New Scientist - Earth https://www.newscientist.com/ https://www.newscientist.com/build/images/ns-logo-scaled.ed2dc11a.png https://www.newscientist.com daily 1 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2378799-humans-have-pumped-so-much-groundwater-weve-shifted-earths-axis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Sat, 17 Jun 2023 00:06:44 +0100 Changes in the distribution of groundwater around the planet between 1993 and 2010 were enough to make Earth's poles drift by 80 centimetres 2378799-humans-have-pumped-so-much-groundwater-weve-shifted-earths-axis|2378799 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2377739-see-some-of-the-images-up-for-the-earth-photo-2023-competition/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 08 Jun 2023 18:00:28 +0100 From a photograph of algae choking an Indian river to a shocking depiction of the wearing away of the UK coast, these are some of the pictures in the running for the contest 2377739-see-some-of-the-images-up-for-the-earth-photo-2023-competition|2377739 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2377603-kilauea-volcano-watch-live-footage-of-the-eruption-in-hawaii/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 08 Jun 2023 12:18:42 +0100 The Kīlauea volcano in Hawaii has begun erupting, spewing volcanic gas and ash across the island 2377603-kilauea-volcano-watch-live-footage-of-the-eruption-in-hawaii|2377603 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2377262-dried-up-lake-may-explain-why-california-is-overdue-major-earthquake/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 07 Jun 2023 17:00:17 +0100 Pressure on the San Andreas fault from a now-dried lake could have been sufficient to trigger past major earthquakes in California. The lake’s disappearance could explain why there have been no such quakes for nearly 300 years 2377262-dried-up-lake-may-explain-why-california-is-overdue-major-earthquake|2377262 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2376788-why-is-china-drilling-a-hole-more-than-10000-metres-deep/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 02 Jun 2023 20:36:30 +0100 An oil company in China has started drilling a hole that would be the deepest in the country and among the deepest in the world 2376788-why-is-china-drilling-a-hole-more-than-10000-metres-deep|2376788 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2374488-tonga-volcano-eruption-disrupted-satellites-halfway-around-the-world/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 22 May 2023 11:00:40 +0100 A link between volcanic activity and rising bubbles of low pressure in the ionosphere has now been proven, which may be why the colossal Tonga volcano eruption in 2022 disrupted satellite communications 2374488-tonga-volcano-eruption-disrupted-satellites-halfway-around-the-world|2374488 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2373406-prehistoric-planet-2-review-attenborough-returns-to-ancient-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Sun, 14 May 2023 09:01:16 +0100 The second series of this show about Earth 66 million years ago is a joy to watch - but it inspires more than it informs. A little more science would have been nice 2373406-prehistoric-planet-2-review-attenborough-returns-to-ancient-earth|2373406 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25834370-100-these-bizarre-lights-in-the-sky-hint-at-a-way-to-predict-earthquakes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 03 May 2023 17:00:00 +0100 Semi-mythical "earthquake lights" may be accompanied by changes to Earth's magnetic field. Now researchers say these changes could be used to forecast major tremors mg25834370-100-these-bizarre-lights-in-the-sky-hint-at-a-way-to-predict-earthquakes|2371286 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2369083-worlds-first-drilling-project-to-seek-natural-hydrogen-hits-a-snag/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 14 Apr 2023 21:59:25 +0100 A well in Nebraska is the first in the world to have been drilled in search of naturally occurring geologic hydrogen, but tests to determine how much of the gas it might supply are on hold because of a broken pump 2369083-worlds-first-drilling-project-to-seek-natural-hydrogen-hits-a-snag|2369083 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2368480-shiveluch-volcano-eruption-in-russia-smothers-nearby-villages-in-ash/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 11 Apr 2023 15:13:49 +0100 The eruption of the Shiveluch volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia on 11 April sent plumes of volcanic ash many kilometres into the air and could affect flights 2368480-shiveluch-volcano-eruption-in-russia-smothers-nearby-villages-in-ash|2368480 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2366749-next-10000-years-of-greenland-ice-sheet-could-be-decided-this-century/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 29 Mar 2023 22:30:53 +0100 Carbon emissions within the next 50 years could lead to a tipping point where large parts of the Greenland ice sheet melt over the next 10,000 years 2366749-next-10000-years-of-greenland-ice-sheet-could-be-decided-this-century|2366749 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2365333-oxygen-on-early-earth-may-have-come-from-quartz-crushed-by-earthquakes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 20 Mar 2023 19:00:29 +0000 Billions of years ago, crushed quartz reacting with water could have created the conditions needed for the evolution of the photosynthetic microbes responsible for most of the oxygen now in Earth’s atmosphere 2365333-oxygen-on-early-earth-may-have-come-from-quartz-crushed-by-earthquakes|2365333 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2364671-earliest-evidence-of-a-meteorite-hitting-earth-found-in-australia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 15 Mar 2023 20:44:09 +0000 Tiny pieces of stone found in a rock formation in Western Australia may be the oldest evidence of a meteorite impact on Earth, dating back nearly 3.5 billion years 2364671-earliest-evidence-of-a-meteorite-hitting-earth-found-in-australia|2364671 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363076-gold-hydrogen-is-there-a-huge-reserve-of-clean-fuel-in-earths-crust/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 06 Mar 2023 21:39:18 +0000 Geologists think there may be vast natural stores of hidden hydrogen gas within Earth, but no one is sure how much there is or how much could be recovered for energy 2363076-gold-hydrogen-is-there-a-huge-reserve-of-clean-fuel-in-earths-crust|2363076 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734260-200-some-of-the-stunning-winners-of-the-sony-world-photography-awards/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 15 Feb 2023 18:00:00 +0000 From a sea turtle and diver swimming in harmony in Malaysia to a red-eyed tree frog in its Costa Rican rainforest home, take a peek at some of the winning entries in one of the most prestigious photography competitions mg25734260-200-some-of-the-stunning-winners-of-the-sony-world-photography-awards|2359097 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734250-600-magnificent-photograph-captures-eruption-of-fagradalsfjall-volcano/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 08 Feb 2023 18:00:00 +0000 Olivier Grunewald took this image of the Icelandic volcano's central crater filled with lava, forming a fiery lake of liquid rock mg25734250-600-magnificent-photograph-captures-eruption-of-fagradalsfjall-volcano|2357969 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358603-launching-a-huge-dust-cloud-from-the-moon-could-ease-global-warming/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 08 Feb 2023 19:00:31 +0000 Launching a million tonnes of moon dust around Earth could dim sunlight across our planet by 1.8 per cent. This would reduce the global temperature, but whether it would be worth the resources, and the risks involved in such a strategy, are unclear 2358603-launching-a-huge-dust-cloud-from-the-moon-could-ease-global-warming|2358603 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2358051-two-major-earthquakes-cause-devastation-across-turkey-and-syria/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 06 Feb 2023 13:24:06 +0000 At least 1500 people have died in Turkey and Syria after a 7.8-magnitude quake followed by a 7.5-magnitude quake in the same region less than 10 hours later 2358051-two-major-earthquakes-cause-devastation-across-turkey-and-syria|2358051 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2356654-earths-geological-thermostat-is-too-slow-to-prevent-climate-change/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 26 Jan 2023 19:00:20 +0000 Rock weathering has helped keep Earth’s climate relatively stable for millions of years, but the process isn't fast enough to keep up with human carbon emissions 2356654-earths-geological-thermostat-is-too-slow-to-prevent-climate-change|2356654 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734230-200-the-mysterious-underwater-avalanches-reshaping-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 24 Jan 2023 16:30:00 +0000 Turbidity currents are cascades of sediment that tumble down Earth’s 9000 submarine canyons carrying carbon, plastics and pharmaceuticals into the deep sea. We are finally learning just how often these dramatic events occur. mg25734230-200-the-mysterious-underwater-avalanches-reshaping-earth|2355714 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2355859-earthquakes-suggest-earths-core-has-started-spinning-more-slowly/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 23 Jan 2023 16:00:02 +0000 Measurements of seismic waves travelling through Earth’s inner core indicate that its rotation may be slowing, switching its direction relative to the rest of the planet’s spin 2355859-earthquakes-suggest-earths-core-has-started-spinning-more-slowly|2355859 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734224-700-help-in-the-hunt-for-neutrinos-while-exploring-deep-sea-ecosystems/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 18 Jan 2023 18:00:00 +0000 The Deep Sea Explorers project is calling for volunteers to help remove noise from data collected by a neutrino telescope at the bottom of the sea, finds Layal Liverpool mg25734224-700-help-in-the-hunt-for-neutrinos-while-exploring-deep-sea-ecosystems|2355309 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25734221-200-how-a-planet-became-a-character-in-my-new-novel/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 18 Jan 2023 18:00:00 +0000 My new novel The Terraformers explores what you might include - and leave out - if you were building an Earth-like planet. I spoke to some scientists to see what might work, says Annalee Newitz mg25734221-200-how-a-planet-became-a-character-in-my-new-novel|2354867 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634180-100-in-2023-we-have-many-opportunities-to-build-a-better-future/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000 The coming year will be a turning point for the Amazon rainforest, artificial intelligence and even our diets. Let's choose a more hopeful direction for humanity mg25634180-100-in-2023-we-have-many-opportunities-to-build-a-better-future|2352207 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634174-600-tonga-volcano-eruption-was-the-most-explosive-of-the-21st-century/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 14 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000 The eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in Tonga on 15 January 2022 created 90-metre high tsunamis and shot ash 57 kilometres into the sky mg25634174-600-tonga-volcano-eruption-was-the-most-explosive-of-the-21st-century|2351396 https://www.newscientist.com/article/0-2022-the-year-of-rolling-polycrisis-but-with-a-few-glimmers-of-hope/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 14 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000 This year, there were the lows of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, soaring prices and extreme weather, and the highs of an accelerating shift to green energy and space wonders from the James Webb Space Telescope 0-2022-the-year-of-rolling-polycrisis-but-with-a-few-glimmers-of-hope|2351681 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634170-600-wintry-scenes-top-weather-photographer-of-the-year-competition/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 14 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000 Christopher Ison's photo of Storm Eunice and Zhenhuan Zhou’s shot of Niagara Falls covered in ice have taken the top prizes in the Royal Meteorological Society’s annual competition mg25634170-600-wintry-scenes-top-weather-photographer-of-the-year-competition|2351074 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634172-000-how-well-do-you-know-your-animal-poo-find-out-with-this-picture-quiz/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 14 Dec 2022 15:00:00 +0000 Can you match these pictures of poo to the animal responsible? This quiz from naturalist Chris Packham is a bit of fun - but you will learn some fascinating faeces facts along the way mg25634172-000-how-well-do-you-know-your-animal-poo-find-out-with-this-picture-quiz|2351088 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634161-300-the-volcano-review-heartbreaking-documentary-relives-whakaari-tragedy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 07 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000 An intense and moving documentary tells the story of tourists caught on the volcanic island of Whakaari when it erupted in 2019 mg25634161-300-the-volcano-review-heartbreaking-documentary-relives-whakaari-tragedy|2349713 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634160-800-marine-sciences-must-cast-off-an-imperial-legacy-of-ocean-exploitation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 07 Dec 2022 18:00:00 +0000 A century and a half after HMS Challenger embarked on the first global survey of the ocean, some ideas from the era still linger. They urgently need to be left behind, says Helen Scales mg25634160-800-marine-sciences-must-cast-off-an-imperial-legacy-of-ocean-exploitation|2349698 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634161-800-how-did-so-many-giant-meat-eating-dinosaurs-co-exist-in-the-jurassic/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 05 Dec 2022 16:00:00 +0000 It took a lot of meat to feed even one species of large carnivorous dinosaur, so how did several survive side-by-side in the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods without starving? We might finally have the answer mg25634161-800-how-did-so-many-giant-meat-eating-dinosaurs-co-exist-in-the-jurassic|2349718 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2349550-yellowstone-supervolcano-contains-twice-as-much-melted-rock-as-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 01 Dec 2022 19:00:20 +0000 There is more melted rock under Yellowstone Caldera – a volcano in Wyoming – than was previously estimated, but that doesn’t change the likelihood of an eruption 2349550-yellowstone-supervolcano-contains-twice-as-much-melted-rock-as-thought|2349550 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2348871-hawaiis-mauna-loa-volcano-is-erupting-for-the-first-time-since-1984/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 28 Nov 2022 16:26:38 +0000 For the first time in nearly 40 years, the world’s largest active volcano is erupting in Hawaii, after weeks of increased activity at the caldera 2348871-hawaiis-mauna-loa-volcano-is-erupting-for-the-first-time-since-1984|2348871 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634140-600-the-darkness-manifesto-review-why-we-need-to-turn-out-the-lights/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 23 Nov 2022 18:00:00 +0000 Light pollution disrupts animals and has also been linked to human ailments. Bat scientist Johan Eklöf has some useful fixes in his new book mg25634140-600-the-darkness-manifesto-review-why-we-need-to-turn-out-the-lights|2347880 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2347294-landslides-can-be-triggered-by-small-changes-in-atmospheric-pressure/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 16 Nov 2022 14:52:54 +0000 We knew earthquakes and heavy rain could initiate landslides, but now it seems alterations in atmospheric pressure can do it too if combined with certain conditions on the ground 2347294-landslides-can-be-triggered-by-small-changes-in-atmospheric-pressure|2347294 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2345643-tonga-eruptions-volcanic-plume-reached-above-the-stratosphere-twice/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 03 Nov 2022 18:00:08 +0000 The plume ejected by the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Haʻapai volcano in January entered the mesosphere, the layer of atmosphere above the stratosphere, twice during the eruption 2345643-tonga-eruptions-volcanic-plume-reached-above-the-stratosphere-twice|2345643 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634101-300-bbc-earth-podcast-review-get-stuck-into-nature-wherever-you-find-it/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 26 Oct 2022 19:00:00 +0100 A new season of the BBC Earth Podcast kicks off with Safari, an episode that encourages us to engage with nature, whether it is in the Scottish rainforests or just the scruffy green patch outside your office mg25634101-300-bbc-earth-podcast-review-get-stuck-into-nature-wherever-you-find-it|2343815 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2342640-stunning-winners-of-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-competition/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 17 Oct 2022 12:50:04 +0100 From bees hunting for a mate to a giant sea star procreating, these incredible images are some of the winners in the prestigious wildlife photography competition 2342640-stunning-winners-of-the-wildlife-photographer-of-the-year-competition|2342640 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634070-200-dazzling-photograph-of-pink-breasted-galahs-in-australian-desert/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 05 Oct 2022 19:00:00 +0100 This image of a flock of galahs taking off from a tree was captured by artist and photographer Christian Spencer, while out driving in Australia's Strzelecki desert mg25634070-200-dazzling-photograph-of-pink-breasted-galahs-in-australian-desert|2340653 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25634060-800-striking-photos-show-scale-of-development-in-sub-saharan-africa/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 28 Sep 2022 19:00:00 +0100 These arresting images of industrial developments in Senegal, South Africa and Namibia were taken by Edward Burtynsky, who spent four years capturing African landscapes using aerial photography mg25634060-800-striking-photos-show-scale-of-development-in-sub-saharan-africa|2339435 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2340425-western-arctic-ocean-is-acidifying-four-times-faster-than-other-oceans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 29 Sep 2022 20:00:09 +0100 Melting ice has increased how fast Arctic waters are absorbing carbon dioxide, making them more acidic faster. The change could disrupt entire marine ecosystems 2340425-western-arctic-ocean-is-acidifying-four-times-faster-than-other-oceans|2340425 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2336880-frozen-planet-ii-review-david-attenboroughs-sequel-dazzles/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 08 Sep 2022 11:52:31 +0100 The spectre of climate change hangs over David Attenborough’s follow-up to Frozen Planet, while two new nature documentary series, Epic Adventures With Bertie Gregory and Super/Natural, are no match for the veteran presenter 2336880-frozen-planet-ii-review-david-attenboroughs-sequel-dazzles|2336880 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2334746-earthquakes-seem-to-come-in-a-more-predictable-pattern-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 23 Aug 2022 17:44:35 +0100 A machine learning algorithm can assess how likely it is that a large earthquake will hit a region over the next few years, which could one day help mitigate damage from future quakes 2334746-earthquakes-seem-to-come-in-a-more-predictable-pattern-than-we-thought|2334746 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2334164-a-second-asteroid-may-have-struck-earth-when-the-dinosaurs-died-out/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 17 Aug 2022 20:00:31 +0100 A possible impact crater under the sea off West Africa might have been made by a smaller piece that broke off the asteroid that wiped out most dinosaurs 2334164-a-second-asteroid-may-have-struck-earth-when-the-dinosaurs-died-out|2334164 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25533981-500-the-hunt-for-hidden-impact-craters-that-could-reveal-earths-deep-past/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 02 Aug 2022 16:00:00 +0100 Geologist Ludovic Ferrière travels the world in search of undiscovered impact craters left behind by asteroids and comets striking Earth. He tells us how he finds them mg25533981-500-the-hunt-for-hidden-impact-craters-that-could-reveal-earths-deep-past|2331701 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2326920-reclassification-of-earths-minerals-reveals-4000-more-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 01 Jul 2022 18:07:59 +0100 Some scientists suggest minerals should be reorganised by the methods that make them, which would increase the known number of minerals on Earth by 75 per cent 2326920-reclassification-of-earths-minerals-reveals-4000-more-than-we-thought|2326920 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2325573-more-than-950-killed-in-magnitude-5-9-earthquake-in-afghanistan/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 22 Jun 2022 12:26:56 +0100 An earthquake near the city of Khōst in south-east Afghanistan has killed nearly a thousand people and injured hundreds 2325573-more-than-950-killed-in-magnitude-5-9-earthquake-in-afghanistan|2325573 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25433910-900-how-long-does-evolution-take-it-happens-on-two-different-timescales/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 15 Jun 2022 15:38:00 +0100 To make sense of the fact that adaptation can happen quickly and yet true evolutionary change seems to take forever, biologists suggest that evolution runs on two very different clocks mg25433910-900-how-long-does-evolution-take-it-happens-on-two-different-timescales|2324130 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2324367-emissions-from-rocket-launches-could-affect-earths-weather-systems/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 15 Jun 2022 11:58:59 +0100 Increasing numbers of space launches will put more black carbon high in the atmosphere, where it can trap heat from the sun 2324367-emissions-from-rocket-launches-could-affect-earths-weather-systems|2324367 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25433900-200-dazzling-photo-of-a-pink-salt-lake-shortlisted-for-major-competition/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 08 Jun 2022 19:00:00 +0100 Picture of a salt lake in southern Ukraine is shortlisted for Earth Photo 2022, a competition that aims to celebrate the environment and its inhabitants mg25433900-200-dazzling-photo-of-a-pink-salt-lake-shortlisted-for-major-competition|2323072 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2318951-vast-reservoir-of-water-discovered-under-the-ice-in-antarctica/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 05 May 2022 20:00:31 +0100 Ice streams in Antarctica carry ice from the continent’s centre to the ocean, and there appears to be a huge amount of water buried beneath one, which may affect its flow 2318951-vast-reservoir-of-water-discovered-under-the-ice-in-antarctica|2318951 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25433852-000-what-are-the-mysterious-continent-sized-lumps-deep-inside-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 04 May 2022 13:00:00 +0100 For decades, planetary scientists have been trying to understand the origins of two colossal geological anomalies inside our planet. New insights suggest they could be leftovers from a cosmic collision mg25433852-000-what-are-the-mysterious-continent-sized-lumps-deep-inside-earth|2318456 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2317479-all-four-of-the-key-dna-building-blocks-have-been-found-in-meteorites/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 26 Apr 2022 17:00:25 +0100 We have now discovered all four building blocks of DNA in meteorite samples, suggesting that space rocks may have delivered the compounds to Earth, contributing to the origin of life 2317479-all-four-of-the-key-dna-building-blocks-have-been-found-in-meteorites|2317479 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25433820-800-30-by-30-the-conservation-breakthrough-we-need-to-save-biodiversity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 13 Apr 2022 19:00:00 +0100 Negotiators are hammering out a bold plan to set aside 30 per cent of global land and sea area for nature by the end of the decade. But can they succeed – and will it work? mg25433820-800-30-by-30-the-conservation-breakthrough-we-need-to-save-biodiversity|2315834 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2315982-ai-strips-out-city-noise-to-improve-earthquake-monitoring-systems/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 13 Apr 2022 20:00:35 +0100 The sounds of cities can make it hard to discern the underground signals that indicate an earthquake is happening, but deep learning algorithms could filter out this noise 2315982-ai-strips-out-city-noise-to-improve-earthquake-monitoring-systems|2315982 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2313131-river-new-film-shows-earths-waterways-from-stunning-perspectives/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 22 Mar 2022 15:59:03 +0000 River, a new film narrated by Willem Dafoe with music by the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Jonny Greenwood and Radiohead, documents Earth's waterways from stunning new perspectives 2313131-river-new-film-shows-earths-waterways-from-stunning-perspectives|2313131 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2312917-tiny-magnetic-waves-have-been-discovered-in-earths-core/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 21 Mar 2022 19:00:07 +0000 Fluctuations in Earth’s magnetic field that repeat every seven years can be used to probe the inner workings of our planet 2312917-tiny-magnetic-waves-have-been-discovered-in-earths-core|2312917 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2311507-red-and-purple-microbes-give-australias-mysterious-pink-lake-its-hue/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 10 Mar 2022 11:46:56 +0000 DNA sequencing has revealed that a bright pink lake on an island off Western Australia gets its colour from a mix of salt-loving bacteria and algae 2311507-red-and-purple-microbes-give-australias-mysterious-pink-lake-its-hue|2311507 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2311012-burst-of-animal-evolution-altered-chemical-make-up-of-earths-mantle/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 04 Mar 2022 19:00:52 +0000 The Cambrian explosion 500 million years ago saw a huge variety of animals evolve – and also led to carbon being buried in the seabed and ultimately carried into the planet’s mantle 2311012-burst-of-animal-evolution-altered-chemical-make-up-of-earths-mantle|2311012 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2307522-first-evidence-that-dinosaurs-caught-potentially-fatal-coughs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 10 Feb 2022 16:00:39 +0000 The first evidence of a respiratory infection in a dinosaur suggests that a 15-year-old diplodocid suffered from coughing, sneezing and fever before dying 2307522-first-evidence-that-dinosaurs-caught-potentially-fatal-coughs|2307522 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25333723-300-geology-needs-to-reinvent-itself-as-we-fight-against-climate-change/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 02 Feb 2022 18:00:00 +0000 It is time for geology to embrace our sustainable future and, in turn, be accorded the respect it deserves as a discipline crucial to understanding the world and our relationship to it mg25333723-300-geology-needs-to-reinvent-itself-as-we-fight-against-climate-change|2306852 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2305801-geologists-to-pinpoint-official-birthplace-of-the-anthropocene-in-2022/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 25 Jan 2022 13:33:32 +0000 Whether we are in a new geological epoch is still up for debate, but geologists have almost decided where on Earth should be the official birthplace of the Anthropocene 2305801-geologists-to-pinpoint-official-birthplace-of-the-anthropocene-in-2022|2305801 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2304822-volcano-eruption-in-tonga-was-a-once-in-a-millennium-event/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 17 Jan 2022 11:01:38 +0000 The underwater Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai eruption has already triggered a tsunami, a sonic boom and thousands of lightning bolts, and could now lead to acid rain 2304822-volcano-eruption-in-tonga-was-a-once-in-a-millennium-event|2304822 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2303622-plumes-of-rock-that-feed-volcanic-hotspots-are-surprisingly-cold/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 06 Jan 2022 19:00:37 +0000 Geologists may need to come up with a new explanation for the sources of volcanic activity in places like Iceland and Hawaii 2303622-plumes-of-rock-that-feed-volcanic-hotspots-are-surprisingly-cold|2303622 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2303153-tsunamis-create-magnetic-fields-that-could-act-as-early-warning-system/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 24 Dec 2021 12:13:31 +0000 The movement of seawater in a tsunami generates a magnetic field that travels ahead of changes in sea level, which could help us predict and prepare for it 2303153-tsunamis-create-magnetic-fields-that-could-act-as-early-warning-system|2303153 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2301363-dont-look-up-review-the-funniest-climate-change-movie-so-far/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 13 Dec 2021 12:06:15 +0000 Netflix disaster-satire film Don’t Look Up is a cathartic and hilarious allegory of humanity's hapless efforts to deal with climate change. 2301363-dont-look-up-review-the-funniest-climate-change-movie-so-far|2301363 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2301015-fix-the-planet-newsletter-the-tide-is-turning-for-sea-power/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 10 Dec 2021 10:44:33 +0000 Once eclipsed by wind and solar, £20 million worth of UK government subsidies mean tidal power may finally begin to make waves 2301015-fix-the-planet-newsletter-the-tide-is-turning-for-sea-power|2301015 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2300452-is-ol-doinyo-lengai-the-strangest-volcano-in-the-solar-system/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 07 Dec 2021 10:54:57 +0000 Tanzania's Ol Doinyo Lengai spews out bizarre black lava, which could help solve mysteries of the planet's mantle. 2300452-is-ol-doinyo-lengai-the-strangest-volcano-in-the-solar-system|2300452 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25233634-400-why-the-myth-of-wilderness-harms-both-nature-and-humanity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 01 Dec 2021 18:00:00 +0000 Humans have affected every aspect of life on Earth – from hunting prehistoric beasts to changing the climate – and the illusion that pristine nature still exists undermines our efforts to make a better world, says environmental writer Emma Marris mg25233634-400-why-the-myth-of-wilderness-harms-both-nature-and-humanity|2299674 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2299289-mysterious-origin-of-earths-water-may-be-explained-by-solar-wind/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 29 Nov 2021 16:22:49 +0000 Evidence from asteroids shows that charged particles from the sun can turn dust grains into water – a process that could be useful for space exploration too 2299289-mysterious-origin-of-earths-water-may-be-explained-by-solar-wind|2299289 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2299113-fix-the-planet-newsletter-can-small-nuclear-power-go-big/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 25 Nov 2021 16:27:09 +0000 Small modular reactors are being pitched as an affordable and fast way to decarbonise power grids but questions about the technology abound 2299113-fix-the-planet-newsletter-can-small-nuclear-power-go-big|2299113 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25233620-800-black-lava-from-this-bizarre-volcano-could-reveal-earths-deep-secrets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 24 Nov 2021 18:00:00 +0000 Tanzania's Ol Doinyo Lengai is the only volcano known to spew out carbonatite lava, which could offer fresh clues about Earth's mysterious mantle – but getting hold of a sample is no simple matter mg25233620-800-black-lava-from-this-bizarre-volcano-could-reveal-earths-deep-secrets|2298551 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2298226-over-three-quarters-of-the-worlds-vital-carbon-stores-are-unprotected/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 18 Nov 2021 16:00:12 +0000 Ecosystems such as forests and peatlands are vital stores for carbon, but less than a quarter of these areas worldwide have protected status 2298226-over-three-quarters-of-the-worlds-vital-carbon-stores-are-unprotected|2298226 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2296899-new-mineral-davemaoite-discovered-inside-a-diamond-from-earths-mantle/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 11 Nov 2021 19:00:03 +0000 Trapped inside a tiny diamond, there are tinier crystals of a never-before-seen mineral that makes up 5 per cent of the lower mantle 2296899-new-mineral-davemaoite-discovered-inside-a-diamond-from-earths-mantle|2296899 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2296673-satellites-find-close-to-800-methane-leaks-in-past-four-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 08 Nov 2021 16:19:36 +0000 Earth observation satellites have detected leaks of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, in the US, Algeria, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan 2296673-satellites-find-close-to-800-methane-leaks-in-past-four-years|2296673 https://www.newscientist.com/article/6-6-charts-that-show-what-climate-change-is-doing-to-our-planet/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 02 Nov 2021 10:52:26 +0000 As the COP26 summit in Glasgow meets to discuss global action on climate change, atmospheric scientist Betsy Weatherhead explains what the science says about greenhouse gases and global warming 6-6-charts-that-show-what-climate-change-is-doing-to-our-planet|2295755 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25133440-700-why-chemical-pollution-is-turning-into-a-third-great-planetary-crisis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 21 Jul 2021 13:00:00 +0100 Thousands of synthetic substances have leaked into ecosystems everywhere, and we are only just beginning to realise the devastating consequences mg25133440-700-why-chemical-pollution-is-turning-into-a-third-great-planetary-crisis|2284658 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2293063-watch-footage-from-inside-a-category-4-hurricane/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 07 Oct 2021 15:59:01 +0100 Saildrone has captured footage from inside Hurricane Sam. 2293063-watch-footage-from-inside-a-category-4-hurricane|2293063 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2292401-marble-of-ancient-greek-statue-traced-to-its-likely-origin/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 05 Oct 2021 13:00:02 +0100 The marble Colossus of the Naxians on the Greek island of Delos once stood about 9 metres tall, but is now in pieces in the British Museum and Greece 2292401-marble-of-ancient-greek-statue-traced-to-its-likely-origin|2292401 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2291016-melbourne-rocked-by-victorias-biggest-earthquake-on-record/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 22 Sep 2021 11:09:18 +0100 A record magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck in a remote part of Victoria, Australia, on 22 September, damaging buildings in Melbourne but not causing any fatalities 2291016-melbourne-rocked-by-victorias-biggest-earthquake-on-record|2291016 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2290435-the-ozone-hole-over-the-south-pole-is-now-bigger-than-antarctica/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 15 Sep 2021 20:00:54 +0100 Each year between August and October, the ozone over the South Pole is depleted – this year the hole is larger than 75 per cent of the holes that had formed by this point in the season since 1979 2290435-the-ozone-hole-over-the-south-pole-is-now-bigger-than-antarctica|2290435 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25133490-100-wildfires-give-a-window-into-our-planets-future/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 25 Aug 2021 19:00:00 +0100 Directly linking wildfires to climate change is still a difficult task – but make no mistake, they are a sign of things to come, writes Graham Lawton mg25133490-100-wildfires-give-a-window-into-our-planets-future|2288079 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25133480-800-the-lost-fossil-meteorites-carrying-the-secrets-of-earths-past/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 18 Aug 2021 19:00:00 +0100 Fossil meteorites are one of the hardest geological treasures to discover – but now a spate of finds is revealing surprises about Earth’s ancient atmosphere mg25133480-800-the-lost-fossil-meteorites-carrying-the-secrets-of-earths-past|2287356 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2287130-colombias-peace-treaty-accidentally-sparks-increase-in-deforestation/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 16 Aug 2021 16:49:17 +0100 The end of Colombia's civil war in 2016 unwittingly caused an increase in deforestation across the country as Marxist guerrillas no longer protect the land 2287130-colombias-peace-treaty-accidentally-sparks-increase-in-deforestation|2287130 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25133473-000-sea-snot-swirls-in-turkeys-sea-of-marmara-reach-record-size/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 11 Aug 2021 19:00:00 +0100 The striking swirls, shot by Muhammed Enes Yildirim, show deadly "sea snot" in Turkey's Sea of Marmara. Made from mucus and microorganisms, they harm tourism and suffocate marine life mg25133473-000-sea-snot-swirls-in-turkeys-sea-of-marmara-reach-record-size|2286716 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2282539-katla-review-a-dark-mysterious-thriller-with-a-supernatural-volcano/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 01 Jul 2021 09:00:15 +0100 Katla on Netflix is a story about a community living in the shadow of a glacial volcano which has been erupting for more than a year. It goes on a supernatural journey showcasing the impacts of grief and trauma with folklore elements and a sprinkling of sci-fi 2282539-katla-review-a-dark-mysterious-thriller-with-a-supernatural-volcano|2282539 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25133432-400-fantastic-fungi-images-capture-the-magic-of-mushrooms/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 14 Jul 2021 19:00:00 +0100 These magical images, photographed by Guy Edwardes, capture fungi's enchanting quality and their diversity, from the purple amethyst deceiver to the hallucinogenic but deadly fly agaric mg25133432-400-fantastic-fungi-images-capture-the-magic-of-mushrooms|2283924 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25133430-400-chris-mason-interview-lets-tweak-human-dna-for-life-on-other-planets/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 14 Jul 2021 19:00:00 +0100 To become an interplanetary species, we may have to genetically engineer ourselves to be more resilient, says geneticist Chris Mason. He has a 500-year plan for life away from Earth mg25133430-400-chris-mason-interview-lets-tweak-human-dna-for-life-on-other-planets|2283904 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2282915-iceland-may-be-part-of-a-submerged-continent-called-icelandia/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 01 Jul 2021 16:08:30 +0100 There may be a hidden continent under the North Atlantic, of which Iceland is the only part that extends above water – a relic of a time when Earth’s continents were joined into one 2282915-iceland-may-be-part-of-a-submerged-continent-called-icelandia|2282915 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2281664-ice-memory-what-ice-cores-tell-us-about-earths-environmental-history/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 18 Jun 2021 18:52:36 +0100 Glacial ice records all manner of precious information about the planet’s environmental history, but it is melting fast. 2281664-ice-memory-what-ice-cores-tell-us-about-earths-environmental-history|2281664 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25033393-300-inside-the-race-to-rescue-clues-to-earths-past-from-melting-glaciers/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 16 Jun 2021 19:00:00 +0100 Glacial ice records all manner of precious information about the planet’s environmental history, but it is melting fast. The Ice Memory project is scrambling to extract samples for posterity before it’s too late mg25033393-300-inside-the-race-to-rescue-clues-to-earths-past-from-melting-glaciers|2281064 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2280645-uttarakhand-flood-was-caused-by-rare-rock-and-glacier-avalanche/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 10 Jun 2021 20:00:09 +0100 The 2021 flood in Uttarakhand, India, that resulted in over 200 dead and missing was the result of an avalanche that dropped about 27 million square metres of rock and glacier ice from the nearby Ronti mountain 2280645-uttarakhand-flood-was-caused-by-rare-rock-and-glacier-avalanche|2280645 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2272135-did-you-know-fewer-than-100-people-have-a-photographic-memory/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 25 May 2021 17:21:59 +0100 True photographic memory is yet to be proved but some people have a very rare condition which allows them to recall past events in detail 2272135-did-you-know-fewer-than-100-people-have-a-photographic-memory|2272135 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2274308-science-with-sam-are-there-volcanoes-in-space/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 11 May 2021 16:47:07 +0100 From cataclysmic supervolcanos on Earth to ice plumes on Enceladus, the solar system is a wildly volcanic place. This is your guide. 2274308-science-with-sam-are-there-volcanoes-in-space|2274308 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2276229-japanese-bay-full-of-fish-scales-could-mark-start-of-the-anthropocene/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 29 Apr 2021 16:05:45 +0100 A bay in south-west Japan could become the place on Earth that geologists use to officially establish the start of the Anthropocene, thanks to an abundance of sardine scales that mark humanity's growing influence on the planet 2276229-japanese-bay-full-of-fish-scales-could-mark-start-of-the-anthropocene|2276229 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2275696-earths-land-may-have-formed-500-million-years-earlier-than-we-thought/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 26 Apr 2021 04:00:54 +0100 Analysis of ancient rock that may have originated in the ocean’s hydrothermal vents suggests Earth’s continental crust emerged 500 million years earlier than scientists thought 2275696-earths-land-may-have-formed-500-million-years-earlier-than-we-thought|2275696 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg25033310-300-more-fissures-are-opening-up-at-the-fagradalsfjall-volcano-in-iceland/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 21 Apr 2021 17:55:00 +0100 This extraordinary aerial shot of a recent volcanic eruption near the city of Reykjavik in Iceland shows the fourth fissure to appear during this series of eruptions mg25033310-300-more-fissures-are-opening-up-at-the-fagradalsfjall-volcano-in-iceland|2275101 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2275402-hailstones-are-not-spheres-theyre-shaped-more-like-a-rugby-ball/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 22 Apr 2021 09:00:32 +0100 A survey done by storm chasers has found that hailstones aren't usually spherical but are an oblong shape called a triaxial ellipsoid, a finding that could improve the models that predict hailstorm dynamics 2275402-hailstones-are-not-spheres-theyre-shaped-more-like-a-rugby-ball|2275402 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2274704-untouched-nature-was-almost-as-rare-12000-years-ago-as-it-is-now/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 19 Apr 2021 21:00:29 +0100 Most land on Earth has been shaped by humans for at least 12,000 years, suggesting low intensity land use is compatible with preserving biodiversity 2274704-untouched-nature-was-almost-as-rare-12000-years-ago-as-it-is-now|2274704 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2274615-earthquakes-in-taiwan-are-linked-to-seasonal-changes-in-water-levels/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 14 Apr 2021 20:00:39 +0100 Seismic activity in Taiwan happens more often during the dry season when the groundwater built up during monsoon season is depleted, leaving Earth’s crust more likely to rebound under stress 2274615-earthquakes-in-taiwan-are-linked-to-seasonal-changes-in-water-levels|2274615