Earth’s largest volcanic system, hidden in mountain chains under the sea, has long been assumed to erupt only quietly. The shallow seafloor off Iceland tells another story.

Why we think earthquakes are becoming more frequent.

(This article appeared in the Spring 2026 “Precarious” print issue)

In the trenches with a paleoseismologist (sidebar to “All Shook Up”).

(This article appeared in the Spring 2026 “Precarious” print issue)

A week-long introductory explainer detailing the rock categories and how to identify them.

Ancient glacial ice melting out of Alaska’s eroding coastline may offer the Northern Hemisphere’s only glimpse into a pivotal chapter of Earth’s climatic history.

(A version of this article appeared in the March 12, 2026 print issue, Click here for PDF)

It turns out that continental breakups are just as messy as human ones, with the events leaving fragments scattered far from home.

Mysterious driftwood high in Grand Canyon caves hints at the legacy of Arizona’s huge impact crater.

(This article appeared in the January 2026 print issue)

The island is rebounding from ice melt so fast that scientists are rethinking how Earth’s interior works.

(A version of this article appeared in the January 22, 2026 print issue, Click here for PDF)

The fate of our planet’s coasts rests on Antarctic bedrock.

(A version of this article appeared in the Fall 2025 “Earth” print issue)

The uniquely vulnerable West Antarctic Ice Sheet holds enough water to raise global sea levels by 5 meters. But when that will happen — and how fast — is anything but settled.

A “crisis” that rocked the island of Santorini may reveal a shared magma system between two volcanoes with explosive histories.

Analysis suggests Earth’s mantle is peeling from the crust in the eastern Atlantic, a possible sign of the ocean’s eventual closure.

(This article appeared in the August 28, 2025 print issue, Click here for PDF)

Evidence from Earth’s deep past suggests dramatic subduction zones can spread like a contagion.

(This article appeared in the July 2025 print issue here)

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?

Minnesota study adds to growing evidence of human-accelerated erosion, which could jeopardize agriculture.

A rock formation in Michigan has beat out other contenders for the title — for now.

(This article appeared in the July 2025 print issue here)

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

Two new studies provide unprecedented insight into one of the ancient world’s most famous cataclysms.

Climate change may influence seismic activity as melting glaciers reduce pressure on quake-prone faults.

Nevada is becoming a major producer of lithium, thanks to topography, climate, and geologic serendipity.

(This article appeared in the January 2025 print issue, click here for PDF)