What a Martian meteorite can teach us about Earth’s origins
These days, not so much. But more than 4.5 billion years ago, it’s possible the Red Planet had a crust comparable to Iceland today. This discovery, hidden in the oldest martian fragments found on Earth, could provide information about our planet that was lost over billions of years of geological movement and could help explain […]
Large-scale ocean sanctuaries could protect coral reefs from climate change: About 75% of all tropical reefs have experienced coral bleaching
Earth’s oceans are home to some of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet, but warming temperatures are causing many marine animals, including coral, to die out. A new study into managing the effect climate change has on these organisms says that more international collaboration is needed to ensure the future of the more than […]
Will climate change increase the risk of aflatoxin in U.S. corn?
As climate change continues to alter weather patterns around the planet including the Midwest, researchers at Michigan State University are modeling the impact on crops such as corn. “The United States is the largest exporter and donor of field corn around the world,” said Felicia Wu, a John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor and an international […]
Solution to world’s largest waste stream: Make sand
After water, sand is the most exploited natural resource on the planet. However, its extraction from seas, rivers, beaches and quarries has an impact on the environment and surrounding communities. A new study by researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI) has found that a step-change […]
Ultrasounds for endangered abalone mollusks: Ultrasounds proven an effective, hands-off way to help spawn endangered abalone
The world’s abalone are threatened, endangered or otherwise vulnerable in nearly every corner of the planet. While captive breeding efforts are underway for some species, these giant sea snails are notoriously difficult to spawn. If only we could wave a magic wand to know when abalone are ready to reproduce, without even touching them. Scientists […]
Unusual team finds gigantic planet hidden in plain sight: Gas giant is much closer to Earth than others like it
A UC Riverside astronomer and a group of eagle-eyed citizen scientists have discovered a giant gas planet hidden from view by typical stargazing tools. The planet, TOI-2180 b, has the same diameter as Jupiter, but is nearly three times more massive. Researchers also believe it contains 105 times the mass of Earth in elements heavier […]
Swapping just one food item per day can make diets substantially more planet-friendly
If your New Year’s resolution is to eat better for the planet, a new Tulane University study finds it may be easier than you think. Americans who eat beef could slash their diet’s carbon footprint as much as 48 percent by swapping just one serving per day for a more planet-friendly alternative, according to a […]
Zeroing in on the origins of Earth’s ‘single most important evolutionary innovation’: A new study shows oxygenic photosynthesis likely evolved between 3.4 and 2.9 billion years ago.
Some time in Earth’s early history, the planet took a turn toward habitability when a group of enterprising microbes known as cyanobacteria evolved oxygenic photosynthesis — the ability to turn light and water into energy, releasing oxygen in the process. This evolutionary moment made it possible for oxygen to eventually accumulate in the atmosphere and […]
Astronomers probe layer-cake structure of brown dwarf’s atmosphere
Maunakea, Hawaii — Jupiter may be the bully planet of our solar system because it’s the most massive planet, but it’s actually a runt compared to many of the giant planets found around other stars. These alien worlds, called super-Jupiters, weigh up to 13 times Jupiter’s mass. Astronomers have analyzed the composition of some of […]