Earth
We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.
- Earth
Never-ending storms make for good plot twists. Could they plague Earth?
While the thunderstorms in The Legend of Zelda defy physics, plenty of places on Earth experience extreme weather.
- Earth
The crust under Africa is thinning in a way that hasn’t been seen before
Africa’s Turkana Rift Zone, a hotbed of hominin fossils, is caught in the act of “necking," a critical transition toward continental breakup.
- Health & Medicine
Some South American rodent-borne viruses may spread as climate warms
Some rodents in South America carry arenaviruses and hantaviruses. Climate change may bring both to regions where neither is currently a threat.
- Life
Cows’ methane burps may be fueled by a newfound organelle in gut microbes
In cows’ guts, ciliates contain a tiny organelle called a hydrogenobody that may drive production of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
- Earth
Seismic data captured the sound of awe during a solar eclipse
From the hush of people coming to a standstill to the reverberations of fans, seismic data can capture the ebbs and flows of human activity.
- Earth
Can ‘extinct’ volcanoes still erupt? A Greek peak holds surprising clues
Tiny crystals suggest extinct volcanoes could still grow underground, a finding that could reshape how scientists assess eruption risk.
- Microbes
How climate change may increase antibiotic resistance
Rising heat and drought may spur bacteria to exchange antibiotic resistance genes, with potential risks to human health.
- Oceans
Got pesky, invasive corals? Blast ‘em away with air guns
Compressed air bids bye-bye to invasive sun corals in Brazil. The blasts obliterated soft tissue and fragments couldn't regenerate.
- Health & Medicine
Increasing heat can boost malnutrition among children
In a study of 6.5 million children in Brazil, higher temperatures were associated with worse nutrition outcomes, especially in vulnerable groups.
- Animals
An endangered mouse may need a helping hand to adapt to climate change
Pacific pocket mice are geographically isolated, but the species may retain the genetic diversity needed to adapt to climate change.
- Animals
For gray whales, San Francisco Bay is becoming a deadly pit stop
Climate change could be forcing gray whales to seek food in San Francisco Bay, where vessel strikes may be driving rising deaths.
- Climate
Emperor penguins are marching toward extinction. Antarctica fur seals too
Conservationists now list the penguins and seals as “Endangered.” Climate change in Antarctica has led to plunging populations.
