Atmosphere

Conceptual model illustrating the coevolution of the phosphorus cycle and DOM oxidation during the SE (see text for detailed description of the panels). Credit: Nature (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06077-6 A new study may have found a missing link that helps explain the Earth's unique oxygen-rich atmosphere—and the evolution of animal life on the planet. …

Waves churn in Onomea Bay, Hawaii, where the sea rose by more than 30 feet (9 meters) during the deadly tsunami of April 1, 1946. Emerging technology could help detect these natural hazards via acoustic and gravity ripples they hurl towards space. Credit: M. Younger New hazard-monitoring technology uses GPS signals to go wave-hunting in the Pacific Ring of Fire. GUARDIAN's long-term objective is to augment early warning…

Solar-powered balloons launched into the Earth's stratosphere have recorded a series of mysterious rumblings, and scientists can't pinpoint their origins. The noises, detected by specialized instruments at 70,000 feet above the Earth's surface, are known as infrasound because they are so low-pitched they are inaudible to human ears. Picked out from among a wash of hidden low-frequency sounds — including thunder, ocean waves, rocket launches, cities, wind turbines and even planes, trains and automobiles — the strange…

Scientists have detected the ripple effects of small ground-level explosions 100 kilometers up in ionized layers of the upper atmosphere. The result suggests the remote sensing technique could be used to monitor explosive events—natural or human—hundreds of times smaller than before. “It was a big surprise to me,” says Jihye Park, a geodetic scientist at Oregon State University who was not involved in the research. “It’s really smart.” The ionized region of the…

It is the circulation of the ocean which, by redistributing heat, limits the temperature difference between tropics and poles to about 30°C. Were the atmosphere alone responsible for moving heat, that difference would be more like 110°C. And, when it comes to anthropogenic global warming, the problem would be far greater without the ocean’s buffering effect. Not only does the ocean absorb heat which would otherwise remain in the air, it also swallows a third of the carbon dioxide…

Lund University researchers discovered the rare metal terbium in the atmosphere of KELT-9 b, the galaxy’s hottest exoplanet. Using a new analysis method, the team can now study exoplanets in greater detail, potentially leading to insights on exoplanets’ ages, formation, and the possibility of Earth-like planets. Credit: Bibiana PrinothThe rare metal terbium has been found in an <span class="glossaryLink" aria-describedby="tt" data-cmtooltip="<div…

Priyanka Chopra describes filming ‘Love Again’ as terrifying experience (Picture Credit: Instagram) Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas was forced to cope with a “daunting atmosphere” on ‘Love Again’. The 40-year-old actress stars in the new romantic comedy film alongside Sam Heughan and Celine Dion but admits it was tricky to generate the emotions required as the picture was filmed in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. “It was nuts at that time. It was tough, but it was a scary time in the world. As actors, we’re the…

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has detected water vapor near a planet in another system, which could mark the first direct detection of a rocky exoplanet’s atmosphere. But there’s a big if hanging over the find.Whether there’s life on other planets is one of the most profound scientific questions of all time, and Webb might have the equipment to finally answer it. The telescope’s powerful infrared eyes can analyze the composition of atmospheres of distant worlds, looking for specific elements that are conducive to…

The discovery of water vapor in space around a planet that isn’t inside of its star’s habitable zone has scientists questioning everything we know about how planets maintain their atmospheres. According to a new paper featured in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the James Webb space telescope discovered water vapor around a rocky planet close to a red dwarf star. The planet itself, known as GJ 486 b, is too close to its planet to have an atmosphere — at least based on what we know. However, the…

The legends: The Chemical BrothersPlaying the Isle of Wight festival, 15-18 June; Wilderness, 3-6 Aug; Cardiff Bay with 2ManyDJs, Hot Chip and Erol Alkan, 9 SeptWhen I speak to Ed Simons of the Chemical Brothers, the electronic music colossi have completed the first weekend of Coachella and are gearing up to play the second. “It was really good,” says Simons of their first outing at this year’s mega-festival outside Los Angeles. “Amazing production, nice crowds. It’s strange because it’s in a desert, so one minute it’s a…