geology

Mary Yap has spent the last year and a half trying to get farmers to fall in love with basalt. The volcanic rock is chock full of nutrients, captured as its crystal structure forms from cooling magma, and can make soil less acidic. In that way it’s like limestone, which farmers often use to improve their soil. It’s a little more finicky to apply, and certainly less familiar. But basalt also comes with an important side benefit: It can naturally capture carbon from the atmosphere.Yap’s pitch is part of a decades-long…

The finding suggests that far more fire ice is vulnerable to climate-induced melt than scientists realized, and it could be a significant source of planet-warming gas in the future. “It's a very, very, very large source of carbon,” says Davies. “What we're showing is there are routes for that carbon to be released that we hadn't appreciated.”These particular pockmarks formed at a depth of 330 meters. But before Davies’ team dug into the data, no one was looking for melting fire ice at this location, because it's landward…

A Japanese auroral drawing showing an observation at Okazaki on 4 February 1872, as reproduced with courtesy of Shounji Temple (contrast enhanced). Credit: Shounji Temple In November this year, the northern lights were seen unusually far south, in locations like Italy and Texas. This was due to the effects of a solar coronal mass ejection on Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. However, this was minor compared to a massive solar storm in February 1872. The 1872 event caused global auroras, visible even near the equator…

Recent research highlights a significant link between Earth’s geological activities, like plate tectonics and river movements, and the evolution of biodiversity, offering a comprehensive view of how life has been influenced over 500 million years by Earth’s physical evolution. Recent research reveals a striking correlation to how life evolved over 500 million years. The movement of rivers, mountains, oceans, and sediment nutrients at the geological timescale are central drivers of Earth’s biodiversity, new research…

Earlier this month, one corner of the internet got a little bit greener, thanks to a first-of-its-kind geothermal operation in the northern Nevada desert. Project Red, developed by a geothermal startup called Fervo, began pushing electrons onto a local grid that includes data centers operated by Google. The search company invested in the project two years ago as part of its efforts to make all of its data centers run on green energy 24/7.Project Red is small—producing between 2 and 3 megawatts of power, or enough to power…

The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission captures the vivid colors of Lake Natron and Lake Magadi in East Africa, highlighting their unique ecological and geological features. The satellite’s advanced imaging techniques reveal the dynamic environments of these lakes and contribute to environmental monitoring as part of the Copernicus program. Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2023), processed by ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGOThe European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission captures the colorful waters of two…

A discovery of ten new trilobite species in Thailand, dating back 490 million years, provides unique insights into Earth’s geological history and the ancient supercontinent Gondwanaland. Above is an artist’s rendering of a trilobite based on preserved soft body parts. Credit: Nobu TamuraExtinct marine creatures discovered hidden in Thai sanctuary.Ten newly discovered species of trilobites, which have been hidden for 490 million years in a little-studied part of Thailand, may be the missing pieces in the intricate puzzle…

“Some have thoughts that the systems are linked at depth,” says Edward Marshall, a geochemist at the University of Iceland—either directly, with magma flowing between the two subterranean mazes, or indirectly, where they trade pressure. But any geologic connection between Fagradalsfjall and Svartsengi is tenuous at best, making understanding why magma ascends at the former several times, then switches to the latter, a tall order.This investigative effort is further complicated by the current crisis’s additional…

Recent research indicates that parts of the central and eastern United States may still be experiencing aftershocks from significant 19th-century earthquakes. The study analyzed seismic data from three historic quakes, concluding that some modern seismic activity in these areas could be long-lived aftershocks, mixed with background seismicity.Aftershocks follow large earthquakes — sometimes for weeks, other times for decades. But in the U.S., some areas may be experiencing shocks from centuries-old events.In the 1800s,…

A 'mantle nodule', a fragment of rock that was ripped from the base of the continental plate during these energetic eruptions. The photograph was taken under a microscope and measures about 4 cm across. Credit: Dr. Tom Gernon, University of Southampton New research into the forces that bring diamonds to the surface from deep in the Earth's mantle could help locate undiscovered diamond deposits, say Macqurie University…