All articles tagged with #earth science
A new Antarctic Science study suggests Blood Falls’ rust-red color comes from iron oxide formed when the Taylor Glacier's heavy subglacial brine experiences pressure-driven bursts, linking glacier dynamics to subglacial hydrology; climate-change effects on the region remain uncertain.
A Penn State–led team captured the first in-the-wild coronae—brief ultraviolet glows at leaf tips—during thunderstorms, logging 41 events on multiple tree species across the East Coast in about 90 minutes. Each glow lasts roughly three seconds and can hop between leaves. While coronae had been seen in laboratory tests, this study confirms they occur in nature and may light tens to hundreds of treetop leaves during a single storm, though the displays are invisible to the naked eye.
New computer modeling of Greenland’s ice sheet suggests deep plume-like structures arise from thermal convection—a heat-driven, slow churning process that may make some ice softer than previously thought. While this explains the plumes, researchers caution softer ice alone doesn’t automatically mean faster melt or higher sea-level rise, and further studies are needed to understand the full implications for the ice sheet’s mass balance and coastal impacts.
Scientists used earthquakes and geophysical data to reconstruct Earth’s interior and map a gravity hole beneath Antarctica that began weakening but has grown stronger over roughly 50–30 million years, driven by competing mantle flows (cold, sinking material beneath and hotter, rising material above). This amplified mass deficit alters the geoid and regional sea-level dynamics, offering clues about ice-sheet stability and climate-related sea-level changes, though the exact future impact remains uncertain.
Seismic data and geodynamo simulations indicate two hot “Blob” regions at the core–mantle boundary heat the surrounding mantle less evenly, insulating the outer core and shaping long-lived, longitudinal magnetic-field patterns, helping explain Earth's magnetic stability over hundreds of millions of years.
NASA selected two Earth System Explorers missions, STRIVE and EDGE, to advance understanding of Earth’s atmosphere, ozone recovery, and surface/topography of glaciers and sea ice. STRIVE will deliver high-resolution, near-global atmospheric measurements to improve longer-range weather forecasts, while EDGE will map the 3D structure of ecosystems and ice-covered terrain, building on ICESat-2 and GEDI data. Both enter the next development phase with 2027 confirmation reviews and a cost cap of $355 million each, with launches not earlier than 2030.
An 11–16 million-year-old ferricrete deposit at McGraths Flat in New South Wales preserves exceptionally detailed terrestrial fossils in goethite, challenging the notion that such exceptional preservation only occurs in shale or sandstone and offering a new pathway to locate iron-based fossil beds.
Researchers converted ESA Swarm satellite data and geological records into sound to recreate the Laschamps geomagnetic reversal (~41,000 years ago), when Earth's magnetic field weakened to about 5% of its current strength, potentially increasing cosmic radiation and affecting climate and early human life; the eerie audio illustrates chaotic magnetic shifts and underscores current concerns about weakening regions like the South Atlantic Anomaly.
Geologists report wrinkle-like textures in 180-million-year-old deep-sea turbidites in Morocco that are biotic, formed by chemosynthetic microbial mats in sunless, low-oxygen waters. Carbon-rich layers beneath the wrinkles and modern deep-sea analogs support a biotic origin, suggesting such textures can record ancient life in deep-water settings and may widen where researchers search for early Earth life.
Acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy announced that NASA will shift its focus from climate science to space exploration, aligning with proposed budget cuts that threaten many Earth science missions, raising concerns about the future of climate monitoring and research. Despite these changes, NASA emphasizes its primary role in space exploration, with other agencies potentially taking the lead on climate science, while congressional decisions will ultimately determine the fate of current and planned missions.
Comments by NASA’s acting administrator have raised concerns about the future of Earth science programs, including the potential termination of missions like the Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2, amid the 2026 budget proposals.
NASA celebrates Independence Day with reflections on exploration, announces new spaceflight assignments, partnerships with Netflix, and ongoing research and outreach efforts, including supporting disaster response and celebrating Marshall Space Flight Center's 65th anniversary, emphasizing embracing challenges and public service.
The article discusses the potential long-term damage to NASA and space science caused by proposed budget cuts under the Trump administration, which threaten ongoing projects, future missions, and the agency's leadership, risking a setback in American space exploration and scientific research.
The 2026 budget proposal by President Trump aims to significantly cut NASA's robotic exploration missions, especially reducing Earth science funding by 53%, which would impact studies of Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Earth itself.
Rocket Lab successfully launched the first of two NASA PREFIRE Earth science cubesats on May 25, placing it into a 525-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit. The mission aims to measure infrared emissions at the poles to improve climate models. A second identical cubesat will be launched in the coming days.