Microbiology
This Microbe Withstands an Incredible Range of Pressures
A microbial discovery could help guide the search for life beyond Earth
Stories by Katherine Kornei
Planetary Science
Mystery of Ancient Space Superstorms Deepens
A fresh analysis of tree-ring data suggests barrages of cosmic radiation that washed over Earth centuries ago may have come from sources besides our sun
Oceans
Historical Shipwreck Keeps Moving, Revealing Dangerous Underwater Mudflows
A ship sunk by a German U-boat in 1942 can today help track large pulses of mud from the Mississippi River
Language
Made-Up Sounds Convey Meaning across Cultures
Newly created vocalizations can convey concepts remarkably well
EARTH
Giant Mud Volcano Reveals Its Powerful Explosive Secrets
Scientists probe an exceptionally explosive phenomenon
Evolution
A Tsunami Likely Hurled Huge Rocks onto a Tiny Island
A Caribbean island’s giant rocks were thought to be deposited by enormous waves
Technology
Towering Sequoias Are Even Bigger Than Thought, Laser Scans Suggest
Laser light reveals the structure of the planet’s tallest trees
EARTH
Faraway Magma Reservoirs Complicate Volcano Monitoring
One third of volcanoes may have molten reserves kilometers away
Evolution
Red Stalagmites Reveal Glimpses of the Past
In a cave in northern Spain, stalagmites rich in organic matter are environmental record keepers
EARTH
Volcanic Eruptions Detected from Space
Satellite measurements of sulfur dioxide from volcanic eruptions could help keep aircraft safe from hazardous ash
Environment
Antarctica’s Ice Shelves Get a Bounce from Ephemeral Lakes
GPS measurements reveal the flexing movement of one of the ice shelves that act as key backstops to sea level rise
Biology
Humpback Whale Calls Remain Constant over Decades
Whales in southeastern Alaska produce “shrieks,” “moans” and “squeegies” that persist over generations
Evolution
Plants That Lived on Mount Everest Rediscovered in Forgotten Lab Collection
The specimens, which went unstudied for nearly seven decades, show adaptations to high elevation
Space & Physics
Colorful Asteroids Near Neptune Reveal a Solar System Conundrum
Unexplained patterns in the colors of certain space rocks suggest scientists still have much to learn about the solar system’s origins and early evolution
EARTH
Antarctic Glacier’s Breakup Is Controlled by Seafloor Topography
Submerged rock features near Pine Island Glacier—a major contributor to global sea-level rise—play a critical role in the ice’s movement
Biology
Tiny Worms Survive Forces 400,000 Times Stronger Than Gravity on Earth
New findings give some weight to the idea that life was blasted here from another planet
Biology
Gunshot Sensors Pinpoint Destructive “Fish Bombs”
Technology developed for urban crimes can help localize blasts that destroy coral reefs
EARTH
Glacier Suddenly Goes Galloping
Researchers try to figure out why every 20 years a Pakistan glacier moves roughly 1,500 times faster.
Environment
A Glacier in Pakistan Surges with Clocklike Regularity
Every two decades the Khurdopin glacier moves more than 1,000 times faster than usual
EARTH
A Megaflood-Powered Mile-High Waterfall Refilled the Mediterranean [Video]
Buried sediments near Sicily suggest water rushed into the sea’s partially dried-out eastern basin at speeds reaching 100 miles per hour
