Why carbon dioxide cools the upper atmosphere while heating Earth below
Scientists have long known something strange is happening in Earth’s atmosphere. While greenhouse gases are warming the planet’s surface and lower atmosphere, the upper...
Stardust trapped in Antarctic ice reveals tens of thousands of years of solar system’s...
When you think of outer space, you're likely picturing stars, planets and moons. But much of space is filled with clouds of gas, plasma...
Earth’s first continents formed billions of years earlier than expected
Scientists studying some of the oldest rocks on Earth have uncovered new evidence that the planet’s first continents may have started forming through plate...
What it would have been like to experience the dinosaur‑killing asteroid Armageddon
A great Tyrannosaurus rex strides through the conifer trees of her territory, sniffing the air.
She picks up the scent from the carcass of a...
Shark embryos reveal ancient blueprint behind the faces of all jawed animals
Scientists studying shark embryos have uncovered evidence that the basic blueprint for building faces in jawed animals has remained largely unchanged for more than...
How ‘snowball Earth’ was a tug-of-war
Decades of research shows that Earth was once entirely or almost entirely frozen.
The episode is known as Snowball Earth, and though its occurrence is...
Ancient continents may have helped create the right conditions for life on Earth
Scientists have discovered that the rise of Earth’s first continents may have played a major role in making life possible.
According to a new study...
Rare metal helped ancient life thrive long before oxygen filled Earth
More than three billion years ago, life on Earth faced a difficult problem.
The planet’s oceans contained only tiny amounts of molybdenum, a rare metal...
Scientists discover 75-million-year-old mammal that survived the dinosaur era
Scientists have discovered a new species of small mammal that lived at the same time as dinosaurs, offering fresh clues about how early mammals...
Why Strait of Hormuz crisis could quietly raise prices around the world
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has drawn attention mainly because of rising oil and petrol prices.
But focusing only on fuel misses a...