Earth

More Stories in Earth

  1. A photo of a remotely operated vehicle exploring the Mariana Trench. It appears as a cube hovering over a lighter blue patch surrounded by darkness.
    Oceans

    50 years ago, researchers discovered a leak in Earth’s oceans

    An analysis of oceanic rocks hinted that ocean water drains into Earth’s mantle. How much makes it back into the ocean remains unclear.

    By Erin Garcia de Jesús
  2. An illustration of Earth's center with lines running through it from on overlay map of North America.
    Earth

    Earth’s inner core may be more complex than researchers thought

    Seismic waves suggest that Earth has a hidden heart, a distinct region within the solid part of the planet’s core.

    By Carolyn Gramling
  3. An illustration of a planet crashing into Earth, setitng off a huge explosion and launching chunks of rock into space
    Earth

    A moon-forming cataclysm could have also triggered Earth’s plate tectonics

    Deeply buried remnants of a hypothetical planet that slammed into Earth 4.5 billion years ago might have set subduction into motion.

    By Nikk Ogasa
  4. An overhead image of tomatoes in four crates.
    Agriculture

    Dry farming could help agriculture in the western U.S. amid climate change

    Some farmers in the western United States are forgoing irrigation, which can save on water and produce more flavorful fruits and vegetables.

    By Katherine Kornei
  5. a huge column of smoke reaching into the stratosphere over Australia
    Climate

    How wildfires deplete the Earth’s ozone layer

    Scientists detail the chain of chemical reactions that occur when wildfire smoke enters the stratosphere.

    By Carolyn Gramling
  6. A shoreline in southern Louisiana shows green marsh grass where it meets still water
    Environment

    The Deepwater Horizon oil spill ruined long-term shore stability

    For at least eight years, the oil disaster continued to kill soil-retaining marsh plants along the Louisiana coast, accelerating shoreline loss.

    By Joshua Rapp Learn
  7. A photo of smoke rising above a forest.
    Climate

    Wildfires in boreal forests released a record amount of CO2 in 2021

    Boreal forests store about one-third of the world’s land-based carbon. With wildfires increasing there, fighting climate change could get even harder.

    By Nikk Ogasa
  8. A photo of several tents set up on in Antarctica.
    Climate

    Many Antarctic glaciers are hemorrhaging ice. This one is healing its cracks

    Scientists have explored the recesses of an Antarctic glacier that is currently stable, helping improve predictions of the continent’s fate.

    By Douglas Fox
  9. image of a lightning strike above a wildfire in Wenatchee, Washington
    Climate

    An incendiary form of lightning may surge under climate change

    Relatively long-lived lightning strikes are the most likely to spark wildfires and may become more common as the climate warms.

    By Nikk Ogasa