Geoscience
How Earth Once Cooled Off
A geological discovery shows how carbon was captured to chill the planet.
A New Way to Trigger a Tsunami
How historic records and new data uncovered the colossal underwater avalanche that unleashed a massive wave in 1650.
Why Is It So Difficult to Map the Ocean?
The most complete maps we have of the ocean floor lag far behind the maps we have of the moon.
Earth’s Core Has a Gas Leak
Contrary to conventional wisdom, matter can escape the center of the Earth.
Pangea’s Second Coming Won’t Be Chill
Today’s mammals would not survive the heat of Earth’s next supercontinent. But in evolution, there’s hope.
What the Earth Knows
How understanding Earth’s deep past can lead us into our radically altered future.
The Secret Life of Deep Sea Vents
An expedition to find rare hydrothermal vents at the bottom of the Mid-Atlantic uncovers new worlds—and some daredevil shrimp.
Could an Industrial Civilization Have Predated Humans on Earth?
A thought experiment plumbs archaeology and geology to ask whether our own species will leave a trace.
The Secret Messages in Ancient Storms
Paleotempestology promises to uncover patterns of historical hurricanes—to better predict destructive weather of the future.
The Amazon River in the Sky
A crucial link that sustains the Amazon rainforest is at risk of running dry.
Were These Caves Licked into Place?
Some of the Earth’s hardest features have been shaped by soft animal bodies.
Searching for the River of Wind
The jet stream is one of Earth’s defining features—but it wasn’t easy to find.
