Articles tagged with Planet Earth
Researchers have reanalyzed Stanley Miller's 1958 'primordial soup' samples and found a diverse array of organic compounds, including sulfur amino acids. The discovery supports the hypothesis that volcanoes and lightning played a key role in creating the building blocks of life on Earth.
Computer simulations suggest that changes in plasma flow within the Sun, which resembles ocean currents, contribute to prolonged solar minima. The team discovered that a faster flow during the first half of the solar cycle can lead to an extended period without sunspots and weak polar magnetic fields.
The Total Irradiance Monitor instrument on Glory will study short- and long-term fluctuations in the sun's energy output, influencing Earth's climate. A tiny CU-Boulder satellite, Hermes, also launched on Taurus XL, aims to improve communications systems in tiny satellites.
The IBEX spacecraft has taken unprecedented photos of the plasma sheet, a complex region surrounding Earth's magnetic field. The images show a plasmoid being ejected into space, providing direct visual evidence of space weather events that can cause auroras and radiation failures.
The Stardust NExT spacecraft will visit comet Tempel 1, taking photos of the crater formed during the Deep Impact mission. It will also measure particle size and distribution, and analyze their composition.
The STEREO spacecraft provide a 360-degree view of the Sun, allowing NRL researchers to map its entire atmosphere continuously. This capability enables them to study the solar corona and inner heliosphere in unprecedented detail, shedding light on the evolution and structure of the solar atmosphere.
Researchers found no repeated earthquakes on the same fault segment in China over 2000 years, suggesting a new fault system should be considered for future large earthquakes. Mid-continent earthquakes are linked to interacting faults across a large region.
Researchers at University of Leicester introduce the Anthropocene, a geological epoch marked by significant human impact on the environment. The studies highlight effects of population growth, megacities, and fossil fuel use on global warming, sea level rise, and biodiversity.
A NASA team led by University of Florida astronomers has discovered six new planets in a distant solar system resembling our own. The planets, orbiting Kepler-11, are rocky or ice-combined and have densities lower than water but higher than Earth.
A new special issue explores the interconnectedness of life on Earth through biogeochemical cycles. Key findings highlight the crucial role of microbes like chemolithotrophic microbes in transforming raw materials into biomass, supporting complex food webs.
Researchers used NASA's THEMIS spacecraft to track energetic particles in Earth's magnetic atmosphere during a substorm, gaining insights into their origin and behavior. The study supports the betatron acceleration model, which explains how electrons gain energy from changing magnetic fields far from the reconnection site.
A New York City College of Technology research team has developed a method to deflect asteroids using solar sail technology. The technique involves heating the surface of an asteroid to create a jet stream, which would alter its trajectory and potentially convert an Earth impact into a near miss.
Recent research reveals significant changes in China's lakes over the past several decades, with a decline in lake surface area and number, and creation of new lakes. Climate change and human activity are contributing factors, highlighting the need for more detailed regional studies to confirm these observations.
Glory will measure aerosols and solar energy in Earth's atmosphere to refine climate models. The satellite carries two primary instruments: Aerosol Polarimetry Sensor (APS) and Total Irradiance Monitor (TIM), which will collect data for at least three years.
Researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, have discovered that water on the moon may have originated from comets smashing into the moon soon after its formation. This finding suggests that the moon can act as a stepping stone for further space exploration, enabling missions to fuel up with liquid hydrogen and oxygen.
Researchers at Arizona State University have discovered a core with an iron-rich center, resembling Earth's core, using array processing techniques on Apollo seismic data. The discovery sheds light on the lunar interior's composition and structure, providing insights into the Moon's ancient origins.
Invasive species can halt natural speciation processes, leading to mass extinction events. The Late Devonian ecosystem collapsed due to dominant invasive species, wiping out locally adapted species and preventing new life forms from arising.
The NSF/NASA scientific balloon campaign launched a Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass (CREAM VI) experiment to investigate high-energy cosmic-ray particles reaching Earth. The experiment will provide insights into the interaction of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts with its upper atmosphere.
A total lunar eclipse will be visible to sky watchers across North America on December 21, coinciding with the winter solstice. The eclipse will last approximately three hours and twenty-eight minutes, with totality lasting seventy-two minutes.
The measured magnetic field strength of 25 Gauss is significantly stronger than the 5-Gauss weak field or the 100-Gauss strong field that would imply large radioactive decay contributions. The result constrains heat sources in the core, with the outer core likely producing 60% of the planet's power.
Researchers will study whether changes in tremor activity precede earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault. The Berkeley Seismological Laboratory is installing earthquake detectors to monitor mysterious 20-40 km deep tremors that may signal an impending quake.
A team of scientists found that the abundance of metal-loving elements in Earth's, Moon's, and Mars' mantles were delivered by massive impactors during the final phase of planet formation. The largest impactor on Earth may have modified its obliquity by approximately 10 degrees.
Researchers discovered a carbon-rich atmosphere in WASP-12b, suggesting rocky exoplanets could be composed of pure carbon rocks like diamond or graphite. This finding introduces an entirely new class of exotic exoplanets to explore, with implications for the possibility of life on these planets.
Scientists have found a bacterium that can grow using arsenic instead of phosphorus, challenging our understanding of life's chemical requirements. This discovery expands the scope of the search for life beyond Earth and suggests that alternative forms of life might exist in unusual environments.
The team made the first measurements of GJ 1214b's atmosphere, revealing a featureless spectrum that could be caused by a thick cloud or haze. The data suggests that the atmosphere is either dense with hydrogen or composed of steam vaporized by the nearby star.
Recent studies shed light on ancient C4 plants, submarine channels with helical flow reversal, and the genesis of granite. Researchers have also discovered mysterious rock layers containing petrified remains, cohabiting bacteria in ancient environments, and deep-cave stromatolites.
Researchers have found a dozen double-star systems consisting of two white dwarfs, with half expected to merge and explode as supernovae. The merged stars will stir space-time, creating gravitational waves and causing them to spiral closer together.
A new study led by researchers at UC Santa Cruz reveals that the lunar farside highlands' elevated topography may be attributed to tidal forces acting early in the moon's history. The shape of the bulge can be described by a simple mathematical function, accounting for about one-fourth of the moon's shape.
A new study demonstrates that magnetic forces correctly explain the motion of erupting plasma clouds, resolving a long-standing challenge in understanding coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The research uses data from the STEREO twin-satellite mission to validate a theoretical model of CMEs as giant 'magnetic flux ropes'.
Scientists have found that large volcanic eruptions tend to dry up central Asia but bring more rain to southeast Asian countries. This contradicts climate models' predictions and highlights the complex interactions between natural and manmade forces.
According to a University of California, Berkeley study, nearly one in four sun-like stars could have Earth-size planets. The researchers found increasing numbers of smaller planets, down to super-Earths, about three times the mass of Earth.
The ARTEMIS mission involves two micro-satellites orbiting the moon, providing a three-dimensional perspective on energetic particle acceleration near the moon's orbit. The mission will also explore the space environment of the moon and its interaction with the solar wind.
Heather Hollen, a University of Oklahoma senior majoring in geography and electrical engineering, has been awarded a $10,000 scholarship by astronaut William Pogue. The award recognizes Hollen's exceptional academic achievements and her passion for engineering and geography.
Researchers pinpointed the exact date of a February 2009 asteroid collision using computer simulations and OSIRIS camera system images. The debris trail's three-dimensional shape, visible from a unique Rosetta space probe viewpoint, helped reconstruct the collision in detail.
The GSA awarded its President's Medal to the founders of Keyhole, Inc., developers of Google Earth. The award recognizes their impact on advancing geosciences through a groundbreaking tool for education and entertainment.
AUA-led team finds complex organic molecules, including amino acids and nucleotide bases, in Titan's atmosphere. These findings suggest that Titan's atmosphere could be a reservoir of prebiotic molecules that serve as the springboard to life.
The Solar Probe Plus mission will send a robotic spacecraft to the sun's atmosphere to answer long-standing questions about its outer layers. The probe will measure magnetic and electric properties, helping to understand how solar wind is generated and better comprehend the heliosphere.
A team of astronomers has discovered an Earth-sized planet orbiting a nearby star in the middle of its habitable zone, where liquid water could exist. The newly found planet, Gliese 581g, is tidally locked and has stable surface climates, offering a wide range of temperatures for potential life forms.
A 'knot' in a bright, narrow ribbon of neutral atoms emanating from the solar system's edge appears to have 'untied,' according to researchers. The knot, influenced by local interstellar magnetic fields, was found to be stable over six-month periods but displayed changes in polar regions and diminished as it spread out.
Scientists have discovered an Earth-sized exoplanet in the habitable zone of a nearby star, making it potentially habitable. The newly discovered planet, Gliese 581g, is about three to four times the mass of Earth and has a stable surface climate.
Computational biologists at the University of Pennsylvania found that species diversification rates have typically decayed over time, suggesting a limit to species diversity. The study used phylogenies from various groups and found relatively little extinction in the evolutionary trees, contrasting with the fossil record.
Researchers successfully recreated the extreme conditions found at the Earth's core-mantle boundary, enabling them to study the behavior of a unique mineral called post-perovskite. This discovery sheds light on how seismic waves travel through this region and provides insights into Earth's internal heating and cooling processes.
A new study uses a novel imaging method to analyze underwater video of the well riser, affirming heightened estimates of the leak's volume and total oil escaped into the open ocean. The scientists estimate 4.4 million barrels were released, close to the government's recent consensus.
NASA has awarded CU-Boulder $6.7 million to design instruments for the Solar Probe Plus mission, which will orbit 22 times closer to the sun than Earth. The team aims to understand how the sun ticks and better forecast radiation environments for future space explorers.
The center will focus on developing innovative ways to reduce the risks and costs of natural hazards. THOR will unify efforts from various academic disciplines to study critical societal issues such as global climate change, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, and extreme weather events.
Researchers at Tel Aviv University have verified a theory that asteroid pairs are formed when small gravel-sized rocks separate from a larger asteroid through centrifugal force. The study, published in Nature, reveals that these 'separated asteroids' share the same orbit and demonstrate the existence of paired asteroid relationships.
Researchers will explore fundamental questions about bone health and the immune system in a microgravity environment. The NIH is funding experiments on osteoporosis, immune response suppression, and excessive alcohol use.
Researchers found that ancient cratonic roots have low water content beyond a certain depth, making them harder to deform or break up. This explains why these roots are resistant to destruction and preserved the oldest continents.
Researchers have found potassium in the atmosphere of a giant planet, HD 80606 b, using narrow-band transit spectrophotometry. The discovery supports previous computer models and demonstrates the value of this observational technique for characterizing planets that might support life.
A team of astronomers from the University of Florida has discovered two Saturn-sized planets and a possible third planet with an Earth-like size orbiting a distant star. The discovery was made using a new method of confirming planets called transit timing variation, which allows for more efficient confirmation of planetary systems.
Scientists have observed a magnetic cycle in a distant star, HD49933, that is similar to the sun's solar cycle. The team used stellar seismology to detect acoustic fluctuations and found a signature of starspots, areas of intense magnetic activity on the surface.
Scientists have discovered a magnetic cycle in a distant star using stellar seismology, finding a pattern similar to the Sun's solar cycle. The study aims to better understand how magnetic activity cycles differ from star to star and its impact on potential planets.
The discovery of two planets, Kepler 9b and 9c, confirms the first planetary system with more than one planet transiting the same star. The planets, both Saturn-sized gas giants, exhibit orbital resonance and gravitational interaction.
Researchers discovered that many binary asteroid pairs do not remain bound to each other but escape, forming two separate asteroids in orbit around the sun. The study showed a specific relationship between the larger and smaller members of the pair, with the smallest one always less than 60% of the size of its companion.
Researchers found that solar flares can affect the decay rate of certain radioactive elements on Earth. This effect is likely caused by solar neutrinos emitted by the sun. The study's findings could lead to a new method for predicting solar flares and protecting satellites from damage.
Researchers use seismic technique to detect boundary between old and new lithosphere beneath the North American continent. The study reveals a layer cake of ancient rock on top of newer material, challenging traditional theories on continental formation.
Astronomers studying a galactic black hole have found similarities between its eruption and the Eyjafjallajokull volcano on Earth. The cosmic eruption prevents hundreds of millions of new stars from forming by lifting cooler gas upwards.
Newly discovered cliffs on the moon indicate that it shrank globally in the geologically recent past and might still be shrinking. The cliffs, called lobate scarps, are relatively young and have a semi-circular or lobe-shaped appearance.
A new US survey reveals that many Americans underestimate the impact of switching to efficient technologies on saving energy. The study found that turning off lights is often cited as the best approach, despite its minimal effect, while more significant changes like buying efficient cars and appliances are underutilized.
IBEX maps reveal structured and intense interstellar boundary interactions; the spacecraft also collects hydrogen and oxygen from the interstellar medium, shedding light on solar system recycling processes. Recent observations of the Earth's magnetosphere provide new insights into protecting our atmosphere.