Articles tagged with Planet Earth
Research suggests that Earth's movement through dark matter may perturb comets' orbits, leading to heat in the Earth's core, which could trigger events like volcanic eruptions and changes in sea level. This phenomenon may hold the answer to understanding large-scale extinction events.
Scientists have discovered evidence of life pulling nitrogen out of the air and converting it into a form that could support larger communities, 3.2 billion years ago. This finding suggests that life on early Earth was more diverse than previously thought, with no nitrogen crisis to limit its growth.
Scientists discuss alternative chemistries of life, exploring possibilities beyond Earth, at the AAAS 2015 Panel. Researchers aim to unravel complex interplay of planetary and biological evolutionary networks.
Some science museums are removing their dinosaur exhibits due to conservation issues. A new database aims to improve estimates of oceanic methane and nitrous oxide emissions. Amateur radio operators' data has potential for validating space weather models and understanding ionospheric behavior.
Researchers have discovered a distinct inner-inner core with different iron crystal alignment and behavior compared to the outer layer. This finding could reveal information about the planet's formation and evolution
Research finds cyclical variations in Earth's tilt and orbit coincide with 100,000-year changes in Earth's orbit and climate. Volcanic activity at mid-ocean ridges may release carbon dioxide, contributing to climatic shifts.
The NOAA DSCOVR satellite is launching to study the solar wind and forecast space weather at Earth. It will measure the movement of positively-charged particles, negatively-charged electrons, and magnetic fields to determine what heats the solar wind.
New data reveals strikingly regular patterns in seafloor volcanoes, which erupt almost exclusively during the first six months of each year. The study suggests that these pulses may help trigger natural climate swings by altering earth's orbit and sea levels.
Researchers found standard stars have about two habitable environments where liquid water can exist, providing conditions for life. However, the existence of intelligent civilizations remains uncertain due to unknown bottlenecks or self-destruction.
Researchers have discovered that water helps melt rock and speed up the transport of magma to the surface. The Lau Basin in the South Pacific, where water content is highest, surprisingly shows less magma than expected.
A new study suggests that a meteorite found in the Moroccan desert may be representative of the 'bulk background' of rocks on Mars. The meteorite's chemical makeup matches that of rocks analyzed by Mars rovers, indicating that it is a piece of Martian crust.
A dozen scientific papers report naturally occurring arsenic in private wells, posing continuing risks due to inadequate regulation and mitigation. The studies also shed new light on the geologic mechanisms behind contamination, which may reduce IQ in children and increase risk of heart disease and cancer.
A study from the University of California, Davis reveals extreme oxygen loss in oceans around 10,000-17,000 years ago, coinciding with past global climate change. The findings suggest that modern oceans are moving into a state with no precedent in human history.
An international team of astronomers has discovered a Sun-like star with orbiting Earth-sized planets dating back to the dawn of the Galaxy. The discovery, Kepler-444, hosts five small planets smaller than Mercury and Venus.
Astronomers have discovered a star that is 11.2 billion years old and has at least five Earth-size planets, revealing that planetary formation occurred throughout the universe's history. The system, Kepler-444, consists of five planets with sizes between Mercury and Venus, orbiting a smaller star than our sun.
DSCOVR will observe the sun, tracking Coronal Mass Ejections that can affect power grids and communications systems. The satellite will also study the Earth from its unique L1 orbit, providing multi-spectral images and radiation measurements.
Researchers from University of Exeter, Edinburgh and Imperial College London recreated asteroid impact to debunk theory it caused massive global firestorms. The intense heat near the impact site was too short to ignite live plants, but affected areas far from the site were heated for longer periods.
Researchers use laser-driven compression to study extreme conditions inside planets, revealing properties of silica that determine planet formation and evolution. The findings suggest large rocky planets may have long-lived oceans at depth and could explain the existence of planets like Neptune and Uranus.
Researchers found that stars beyond our solar system produce gold and uranium less frequently than expected, challenging current theories. The study analyzed deep-sea core samples, revealing a significant discrepancy in the abundance of plutonium isotope Pu-244.
Researchers at MIT found that injected carbon dioxide only partially converts to rock, with the majority remaining in a gaseous form. This limitation poses challenges for long-term sequestration efforts.
The NISTAR instrument on NOAA's DSCOVR spacecraft will measure the Earth's radiation budget by monitoring absolute irradiance over the entire sunlit face of the planet. This information can be used to understand the effects of human activities and natural phenomena on climate change.
Scientists analyzed ocean floor dust to determine the amount of heavy elements created by supernovae, finding much less plutonium and uranium than expected. This challenges current theories that these essential materials are created and distributed throughout space.
Astronomers have discovered a star with three planets only slightly larger than Earth, one of which orbits in the habitable zone where surface temperatures could be moderate enough for liquid water and life to exist. The study found that these planets are about 2.1, 1.7, and 1.5 times the size of Earth.
The study reveals that 2014 was the warmest year globally since 1880, with a temperature increase of about 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit over the past century.
The study shows that major changes occurred since 1950, with the global economic system now driving change on Earth. Key indicators suggest the Earth System has moved beyond natural variability, entering a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene.
Researchers warn of planetary-scale risks from human activities, citing four processes that have exceeded safe conditions and two that pose serious threats to future human wellbeing. The team's findings indicate that the Earth is entering a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene, where the global economic system drives change.
A study suggests that exoplanets are more likely to have liquid water and be habitable due to their rotation speed, which can create a day-night cycle. This finding challenges the traditional assumption that all exoplanets exhibit synchronous rotation, potentially increasing their ability to develop life.
The University of Warwick's Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS) aims to detect small planets from Neptune size down to twice the size of Earth. Researchers hope to study the atmospheres and composition of these super-Earths, which are thought to be common around other stars.
Research suggests asteroid material originated from impacts between embryo planets, resolving long-standing mystery of chondrule formation. Chondrules are abundant in meteorites and similar to spherules formed by impact on Earth and moon.
Recent small volcanic eruptions have been identified as a contributing factor to the recent 'warming hiatus', with scientists finding that they cool the atmosphere and reflect sunlight away from Earth. The new research complements earlier studies, which found that volcanoes may have caused cooling of up to 0.12 degrees Celsius since 2000.
Scientists at the University of Nottingham used magnetic levitation to manufacture wax models of tektites, which are tiny glass objects formed by asteroid impacts. The research validates numerical models of spinning droplets and provides new information on tektite formation.
The Deep Space Climate Observatory will capture the entire sunlit side of Earth in one image, providing unprecedented atmospheric data and insights into global weather patterns. The launch marks a significant improvement in solar wind speed measurement and complement NASA's larger missions.
Astronomers discovered eight new planets in the habitable zone of their stars, doubling the number of small planets believed to exist. Two of these, Kepler-438b and Kepler-442b, are the most Earth-like known exoplanets, with a high probability of being rocky and having liquid water on their surface.
Astronomers have found evidence that the recipe for Earth applies to terrestrial exoplanets orbiting distant stars. The HARPS-North instrument measured the masses of small, Earth-sized worlds and found a tight relationship between mass and size, suggesting rocky compositions similar to those of Venus and Earth.
A Dartmouth-led NASA study has found that plasma waves in the Earth's radiation belts are responsible for scattering charged particles into the atmosphere. The researchers used a combination of satellite and balloon data to test the theory and obtained quantitative results, providing new insights into space weather's impact on our planet.
Researchers studied a rare rock covered in small diamonds, speckles of garnet, and other minerals using X-ray machines to uncover its genesis. The findings suggest diamonds form at high temperatures and pressures, contradicting previous theories.
Research suggests that super-Earths can maintain oceans for at least 10 billion years due to a planet-wide recycling process. This finding implies that older super-Earths are more suitable for searching for complex life.
Scientists have explained the origin of theta auroras, a type of high-latitude aurora that was unclear until now. The mysterious phenomenon is linked to hot plasma in the magnetosphere, caused by magnetic reconnection and funneled into near-Earth space from the sun.
Researchers at Ohio State University propose that the Earth's mantle contains entire oceans of water, which are continuously cycled to the surface via plate tectonics. This process could have supplied water to the oceans for billions of years, making Earth habitable.
The Carnegie Institution has published a new report on the mysterious 90% of Earth's carbon, exploring its quantities, movements, forms, and origins. The Deep Carbon Observatory, led by Robert Hazen and Russell Hemley, aims to answer remaining questions about this essential element.
Researchers have identified Bridgmanite, a high-density magnesium iron silicate mineral, as the most abundant mineral in Earth. The discovery was made possible by non-destructive micro-focused X-rays and novel fast-readout area-detector techniques, which allowed for the characterization of natural Bridgmanite for the first time.
Research led by Devon Burr shows that Titan's winds must blow faster than previously thought to move sand, explaining the formation of massive dunes. The discovery validates older models for thin atmospheres like comets and asteroids.
New research at Arizona State University's Planetary Aeolian Laboratory found that wind speeds necessary to move sand-size particles on Titan are about 40 percent too low. Dune particles on Titan need winds of at least 3.2 miles per hour to start moving, contradicting previous estimates.
Researchers used NASA wind tunnel to study threshold speeds for particle movement on Titan, finding higher speeds than predicted from Earth-based models. The findings can help understand atmospheric forces on icy moons and planets with thin or thick atmospheres.
Researchers found that on young worlds, the Habitable Zone is located farther away from the star than previously thought. This means that infant planets can be spotted earlier by next-generation telescopes when their star is still young.
Researchers propose that a hot layer above the Earth's mantle, known as the asthenosphere, is responsible for volcanic eruptions in mid-plate regions. This challenge traditional theory, which posits that volcanoes are caused by plate movement and heat from deep within the Earth.
Researchers found that tens of thousands of small impacts could efficiently jettison Earth's entire primordial atmosphere, while giant impacts would be less effective. The team's calculations suggest that the early Earth was likely devoid of its original atmosphere, with Venus and Mars also experiencing significant atmospheric loss.
A team of astronomers successfully measured the passing of a super-Earth in front of a nearby Sun-like star using a ground-based telescope. The detection bodes well for characterizing dozens of super-Earths revealed by upcoming surveys.
A new model proposes that iron carbide could explain the anomalously slow S waves, thus eliminating the need to invoke partial melting. This would imply that as much as two-thirds of the planet's carbon is hidden in its center sphere.
Astronomers have successfully detected a super-Earth's transit using a ground-based telescope, marking the first time this has been done. The transit occurred in front of a bright Sun-like star and demonstrates that small planets can be characterized with existing facilities.
A team led by University of Colorado Boulder discovered an invisible shield in the Van Allen radiation belts that blocks ultrafast electrons, threatening astronauts and space systems. The barrier is thought to be maintained by Earth's magnetic field or plasmaspheric hiss.
Researchers found that Earth's 'plasmaspheric hiss' protects against a harmful radiation belt, deflecting high-energy electrons with an impenetrable barrier of about 11,000 kilometers. This natural shield could extend lifetimes for satellites and space stations orbiting near the Earth's surface.
The Van Allen radiation belts contain a nearly impenetrable barrier that prevents the fastest, most energetic electrons from reaching Earth. The discovery was made using NASA's Van Allen Probes, which study the region and provide accurate measurements of high-energy electrons for the first time.
Geologists have figured out what caused the Alaska Range to form its distinctive topography and why it boasts such an enigmatic signature. The narrow mountain range's high peaks are built from previously fractured rock units, driven by movement along the Denali fault.
Researchers found a 50% increase in UK thunderstorms when the Sun's spiral-shaped magnetic field pointed towards or away from Earth, potentially exposing the upper atmosphere to galactic cosmic rays. This discovery could lead to a reliable lightning forecast system that provides weeks-in-advance warnings of hazardous events.
Researchers reconstructed the spatial pattern of major earthquakes along the Tangshan-Hejian-Cixian fault in Tianjin, revealing a 160-km seismic gap that has not been ruptured for over 8,400 years. This gap may be the next to rupture, generating a devastating earthquake similar to the 1976 Tangshan earthquake.
Scientists mapped magnetic fields in a primitive meteorite, tracing back to the earliest steps of the solar system's formation. The findings point to shock waves traveling through the cloud of dusty gas around the newborn Sun as a major factor.
A new study by McGill University and UCL finds that Mars experiences a transitional 'macroweather' regime between weather and climate. The sun plays a major role in determining macroweather on Mars, with temperature and wind fluctuations occurring over 1.8 Martian days.
A new study from the University of Washington and MIT reveals that global warming is not solely caused by carbon dioxide's 'blanket' effect, but also involves shortwave radiation. The research shows how CO2 initially traps heat, but as the planet warms, it absorbs more solar radiation, leading to continued warming.
The study finds that the Earth's ancient oceans held much lower concentrations of sulfate, a key biological nutrient, than previously recognized. This scarcity would have shaped the nature and evolution of early life on Earth, with implications for understanding the planet's early biosphere.