Earth may have been pummeled with asteroids much earlier than we thought
Welcome to the early solar system.
Just after the planets formed more than 4.5 billion years ago, our cosmic neighborhood was a chaotic place.
Waves of...
Earth’s last magnetic field reversal took far longer than once thought
A reversing field might significantly affect navigation and satellite and terrestrial communication, but the study suggests that society would have generations to adapt to...
How do you forecast eruptions at volcanoes that sit “on the cusp” for decades?
Some volcanoes take their time—experiencing protracted, years-long periods of unrest before eventually erupting.
This makes it difficult to forecast when they pose a danger to...
Moonquakes tumble boulders, build lunar scarps
The Apollo Moon buggies weren’t the only things rolling over the Moon’s surface in the early 1970s.
New research has found that a strong moonquake...
Maya more warlike than previously thought, says new study
The Maya of Central America are thought to have been a kinder, gentler civilization, especially compared to the Aztecs of Mexico.
At the peak of...
Every living thing on Earth stems from same 20 amino acids, and now scientists...
Earth didn't always harbor life.
But around 4 billion years ago, something in the environment changed, and systems with biological properties began to emerge.
Many scientists...
Scientists recreate the sun’s solar wind and plasma ‘burps’ on Earth
The sun's solar wind affects nearly everything in the solar system.
It can disrupt the function of Earth's satellites and creates the lights of the...
Scientists find cold, dry planets could have a lot of hurricanes!
Hurricanes usually mean water as they use warm, moist air for fuel.
However, new simulations show they can form in extremely cold, dry climates.
A climate...
Scientists discover world’s smallest fossil monkey in Amazon jungle
A team of Peruvian and American scientists has uncovered the 18-million-year-old remains of the smallest fossil monkey ever found.
A fossilized tooth found in Peru's...
Underwater glacial melting is occurring much faster than predicted
Underwater melting of tidewater glaciers is occurring much faster than previously thought, according to a new study by researchers at Rutgers and the University...