Tectonic Plates Can ‘Infect’ One Another with Earth-Shaking Subduction Zones (Scientific American)
Evidence from Earth’s deep past suggests dramatic subduction zones can spread like a contagion.
(This article appeared in the July 2025 print issue)
La Niña is dead — what that means for this year's hurricanes and weather (Live Science)
Scientists thought La Niña was coming. It didn't — at least for now. What could that mean for this year's hurricane season, and how might long-term climate change affect El Niño and La Niña patterns?
Modern farming has carved away earth faster than during the ice age (Science Magazine)
Minnesota study adds to growing evidence of human-accelerated erosion, which could jeopardize agriculture.
The United States’ oldest known rock has existed for at least 3.6 billion years (Science News)
A rock formation in Michigan has beat out other contenders for the title — for now.
(This article appeared in the July 2025 print issue)
FEATURE: A long-lost ice sheet could predict the future of New York City (Live Science)
Scientists are rethinking what we knew about a vanished ice sheet — and that could spell trouble for New York City.
Note: My web hosting service does not like the ridiculously long URL on this one. Here it is: https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/climate-change/a-long-lost-antarctic-ice-sheet-could-predict-the-future-of-new-york-city-one-in-which-lower-manhattan-and-coney-island-are-perpetually-submerged
A minute-by-minute account of the Pompeii eruption, revealed in agonizing detail (Science Magazine)
Two new studies provide unprecedented insight into one of the ancient world’s most famous cataclysms.
How Climate Change Could Trigger Earthquakes (Scientific American)
Climate change may influence seismic activity as melting glaciers reduce pressure on quake-prone faults.
Nevada Has Loads of Lithium. Here’s Why. (Eos Magazine)
Nevada is becoming a major producer of lithium, thanks to topography, climate, and geologic serendipity.
(This article appeared in the January 2025 print issue)
5,000-Year-Old Copper Pollution Found near the Pyramids (Eos Magazine)
New geoarchaeological research shows that metalworking in ancient Egypt led to significant contamination in a nearby port.
Plate tectonics fired up at least 3 billion years ago, study of ancient rocks in Australia indicates (Live Science)
Researchers have discovered the world's oldest known arc-slicing fault in Australia, intensifying the debate over the origins of plate tectonics.
Earthquakes May Have Amplified the Destruction of Pompeii (Eos Magazine)
A new analysis of skeletons and collapsed walls indicates that seismic activity compounded the historic catastrophe wrought by Mount Vesuvius.
The Illusion of Skill and How to Make Better Predictions (Simple Money Magazine)
Even experts struggle to make accurate predictions. So, what does that say about our visions of the future? And what, according to research, can be done about it?