
Afghanistan's Buried Riches
Geologists say newfound deposits in the embattled country could fulfill the world's desire for rare earth and critical minerals and end opium's local stranglehold in the process

Afghanistan's Buried Riches
Geologists say newfound deposits in the embattled country could fulfill the world's desire for rare earth and critical minerals and end opium's local stranglehold in the process

Afghanistan: Rare Earth Elements Could Beat the Taliban [Slide Show]
Vast deposits of rare earth and critical minerals found in Afghanistan by U.S. geologists under military cover could solve world shortages and get the country off opium and out from under Taliban control. Photos show their gutsy excursions

Afghanistan Holds Enormous Bounty of Rare Earths, Minerals
Geologists actually mapping the country's mineral bounty suspect its prime cache of coveted rare earth elements is considerably larger than the latest estimate lets on

Earthquakes and Drought Could Slow Afghanistan's Mining
Natural challenges add to concern about Taliban interference

Climate Researchers Seek Global Warming Clues in the Arctic's Svalbard Archipelago [Slide Show]
Rocks on a remote Norwegian island in the Arctic Ocean may offer fresh insights into previous worldwide climate change episodes

The Blue Food Revolution: Making Aquaculture a Sustainable Food Source
New fish farms out at sea, and cleaner operations along the shore, could provide the world with a rich supply of much needed protein

Planetary Paparazzi: 10 Vital Views of Earth [Slide Show]
Icelandic eruptions, oil spills, deadly heat: NASA's Terra satellite has captured spectacular views of such dramatic events, documenting our planet's ever-changing visage since the satellite's five sensors saw "first light" 10 years ago

How Asteroids Built the Continents
Did asteroid strikes during the earth's youth spawn the earliest fragments of today's landmasses?

Ocean Overhaul
Marine zoning is a bold remedy for sick seas

World Changing Ideas: 20 Ways to Build a Cleaner, Healthier, Smarter World
From solar power to powering our planet with garbage, Scientific American explores ideas that would improve our planet

The Arctic Thaw Could Make Global Warming Worse
The melting Arctic is releasing vast quantities of methane. How big is this greenhouse threat? What can be done?

Nitrogen Fertilizer: Agricultural Breakthrough--And Environmental Bane
A new report citing drawbacks of the corn ethanol craze casts a pall over the centennial of a Nobel Prize-winning discovery that transformed global food production

Are Hybrid Cars Too Quiet to Be Safe for Pedestrians?
Pedestrians, used to loud engine noise, have less warning when a car powered by a hybrid or electric motor approaches

Dropping Acid
Mars may have needed acid rain to stay wet

Higher Power
Earth's heat keeps continents afloat and land above sea level

Seismic Sentries
Why underground nuclear tests are so hard to hide

Catchy Carbon
What Floyd Landis has in common with ocean sediment

Survival of the Smallest
Returning the big ones to keep fisheries healthy

Diving for Dead Wood
Submarine with a chain saw for eco-friendly logging

Not So Icy Stares
The Moon's water may be difficult to get

Scarred Genes

Fueling Predictions

Deep Thoughts
How to journey to the center of the earth--maybe

The Unusual Suspects