Home » Science » Earth Science

Earth Science

06Jun

The Atmosphere’s Growing Thirst: A Key but Overlooked Factor in Intensifying Droughts

(Sarote Pruksachat/Moment/Getty Images)Droughts are becoming increasingly intense and widespread around the world—but declining rainfall isn’t the only reason. A lesser-known culprit is the atmosphere’s growing demand for water.In a recent Nature study, my colleagues and I found that this increased “atmospheric thirst”—technically known as atmospheric evaporative demand (AED)—has driven around 40% of the worsening...

By Earth Science, Environmental Science, Science, 0 CommentsRead more...
06Jun

Famous ‘Gateway to Hell’ Fire May Be Coming to an End After 50 Years

The Darvaza gas crater in Turkmenistan. (Tormod Sandtorv/Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0)Turkmenistan announced on Thursday that it has significantly reduced the fire that has been burning for five decades at a site known as the "Gateway to Hell."Origin of the 'Gateway to Hell'The flames have been burning continuously since 1971 in the Karakum Desert, after Soviet...

By Earth Science, Environmental Science0 CommentsRead more...
04Jun

A Huge Saharan Dust Plume Is Headed Toward the United States

Image Credit: PixabayDust from the Sahara Desert is set to drift over the southeastern United States this week, part of an annual weather phenomenon that doesn't always make it as far as North America.Saharan Air Layer Sends Thick Dust Plumes Across Atlantic Each Summer, Driven by Tropical Winds and Moist Ocean AirThe dust originates...

By Climatology, Earth Science, Environmental Science, 0 CommentsRead more...
03Jun

Scientists Create ‘Living Concrete’ That Repairs Its Own Cracks

(Simon McGill/Moment/Getty Images)Concrete remains a widely used and highly adaptable construction material, but it has notable drawbacks—particularly its tendency to crack due to low tensile strength. To address this vulnerability, researchers have been exploring ways to develop concrete that can repair itself, and a new innovation might be a significant breakthrough.A Self-Healing Breakthrough Using...

By Earth Science, Science0 CommentsRead more...
02Jun

Scientists Reveal: South Africa Is Emerging From The Ocean

Image Credits: PixabayAs climate change accelerates, South Africa is not only experiencing increased heat and dryness—it’s also gradually rising by as much as 2 millimeters per year, according to new research.While scientists already recognized this upward movement, they previously attributed it to mantle flow beneath the Earth's crust in the region.However, the new study...

By Earth Science, Environmental Science, Science, , 0 CommentsRead more...
31May

Your Salad Might Be Bringing Microplastics From Soil Into Your Body

(Anita Saka/Canva)Tiny plastic particles are infiltrating agricultural soils, bringing with them hazardous chemical additives and pollutants. These substances have already been found in foods like lettuce, wheat, and carrots, showing how plastics and their compounds can enter the food chain — ending up in your salad and, eventually, inside your body.Tracking the Sources of...

By Earth Science, Environmental Science, Science, 0 CommentsRead more...
29May

Does Planting Trees Really Help Cool the Planet?

Image Credit: PixabayRestoring forests—particularly in tropical regions—may have a stronger cooling effect than previously thought. However, even if all the trees lost since the mid-1800s were replanted, it wouldn’t be enough to fully offset the warming caused by human activities. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is still crucial.A new modeling study from the University of...

By Earth Science, Environmental Science, 0 CommentsRead more...
29May

UN Warns: High Odds We’ll Surpass 1.5°C Temperature Increase by 2029

Credit: DepositphotosThe United Nations announced on Wednesday that there is a 70% likelihood that the average global temperature from 2025 to 2029 will exceed the critical threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius.Following the two hottest years ever recorded in 2023 and 2024, the planet is expected to continue experiencing unprecedented warming levels, as detailed in...

By Earth Science, Environmental Science, 0 CommentsRead more...
29May

Trees May Be Able to Warn Us When a Volcano Is About to Erupt

Credit: DepositphotosPredicting volcanic eruptions is a crucial science that can save many lives, and recent research suggests that the color of tree leaves near volcanoes might serve as an early warning sign before an eruption occurs.Magma, Carbon Dioxide, and Greener LeavesAs volcanic activity intensifies and magma rises closer to the Earth’s surface, the amount...

By Earth Science, Science, Volcanology, 0 CommentsRead more...
28May

Microplastics Could Be Allies in Monitoring Sewage in Rivers

Dr. Luke Woodford (left) and Prof. Richard Quilliam, with a basket full o' caged microbeadsUniversity of StirlingAlthough people often associate microplastics with environmental hazards, researchers now propose that these particles can actually serve a useful role by helping detect sewage contamination in waterways.Turning a Weakness into a StrengthOne of the main concerns about microplastic...

By Environmental Science, Science, 0 CommentsRead more...