fluctuating electric and magnetic fields, efficiently accelerating electrons. The findings provide an important piece of the puzzle to understand space weather predictions.
The proposed FOXSI mission will study the physical mechanisms behind solar flares and their impact on Earth. By analyzing X-ray radiation and particle acceleration, scientists aim to gain a deeper understanding of space weather and its effects on satellites and communications systems.
The changing planet poses serious risks to human health, with staple food crops becoming less nutritious and insect pollinators declining. Increased extreme weather events will lead to forced displacement, malnutrition, and infectious diseases.
Scientists are sounding the alarm on climate tipping points, warning that the planet is approaching critical thresholds that could lead to abrupt and irreversible changes in the Earth system. The World's top climate scientists have released a statement emphasizing the need for rapid action to avoid these tipping points.
A recent study reveals that continental rift zones release large amounts of CO2 from depth, influencing global climate change. The East African Rift and Eger Rift are examples of such systems, which contribute a significant fraction of the anthropogenic carbon release today.
Researchers suggest hunting for cruder signatures of potentially habitable worlds, which would be easier to detect with current resources in less time. They look for atmospheres rich with water vapor and nitrogen, and oxygen, as these are basic molecules that are biologically friendly and have strong infrared emitting power.
Researchers from University of Nevada, Reno used GPS satellites to search for dark matter clumps in the shape of walls or bubbles extending far beyond the solar system. The team found no evidence but ruled out a vast region of possibilities for this type of dark matter model, bringing them closer to defining its nature and composition.
NASA engineer Justin Jones used an industrial X-ray CT scanner to evaluate volcanic rocks and other specimens, revealing previously undetected minerals and 3D arrangements. The technology has potential applications in planetary exploration, including the analysis of samples from Mars and asteroids.
A new study published in the International Journal of Astrobiology suggests that aliens could have evolved in a similar way to humans, with natural selection playing a key role. The research uses evolutionary theory to predict the biological make-up and behavior of complex alien life forms.
A team of scientists has captured the time delay between X-ray flares and optical light flashes in a stellar-mass black hole, resolving controversy over jet plasma activation. This study uses precise multi-wavelength observations to demonstrate that relativistic jets are formed by gravity and magnetic fields.
Researchers used biblical and ancient Egyptian texts to determine an annular solar eclipse on 30 October 1207 BC, which could help date the Egyptian pharaohs, including Ramesses the Great. This calculation enables precise dating of their reigns with a one-year precision.
Researchers found that CO2 sublimation can create unique features on Mars, such as Sand Furrows and linear gullies. These processes are unlike anything seen on Earth and provide new insights into Martian geomorphology.
A team of scientists and amateur astronomers have detected six exocomets, the smallest objects yet found outside our solar system, using transit photometry. The detection marks the first time an object as small as a comet has been identified using this technique.
A citizen scientist has discovered a comet's tail streaking past a distant star using data from the Kepler Space Telescope. The discovery marks the first time an object as small as a comet has been inferred by observing dips in a star's light.
A new geological record reveals two closely spaced Yellowstone supervolcano eruptions that cooled the ocean by about 3 degrees Celsius and triggered volcanic winters. The eruptions occurred 170 years apart and coincided with a natural global-warming trend, leading to a major ice age.
Researchers at Kyushu University have identified a strong influence of pre-existing faults on earthquake location and behavior in the Nankai Trough offshore Japan. The study found that aftershocks only occurred in front of an ancient accretionary prism, where stress accumulation is greatest.
The IODP-ICDP Expedition 364 drilled into the Chicxulub crater off Mexico's coast, uncovering key findings about the impact event. The expedition revealed details about peak-ring crater formation and the recovery of life within 30,000 years after the impact.
Geophysicist Seth Stein argues that scientifically inaccurate movies can be used to teach scientific lessons and foster skepticism. He incorporates disaster movies into his classroom lessons, training students to spot errors and seek true explanations.
Laurence Yeung, a geochemist at Rice University, has been awarded a 2017 Packard Fellowship to support his research on the atmospheric system. He plans to use the grant to take risks and explore new ideas in his field, including the development of a compact device for isotopic measurements.
The Pierre Auger Observatory detects a large-scale anisotropy in the arrival directions of cosmic rays above 8×10^18 eV, indicating their extragalactic origin. Researchers believe the source region may be located near the Milky Way galaxy.
A new study from Dartmouth College suggests that carbon dioxide levels during the early Eocene period, a so-called 'super greenhouse' era, were lower than previously thought, around 1000 ppm. This finding challenges current climate models and provides important information about the planet's past climate history.
A team of WSU researchers has documented one of the Earth's largest known volcanic eruptions, which occurred in the Pacific Northwest and released massive amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. The eruption is estimated to have been equivalent to a Mount Tambora-style eruption every day for 11-16 years.
Scientists have discovered that the moon's mantle is composed of orthopyroxene, not olivine, contrary to previous assumptions. This finding challenges models for the formation and evolution of the Moon and its differences from Earth.
A study reveals that massive coal formation 300 million years ago nearly led to global glaciation due to low CO2 concentrations. The research indicates that current levels of CO2 in the atmosphere pose a significant threat to climate stability.
A team led by University of Iowa physicist Craig Kletzing has won $1.25 million from NASA to conceptualize a potential mission to study the interactions between the sun and Earth's magnetic fields. The mission, called TRACERS, aims to better understand how the solar wind affects our planet and its technology.
Scientists suggest that life began on Earth when meteorites splashed down and leached essential elements into warm little ponds. The 'warm little ponds' concept has been proven plausible through extensive research and calculations.
Scientists from the University of Bristol have discovered evidence suggesting that massive collisions during planetary accretion resulted in significant mass loss, altering a planet's composition. This process, which occurred in the Earth and Mars formation, led to their distinctive volatile poor compositions.
New research from Oxford University sheds light on the formation of the Earth and its depletion of vital chemical elements. By simulating early Earth conditions, scientists found that melting and evaporation played a key role in shaping the planet's chemistry.
A team of researchers at Kansas State University is partnering with NASA to study the health and fitness levels of astronauts during emergency escape maneuvers. They are using a mock space capsule to test the strength, cardiovascular health, and aerobic capacity needed for a safe landing or escape.