Weather
Hurricane 2016 Forecast: A “Near-Normal” 10 to 16 Storms
Hurricane season officially kicks off June 1, and forecasters expect the Atlantic Ocean will spawn a near-average number of hurricanes in 2016
Stories by Becky Oskin
Weather
What Causes Eerie Volcanic Lightning?
Scientists are closer to understanding volcanic lightning, which stems from both ash and ice
Sustainability
Red Sea Parts for 2 New Islands
Two volcanic islands that were recently born in the Red Sea are providing scientists with new information about a rift in Earth's crust
Space
Russian Fireball's Origins Found
The fireball, spotted on April 19, 2014, near the Finnish-Russian border, likely escaped from the innermost region of the asteroid belt
Sustainability
Glowing Tampons Highlight Sewer Pollution
Tampons absorb traces of laundry detergent, toothpaste, cleaners and other whitening chemicals, enabling scientists to detect sources of sewage pollution
The Sciences
More than One Magma Chamber Found to Feed Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano
The most active volcano on the island of Hawai'i has been erupting since 1983
The Sciences
Unusual Bacteria Discovered in Deepest Ocean Trench
"Heterotrophic" microbes were identified 6.8 miles (11 km) below sea level in an undersea canyon that's the lowest point on Earth's surface
Sustainability
Light Pollution Puts an End to "Dark and Stormy Night"
Before the era of artificial lights, clouds hid the light coming from the stars. But now, the sky grows brighter when clouds roll in, possibly adversely affecting animals and plants
Sustainability
Hottest Year Ever: 5 Places Where 2014 Temps Really Cooked
Data from three major climate-tracking groups agree: Earth's combined land and ocean surface temperatures hit new highs this year
The Sciences
How a Deadly Volcano Erupted in Japan without Warning
The eruption that killed more than 30 people this weekend was a shallow steam explosion that is nearly impossible to predict
The Sciences
Supersonic Earthquake Shook Kamchatka
The temblor that shook Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula last year was one of only six supersonic earthquakes ever identified
Sustainability
Largest Active Volcano on Earth Rumbles Back to Life
Recent quake swarms signal that magma is squeezing into Mauna Loa's magma storage chambers in the same spots below where the 1984 eruption occurred
The Sciences
Earth's Oldest and Biggest Crater Yields New Secrets
In the abraded heart of South Africa's Vredefort impact crater lie striking green-black "impact" melt rocks that were thought to have been lost to time
Sustainability
Air Pollution Intensifies Pacific Storms
Pollution from China's coal-burning power plants has increased the strength of storms in the Pacific Northwest by 10 percent over the last three decades
The Sciences
A Small Fault Caused Monday's Earthquake in Los Angeles
The fault is not significant and will likely not cause more major earthquakes in the future, seismologists say
Sustainability
1,500-Year-Old Antarctic Moss Brought Back to Life
The moss, taken from frozen soil core samples, is the oldest known resurrection of a frozen plant
The Sciences
Rare Diamond Confirms That Earth's Mantle Holds an Ocean's Worth of Water
The diamond contains ringwoodite, which is water-rich but only forms naturally under the extreme pressure found in Earth's mantle
Sustainability
Volcanoes Guard Ice Age Secrets
By studying current lava flows over lava and ice, scientists are learning how volcanic eruptions through ancient ice sheets can hold clues to past ice ages
Sustainability
Global Warming Slows Antarctica's Coldest Currents
The deep, salty currents that carry oxygen and nutrients to the ocean depths have been disappearing over the past few decades
Sustainability
Radioactive Isotopes from Fukushima Meltdown Detected near Vancouver
The levels of radiation detected are well below the safety limit for drinking water
