Searching the Heavens for Mountains
Exoplanet hunters are moving beyond simply finding new planets into trying to know what they look like and whether there's surface or subsurface activity.
Stories by Julia Rosen
Dark Fiber Networks Can Sense Seismicity
Scientists are exploring the use of fiber-optic cables—like the ones that form the backbone of the internet—to monitor earthquakes. Julia Rosen reports.
Nutrition Guidelines Healthy for the Planet, Too
Following dietary guidelines would mean eating less meat and dairy—and fewer calories overall—reducing greenhouse gases and other pollution. Julia Rosen reports.
Ships at Sea Stoke Lightning Strikes
Exhaust fumes from oceangoing vessels lead to an almost doubling of lightning activity over shipping lanes compared to adjacent areas of the sea.
Springtime Now Arrives Earlier for Birds
A trove of scientific notes from the early 1900s suggests a warming climate is driving birds to migrate earlier to New York’s Mohonk Preserve. Julia Rosen reports.
Old Records Help Resurrect Historic Quake
Century-old records found in Puerto Rico helped reconstruct the damage caused there by a magnitude 7.3 earthquake—and could help disaster experts plan for the next big one. Julia Rosen reports.
Large Impacts May Cause Volcanic Eruptions
Really big meteorite or asteroid strikes may cause melting and deep deformations that eventually lead to volcanic eruptions.
Climate 420 Million Years Ago Poised for Comeback
Starting in the next century, atmospheric carbon levels could begin to approach those of hundreds of millions of years ago, and have their warming effect augmented by a brighter sun.
Extreme Storms Are Extreme Eroders
The storm that swept across the Rockies in September 2013 unleashed huge amounts of sediment downstream, doing the work of a century of erosion. Julia Rosen reports.
Chaotic Orbits Could Cause Catastrophic Collision
Researchers used ancient climate cycles to confirm the solar system’s chaotic planetary orbits. An Earth–Mars collision is one distant outcome. Julia Rosen reports.
The True "Bottom" of the Food Chain Is Plenty Polluted
Critters living more than six miles below the ocean surface contain high levels of harmful compounds like PCBs and flame retardants. Julia Rosen reports.
Arctic 2.0: What Happens after All the Ice Goes?
Researchers look into the future of the far North for clues to save species and maybe even bring back sea ice
The Arctic's Anti-Snowball Snowball Effect
Arctic heat waves melt sea ice, which promotes more warming and even more ice loss. In other words, it’s a snowball effect—or in this case, an anti-snowball effect. Julia Rosen reports.
Climate Cycles Could Have Carved Canyons on Mars
Researchers think Mars may have experienced a series of climate cycles, which etched the planet’s surface with river valleys and lake basins. Julia Rosen reports.
Big Earthquakes May Be More Likely During New and Full Moons
When the sun, moon and Earth are aligned, high tidal stress may increase the chances that an earthquake will grow bigger than it otherwise might have been.
Frigate Bird Flights Last Months
Great frigate birds may stay aloft for up to two months, eating and sleeping on the wing.
Heat ID'd as Subtle Cause of Rockfalls
Rockfalls without an obvious cause (like an earthquake or expanding ice) may be due to hot daily air temperatures expanding small cracks in cliff faces.
Our Noise Bothers Overlooked Seafloor Critters
Creatures that live on the seafloor play vital roles in marine ecosystems, but human-made noise can alter their behaviors.
Underground Eruptions Could Cause Quakes Months Later
When the Nyiragongo volcano erupted in January 2002, it set the geologic stage for earthquakes nine months later. Julia Rosen reports.
Volcano Role in Dino Death Gets Mercury Boost
Researchers found a spike in mercury, which is produced by volcanoes, in ancient ocean sediments from southern France that span the time of the dinosaurs' mass extinction, lending support to the idea that massive eruptions played a role, in addition to the asteroid impact.