Earth

More Stories in Earth

  1. A photo of the ring laser gyroscope with developer physicist Ulrich Schreiber sitting on a small ledge next to the device.
    Physics

    A laser gyroscope measured tiny variations in the lengths of days on Earth

    An underground gyroscope known as ‘G’ uses laser beams traveling in opposite directions to precisely measure Earth’s rotation.

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  2. An image of a map of the world.
    Oceans

    ‘The Deepest Map’ explores the thrills — and dangers — of charting the ocean

    A new book follows the race to map the seafloor, documenting how it’s done, why and what a clear view of the deep sea could mean for Earth’s future.

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  3. A satellite image of Hurricane Lee.
    Climate

    What’s driving an increasing number of hurricanes to rapidly intensify?

    Hurricane Lee is just the latest storm to explode in power in only hours. The phenomenon is linked to a warming world.

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  4. mushroom
    Earth

    When discussing flora and fauna, don’t forget ‘funga’

    Conservation efforts often overlook fungi. That can change by using “mycologically inclusive language,” researchers say.

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  5. photo of a downburst near Burlington, Colo.
    Earth

    How thunderstorms can spawn damaging ‘downbursts’

    Powerful winds called downbursts are not the same as a tornado, but the damage they cause can be similar — and can hit with little warning.

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  6. Small patches of open water and thin ice cover the Fram Strait, which lies between Greenland and Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.
    Climate

    Arctic sea ice may melt faster in coming years due to shifting winds

    A complex dance between Arctic wind patterns and the Atlantic has limited the flow of warmer water north in recent years. That may be about to change.

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  7. Pieces of soap made from plastic waste are displayed against a blue background. The soap has the color and reflectiveness of beeswax and is cut in various shapes, including a star, a moon and playing card suits.
    Chemistry

    Chemists turned plastic waste into tiny bars of soap

    Researchers developed a process to turn plastic waste into surfactants, the key ingredients in dozens of products, including soap.

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  8. Two emperor penguin chicks stand on the ice. One has buried his head in his soft fur, while the other appears to be nodding off.
    Climate

    Emperor penguins lost thousands of chicks to melting ice last year

    In 2022, groups of emperor penguins in western Antarctica lost almost all their chicks to receding sea ice, signaling the threat of climate change.

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  9. A photo of wind turbines in a grassy area with power lines nearby.
    Climate

    How one device could help transform our power grid

    As coal-fired power plants are retired, grid-forming inverters may be key to a future that relies on solar and wind power.

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