Earth
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We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
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EarthIsolated coral reefs can regrow after bleaching
Having neighboring coral reefs is unnecessary for recovery.
By Meghan Rosen -
EarthHow the West was done
The tectonic history of North America’s Pacific Rim gets even more jumbled.
By Erin Wayman -
EarthIn Antarctica, melting may beget ice
Disintegration of floating glaciers could be responsible for freezing of seawater.
By Erin Wayman -
EarthFungi pull carbon into northern forest soils
Organisms living on tree roots do the lion’s share of sequestering carbon.
By Meghan Rosen -
AnimalsTermites, not fairies, cause plant circles in African deserts
Underground insect engineers create water traps in the soil, allowing rings of green grasses in the sand.
By Susan Milius -
EarthKansas was unbearably hot 270 million years ago
Temperatures soared to nearly 74 degrees Celsius, which no plants or animals could endure.
By Erin Wayman -
EarthLandslides detected from afar
Seismic fingerprints can reveal that a rock avalanche has occurred in a remote location.
By Erin Wayman -
LifeDisease threatens garden impatiens
Surprising scientists, once-mild downy mildew has struck the popular blooms in 33 states.
By Susan Milius -
LifeMicrobes flourish at deepest ocean site
At the bottom of the Mariana Trench, eleven kilometers down, bacteria prosper despite crushing pressure and isolation.
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EarthExtreme storm surges may occur more often
Climate simulations suggest hurricane-caused flooding will increase in frequency as temperatures warm.
By Erin Wayman -
EarthCanada’s ice shrinking rapidly
Melt from Arctic Archipelago will raise sea levels by 3.5 centimeters.
By Erin Wayman -