Tag - Earth

X-rays May Help Divert Hazardous Asteroids Heading toward Earth

A new study demonstrates a possible way to deflect an Earthbound asteroidDepositphotosAsteroids pose a serious threat to Earth, as history has shown – just ask the dinosaurs. Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories have now demonstrated a potential method for diverting a dangerous asteroid using X-rays.NASA's Current Defense MeasuresNASA has already taken proactive steps to...

Earth May Have Had a Ring Like Saturn – and It Caused Havoc

An artist's impression of Earth with a ring – a phase suggested by new evidenceOliver HullNew Evidence of Earth's Potential Ring SystemSaturn's rings are famous, but new evidence suggests that Earth might have also had a ring at some point in its history. This ring would have caused significant impacts on the surface.We...

NASA Finds New Global Energy Field Around Earth

NASA/Conceptual Image Lab, Wes Buchanan, and Krystofer KimNASA scientists have confirmed the existence of a third global energy field encircling Earth, known as the ambipolar electric field. This newly discovered field plays a crucial role in propelling charged particles into space from the poles.Historical Context and Existing FieldsTraditionally, Earth’s global energy fields have been...

Monday Broke Sunday’s Record as the Hottest Day on Earth

Earth has sweltered through its hottest day on record this weekDepositphotosEarth experienced its hottest day on record twice this week. According to data from the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), Sunday initially set the record for the highest global average temperature since records began in 1940, only for Monday to surpass it.On Sunday, July...

Unraveling Earth’s Cleanest Air Mystery

Credit: PixabayThe Southern Ocean is celebrated for its pristine air quality, long an enigma until recent findings shed light on the mystery.The cleanliness isn't solely due to limited human activity. While the region sees minimal industrial chemical use and fossil fuel burning, natural sources like sea salt from spray or wind-driven dust also contribute.Aerosols,...

Soil-Powered Fuel Cell Harnesses Earth’s Energy

A microbial fuel cell buried in soil and generating powerBill Yen/Northwestern UniversityA groundbreaking innovation from Northwestern University showcases a compact device capable of producing electricity by harnessing the power generated as microbes decompose soil, as long as there is carbon present.This device, about the size of a paperback book, operates on microbial fuel...

The Flea Toad May be the Tiniest Vertebrate on Earth

Brachycephalus pulex. Credit: Dias, I/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SAA group of biologists from Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz in Brazil has confirmed that the Brachycephalus pulex, commonly known as the Brazilian flea toad, found exclusively in southern Brazil, holds the title of the world's smallest amphibian and vertebrate. Their findings are published in the journal Zoologica Scripta.In...

Earth Doctors Skillfully Operate a Space-Based Surgical Robot

Virtual Incision co-founder Shane Farritor tries his hand at controlling spaceMIRACraig Chandler, UNL Communication and MarketingA team of six doctors in Nebraska has accomplished a surgical robot operation on the International Space Station (ISS). While the procedure was conducted on rubber bands this time, this achievement holds significance for upcoming missions to Mars and...

CO2 Drop Tied to Earth’s Severe Ice Age

Lead author Adriana Dutkiewicz points to deposits left behind during the Sturtian glaciation in Australia's northern Flinders RangesProfessor Dietmar Müller/University of SydneyGeologists have provided fresh insights into Earth's natural temperature regulation system. They suggest that the movement of tectonic plates, which resulted in decreased volcanic activity, is the probable cause of the severe ice...

Earth Might Have Been Flat in the Distant Past – Sort Of

Earth may have gone through a bit of a flat phase, early in its developmentDepositphotosResearchers at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) have discovered that newly formed planets could initially have a flatter shape before becoming more rounded, suggesting that the concept of a flat Earth might have some validity, albeit billions of years...