Biology
How the First Life on Earth Survived Its Biggest Threat—Water
Living things depend on water, but it breaks down DNA and other key molecules. So how did the earliest cells deal with the water paradox?
EARTH909 articles archived since 1845
Natural Disasters
Wildfires Blast Smoke Corkscrews to the Top of the Atmosphere
Record-breaking blazes in Australia spewed as many particles into the sky as a volcanic eruption
EARTH
Three Signs a ‘New Arctic’ Is Emerging
Record wildfires, dwindling sea ice and ecosystem disruptions all point to the rapid change besetting the region
EARTH
Human-Made Stuff Now Outweighs All Life on Earth
The sheer scale of buildings, infrastructure and other anthropogenic objects underscores our impact on the planet
Natural Disasters
2020 Is a Record Year for Disaster Shelters, Red Cross Says
The combination of hurricanes, wildfires, and the pandemic meant the organization provided four times as much assistance as in an average year
EARTH
Duckbill Dino Odyssey Ended in Africa
A duckbill dinosaur jawbone found in Morocco means that dinosaurs crossed a large body of water to reach Africa.
EARTH
Repairing Earth once the Pandemic Is Over
COVID-19 has highlighted how we’ve damaged the planet—and also harmed poor and marginalized people
Space & Physics
Science News Briefs from around the Globe
Here are some brief reports about science and technology from all over, including one from the United Arab Emirates about the the first interplanetary mission by an Arab country.
Energy
Election Science Stakes: Energy
Scientific American senior editor Mark Fischetti and associate editor Andrea Thompson talk about this election and the future of U.S. energy research and policy.
Environment
Election Science Stakes: Environment
Scientific American senior editor Mark Fischetti talks about how this election will affect environmental science and policy.
Climate Change
Election Science Stakes: Climate
Scientific American’s associate editor for sustainability Andrea Thompson talks about how climate science and policy will be affected by this election.
Conservation
Double Whammy of Warming, Overfishing Could Spell Disaster for Antarctic Krill
Countries are debating proposed marine reserves that could help protect this key source of food for other species
Natural Disasters
Dinosaur Asteroid Hit Worst-Case Place
The mass-extinction asteroid happened to strike an area where the rock contained a lot of organic matter and sent soot into the stratosphere, where it could block sunlight for years...
Conservation
River Ecosystem Restoration Can Mean Just Add Water
Planners returned water to the dry bed of Arizona’s Santa Cruz River in 2019, and various species began showing up on the same day.
EARTH
If Past Is a Guide, Arctic Could Be Verging on Permafrost Collapse
Ancient sediments show rapid warming and rising seas caused massive thaws that unleashed carbon into the atmosphere
Environment
Blue Whale Song Timing Reveals Time to Go
Blue whales off California’s coast sing at night—until it’s time to start migrating, and they switch to daytime song.
EARTH
Faraway Magma Reservoirs Complicate Volcano Monitoring
One third of volcanoes may have molten reserves kilometers away
Environment
Sloths Slowly Cavort by Day Now
The disappearance of their predators in a disturbed ecosystem has turned Atlantic forest sloths from night creatures to day adventurers.
EARTH
Greenland Is Melting at Some of the Fastest Rates in 12,000 Years
If greenhouse gas emissions do not decline, melt rates could quadruple and further add to sea level rise
Fitness
Dinosaurs Got Cancer, Too
Researchers seeking evidence for cancer in dinosaurs found it in a collection of bones at a paleontology museum in Alberta.
