Earth
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Earth
Tiny Bubbles: Oldest evidence yet for methane makers
Analyses of the gases dissolved in water trapped in ancient minerals suggest that methane-generating microbes have been around almost 3.5 billion years.
- Earth
Leaden streets
Street grit is the probable source of lead in urban homes, and flaking paint from overpasses and bridges is a major contributor.
- Earth
Shaken but Not Stirred: Rock formations reveal past quakes’ size limit
Dozens of precariously balanced rocks in southern California tell a consistent story that earthquakes at nearby faults in recent millennia haven't exceeded magnitude 7.
- Earth
Manufacturers agree to phase out nonstick chemical
Complying with a request from the Environmental Protection Agency, the companies that make the likely carcinogen perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) have agreed to phase out its release worldwide by 2015.
- Earth
Vesuvius’ Shadow: A major volcanic blast could threaten Naples
When Italy's Mount Vesuvius begins to rumble again, nearby Naples may be in danger.
- Earth
Crater in the sand
Researchers analyzing satellite images of the Sahara Desert have discovered the region's largest impact crater.
- Earth
Smoldered-Earth Policy: Created by ancient Amazonian natives, fertile, dark soils retain abundant carbon
Amazonian dark earth, or terra preta in Portuguese, is attracting scientific attention for its high productivity, mysterious past, and ability to store carbon.
- Earth
China’s deserts expand with population growth
Carried forward by winds and sandstorms, the dunes of northern China are expanding at an unprecedented rate, primarily because of human activities that have contributed to erosion.
-
- Earth
Rome at Risk: Seismic shaking could be long and destructive
If a large earthquake struck Rome, ground motions could rock the city for up to a minute, threatening many of the city's ancient landmarks.
- Earth
Species-aid budget looks fishy
State and federal governments spent $1.4 billion in 2004 on conserving endangered and threatened species, with one-third of that sum going to protect fish.
- Earth
Finding dirty diesels
Just a few diesel-fueled vehicles account for much of traffic-related soot.
