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/mg26635450-500-a-rich-new-history-of-our-obsession-with-extracting-earths-resources/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 28 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 Philip Marsden's book Under a Metal Sky is an engrossing look at how we have excavated key metals and rocks over the millennia. It's a story shot through with awe, power, greed and hubris mg26635450-500-a-rich-new-history-of-our-obsession-with-extracting-earths-resources|2481568 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2481497-how-captured-carbon-dioxide-could-help-mine-carbon-negative-nickel/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 26 May 2025 15:00:38 +0100 Captured carbon dioxide could be injected deep in the Earth to dissolve rocks, freeing up nickel and other key metals vital for batteries 2481497-how-captured-carbon-dioxide-could-help-mine-carbon-negative-nickel|2481497 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478861-how-buried-cables-are-revealing-earths-interior-in-incredible-detail/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 21 May 2025 17:00:22 +0100 The globe is criss-crossed by unused fibre-optic cables. Now, researchers are using them to defend against earthquakes and produce an unprecedented map of the underground world 2478861-how-buried-cables-are-revealing-earths-interior-in-incredible-detail|2478861 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635440-500-new-scientist-recommends-colum-mccanns-new-novel-twist/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 21 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week mg26635440-500-new-scientist-recommends-colum-mccanns-new-novel-twist|2480487 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2481392-giant-boulder-on-clifftop-in-tonga-was-carried-by-a-50-metre-high-wave/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 22 May 2025 13:03:06 +0100 A huge tsunami hit a cliff in Tonga 7000 years ago and carried a 1200-tonne boulder 200 metres inland, making it the biggest wave-lifted boulder ever found on a cliff 2481392-giant-boulder-on-clifftop-in-tonga-was-carried-by-a-50-metre-high-wave|2481392 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26635430-600-joshua-oppenheimers-the-end-is-a-superb-musical-set-in-the-end-times/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 14 May 2025 19:00:00 +0100 In a luxury survival bunker, a rich family lie to each other as Earth's surface becomes unviable. But things change when a young woman stumbles on them in The End, a wonderful, end-of-the-world musical drama, says Simon Ings mg26635430-600-joshua-oppenheimers-the-end-is-a-superb-musical-set-in-the-end-times|2479643 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2479288-99-999-per-cent-of-the-deep-seabed-remains-unexplored-by-humans/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 07 May 2025 20:00:09 +0100 Deep-sea submersibles have been diving for decades, but records show that we have still only explored a tiny area of the deep seabed, which makes up the majority of Earth's topography 2479288-99-999-per-cent-of-the-deep-seabed-remains-unexplored-by-humans|2479288 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2478699-landslide-rescuers-to-get-help-from-rapid-analysis-of-seismic-data/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 06 May 2025 12:54:27 +0100 Being able to quickly pinpoint the location of events such as landslides and pyroclastic flows will help rescue efforts, say the team behind a new technique for doing so 2478699-landslide-rescuers-to-get-help-from-rapid-analysis-of-seismic-data|2478699 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477995-earthquakes-could-be-an-overlooked-source-of-underground-hydrogen-fuel/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:00:51 +0100 Laboratory measurements of crushed quartz suggest earthquakes generate huge volumes of hydrogen underground, a potential source of energy for life below the surface – and people above it 2477995-earthquakes-could-be-an-overlooked-source-of-underground-hydrogen-fuel|2477995 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477887-ancient-supervolcano-eruption-had-surprisingly-mild-impact-on-climate/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 25 Apr 2025 15:00:21 +0100 Rather than a volcanic winter, the Toba eruption 74,000 years ago resulted in several years of warm and dry weather, geochemical evidence from India suggests 2477887-ancient-supervolcano-eruption-had-surprisingly-mild-impact-on-climate|2477887 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2476982-ancient-humans-may-have-faced-radiation-risk-41000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 16 Apr 2025 20:00:23 +0100 A weakening of Earth’s magnetic field known as the Laschamps event would have increased the threat of solar radiation, perhaps requiring ancient humans to invent protective measures 2476982-ancient-humans-may-have-faced-radiation-risk-41000-years-ago|2476982 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2475910-inside-the-hunt-for-unknown-minerals-in-super-deep-diamonds/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 11 Apr 2025 09:00:45 +0100 Diamonds formed in Earth’s lower mantle contain tiny flecks of minerals that are helping us understand the inner workings of our planet 2475910-inside-the-hunt-for-unknown-minerals-in-super-deep-diamonds|2475910 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2475161-arabia-has-been-green-for-long-spells-in-the-past-8-million-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 09 Apr 2025 17:00:30 +0100 Ancient rocks reveal there were several humid spells in Arabia’s past, which might have given early hominins a route out of Africa long before our genus migrated 2475161-arabia-has-been-green-for-long-spells-in-the-past-8-million-years|2475161 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2475234-earths-upper-mantle-is-revealing-the-deepest-effect-of-human-activity/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 07 Apr 2025 17:00:29 +0100 As the Aral Sea has been drained by irrigation and dried up, the mass loss on the surface has caused Earth’s upper mantle to rise up, lifting the emptied sea bed an average of 7 millimetres per year 2475234-earths-upper-mantle-is-revealing-the-deepest-effect-of-human-activity|2475234 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2470262-we-now-know-how-much-emissions-have-delayed-the-next-glacial-period/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 27 Feb 2025 19:00:04 +0000 Changes in Earth’s orbit drive long-term glacial cycles, but a new forecast suggests this ancient pattern is being disrupted for tens of thousands of years due to human-induced global warming 2470262-we-now-know-how-much-emissions-have-delayed-the-next-glacial-period|2470262 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2468313-do-world-record-snowflakes-observed-in-1887-stand-up-to-science/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:00:49 +0000 According to Guinness World Records, the largest snowflake we know of was 38 centimetres across and 20 centimetres thick. This whopper was spotted in Montana in January 1887, when ranch owner Matt Coleman reported seeing snowflakes “larger than milk pans” during a severe storm. Admittedly, some experts are sceptical. “If this was falling from the … 2468313-do-world-record-snowflakes-observed-in-1887-stand-up-to-science|2468313 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2468644-volcano-in-ethiopia-is-releasing-unusually-large-plumes-of-methane/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:00:32 +0000 Satellites have detected large volumes of methane spewing from Mount Fentale’s crater following months of earthquakes that have shaken the region 2468644-volcano-in-ethiopia-is-releasing-unusually-large-plumes-of-methane|2468644 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26535310-300-in-millions-of-years-what-could-a-future-civilisation-learn-about-us/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 19 Feb 2025 18:00:00 +0000 Millions of years after humans vanish, fossil clues showing how we lived and dominated the planet may confuse future civilisations, says a new book by Sarah Gabbott and Jan Zalasiewicz mg26535310-300-in-millions-of-years-what-could-a-future-civilisation-learn-about-us|2468480 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2469148-clever-chemistry-can-make-rocks-absorb-co2-much-more-quickly/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 19 Feb 2025 16:00:21 +0000 Spreading crushed rocks on fields can absorb CO2 from the air – now chemists have devised a way to turbocharge this process by creating more reactive minerals 2469148-clever-chemistry-can-make-rocks-absorb-co2-much-more-quickly|2469148 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26535311-200-we-are-finally-getting-to-grips-with-how-plate-tectonics-started/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 19 Feb 2025 14:00:00 +0000 Today, the upheavals of plate tectonics continually reshape Earth. When this began is much disputed - and we can’t fully understand how life began to thrive on our planet until we figure it out mg26535311-200-we-are-finally-getting-to-grips-with-how-plate-tectonics-started|2468500 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2468829-earths-oceans-may-have-been-green-for-billions-of-years/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 18 Feb 2025 10:39:16 +0000 Some cyanobacteria have pigments that specialise in harvesting green light to power photosynthesis, which may be because they evolved at a time when the oceans were iron-rich and green-tinged 2468829-earths-oceans-may-have-been-green-for-billions-of-years|2468829 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2468461-earth-wouldnt-have-ice-caps-without-eroding-rocks-and-quiet-volcanoes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 14 Feb 2025 19:00:28 +0000 Throughout Earth's history, ice caps have been very rare, but a model of the past 420 million years suggests an explanation for why they sometimes form 2468461-earth-wouldnt-have-ice-caps-without-eroding-rocks-and-quiet-volcanoes|2468461 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2468282-californias-groundwater-drought-continues-despite-torrential-rain/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 13 Feb 2025 19:00:51 +0000 Seismic measurement of Los Angeles’s depleted aquifers show a year of heavy precipitation hasn’t been enough to refill them 2468282-californias-groundwater-drought-continues-despite-torrential-rain|2468282 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2467491-forces-deep-underground-seem-to-be-deforming-earths-inner-core/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 10 Feb 2025 16:00:17 +0000 Seismic waves suggest the planet's solid inner core is being pulled out of shape – and it has undergone these changes over just a few decades 2467491-forces-deep-underground-seem-to-be-deforming-earths-inner-core|2467491 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2465526-gorgeous-images-capture-coral-breeding-breakthrough/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 24 Jan 2025 17:52:48 +0000 Cryopreserved coral sperm could be used for future breeding programmes to restore damaged reefs 2465526-gorgeous-images-capture-coral-breeding-breakthrough|2465526 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2465191-dark-oxygen-new-deep-sea-expedition-to-explore-mysterious-discovery/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 23 Jan 2025 10:11:13 +0000 The shock discovery that metallic nodules could be producing oxygen in the deep sea made headlines last year – now the team behind it is launching a new project to confirm and explain the findings 2465191-dark-oxygen-new-deep-sea-expedition-to-explore-mysterious-discovery|2465191 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2465258-towering-structures-in-earths-depths-may-be-billions-of-years-old/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 22 Jan 2025 16:00:09 +0000 New measurements suggest mysterious continent-sized masses in our planet’s lower mantle may be extremely stable features 2465258-towering-structures-in-earths-depths-may-be-billions-of-years-old|2465258 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435250-200-incredible-images-tell-the-tale-of-the-worlds-most-prized-marble/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 08 Jan 2025 18:00:00 +0000 In Land of Marble, photographer Alessandro Gandolfi explores the past and future of Italy's striking marble quarries mg26435250-200-incredible-images-tell-the-tale-of-the-worlds-most-prized-marble|2462418 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2463155-oil-extraction-may-have-triggered-over-100-earthquakes-in-the-uk/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 10 Jan 2025 00:01:34 +0000 Earthquakes that occurred near an oil extraction site in Surrey, UK, in 2018 and 2019 had been put down to coincidence, but a new analysis with an updated look at the geology of the area suggests the seismic events may indeed have been linked to drilling 2463155-oil-extraction-may-have-triggered-over-100-earthquakes-in-the-uk|2463155 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2463518-la-nina-is-finally-here-but-it-wont-stay-for-long/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 09 Jan 2025 20:45:37 +0000 After months of delay, the cool La Niña climate pattern has emerged in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, which increases the risk of drought in parts of the Americas 2463518-la-nina-is-finally-here-but-it-wont-stay-for-long|2463518 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2463340-california-wildfires-fuelled-by-months-of-unusual-extreme-weather/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 08 Jan 2025 19:31:04 +0000 Fast-moving wildfires are burning long after the regular fire season is over due to an unlikely sequence of extreme weather events that may have been exacerbated by climate change 2463340-california-wildfires-fuelled-by-months-of-unusual-extreme-weather|2463340 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2462609-electric-fields-could-mine-rare-earth-metals-with-less-harm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 06 Jan 2025 10:00:57 +0000 Smartphones, electric vehicles and wind turbines rely on environmentally destructive rare earth mining operations. Harnessing electric fields could make this mining more sustainable 2462609-electric-fields-could-mine-rare-earth-metals-with-less-harm|2462609 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2461986-zooplankton-research-highlights-key-role-in-marine-carbon-storage/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 30 Dec 2024 12:00:17 +0000 Zooplankton are one of the most diverse and abundant groups of organisms on Earth and they play an essential role in the marine food chain. Unable to photosynthesise, as phytoplankton do, zooplankton instead consume phytoplankton, forming a link in the food chain between primary producers and larger animals such as fish. Zooplankton also store carbon … 2461986-zooplankton-research-highlights-key-role-in-marine-carbon-storage|2461986 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2462235-kenneth-libbrecht-how-to-grow-a-perfect-snow-crystal/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Sun, 29 Dec 2024 15:00:52 +0000 The largest snow crystal ever measured was 10 millimetres across, discovered by Kenneth Libbrecht, who photographed the record-breaker in Ontario, Canada, in December 2003. Libbrecht is a professor at the California Institute of Technology where he specialises in the dynamics of ice crystal formation. In our interview, he explains the complex physics at play when … 2462235-kenneth-libbrecht-how-to-grow-a-perfect-snow-crystal|2462235 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435230-200-remarkable-images-capture-the-diversity-of-earths-ice-formations/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:00:00 +0000 In the new photographic collection Our Frozen Planet, Michael Hambrey and Jürg Alean set out to celebrate the world's ice in all its forms mg26435230-200-remarkable-images-capture-the-diversity-of-earths-ice-formations|2460773 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2459680-the-most-powerful-images-of-the-natural-world-from-2024/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 23 Dec 2024 15:00:27 +0000 A large number of damaging and deadly hurricanes, volcanic eruptions, wildfires, floods and droughts this year were photographed from land, air and space 2459680-the-most-powerful-images-of-the-natural-world-from-2024|2459680 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435210-800-the-anthropocene-was-officially-spurned-in-2024-but-the-idea-lives-on/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 11 Dec 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Geologists surprisingly declined to formally declare a new epoch, but proponents of the Anthropocene will continue to highlight humanity’s impact on the planet mg26435210-800-the-anthropocene-was-officially-spurned-in-2024-but-the-idea-lives-on|2459247 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2460583-supersized-snowflakes-a-scientific-quest-to-make-enormous-snow/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 16 Dec 2024 08:00:56 +0000 The Guinness world record for the largest snowflake stands at 38 centimetres across and 20 cm thick, a whopper reported in Montana in January 1887. While some scientists are sceptical, it got us thinking. With all the scientific knowledge and facilities for studying snow and its climatic effects, could New Scientist embark on a quest … 2460583-supersized-snowflakes-a-scientific-quest-to-make-enormous-snow|2460583 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2459230-monitoring-ocean-chlorophyll-could-reduce-impact-of-warming-seas/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Sun, 08 Dec 2024 17:09:41 +0000 The oceans are vast, covering much of Earth's surface. They play huge roles in our economy, are a massive food source, provide habitat for many species and heavily influence the climate. Studying these waters to better understand such complex functions is a huge challenge for scientists. To help in this task, Heather Bouman, a biogeochemist … 2459230-monitoring-ocean-chlorophyll-could-reduce-impact-of-warming-seas|2459230 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458714-what-ancient-stalagmites-can-tell-us-about-life-on-a-hotter-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:31:07 +0000 Wildfires are already changing as a result of climate change but we don’t know what will happen as our planet gets even warmer. The answer could be hidden underground 2458714-what-ancient-stalagmites-can-tell-us-about-life-on-a-hotter-earth|2458714 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2459134-why-scientists-scanned-giant-hailstones-in-a-dentists-office/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 06 Dec 2024 05:00:14 +0000 A high-resolution view of hailstones the size of tennis balls can reveal how they form – and help researchers better forecast which storms will generate these destructive pieces of ice 2459134-why-scientists-scanned-giant-hailstones-in-a-dentists-office|2459134 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2458149-ocean-acidification-is-reaching-deeper-waters/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:15:05 +0000 Rising carbon dioxide levels are driving an increase in the ocean’s acidity – and this change is sinking deeper as emissions increase, putting even more marine organisms at risk 2458149-ocean-acidification-is-reaching-deeper-waters|2458149 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2457478-icelands-reykjanes-volcanic-eruption-captured-in-stunning-drone-shots/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 21 Nov 2024 17:20:08 +0000 A new volcanic eruption has occurred on Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula. It is the sixth in the region this year, according to the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Drone photographer Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove flew over the fissure caused by the volcano in the early hours of 21 November, filming the lava flow, which, according to the … 2457478-icelands-reykjanes-volcanic-eruption-captured-in-stunning-drone-shots|2457478 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2456287-we-may-have-solved-the-mystery-of-what-froze-earths-inner-core/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 18 Nov 2024 20:00:05 +0000 A supercomputer simulation of iron and carbon atoms in Earth’s inner core may explain how a molten ball at the centre of our planet froze solid 2456287-we-may-have-solved-the-mystery-of-what-froze-earths-inner-core|2456287 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2455747-next-mauna-loa-eruption-could-be-forecast-months-in-advance/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 12 Nov 2024 16:00:36 +0000 An analysis of crystals in lava from the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa has revealed an unknown magma reservoir within the volcano, which could extend forecasts of eruptions from minutes to months 2455747-next-mauna-loa-eruption-could-be-forecast-months-in-advance|2455747 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453812-striking-image-shows-well-preserved-wreck-of-shackletons-doomed-ship/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 30 Oct 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Endurance sank beneath the ice during Ernest Shackleton’s legendary Antarctic expedition. More than a hundred years later, researchers document their own saga of how they found the vessel 2453812-striking-image-shows-well-preserved-wreck-of-shackletons-doomed-ship|2453812 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26435154-700-forget-hollywood-science-has-real-plans-to-defend-us-from-asteroids/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 30 Oct 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Forget Armageddon-sized rocks, just one of 25,000 smaller asteroids could destroy a city on Earth. How to Kill an Asteroid by Robin George Andrew shows how science plans to save the planet mg26435154-700-forget-hollywood-science-has-real-plans-to-defend-us-from-asteroids|2453796 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2453148-some-wildfires-are-growing-twice-as-fast-as-they-did-two-decades-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 24 Oct 2024 20:00:06 +0100 In the western US, the average maximum growth rate of fires has more than doubled over the past two decades 2453148-some-wildfires-are-growing-twice-as-fast-as-they-did-two-decades-ago|2453148 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2452463-folklore-uncovers-a-tsunami-that-rocked-hawaii-hundreds-of-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 18 Oct 2024 18:00:44 +0100 A story passed down in folklore led scientists to evidence of an 8-metre tsunami that hit an island in Hawaii hundreds of years ago 2452463-folklore-uncovers-a-tsunami-that-rocked-hawaii-hundreds-of-years-ago|2452463 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2450650-el-nino-pattern-can-bring-wet-weather-to-uk-one-year-later/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 04 Oct 2024 15:00:22 +0100 El Niño and La Niña cycles driven by ocean temperatures in the Pacific can influence weather in the North Atlantic 12 months later – a finding that could improve long-range forecasts 2450650-el-nino-pattern-can-bring-wet-weather-to-uk-one-year-later|2450650 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2449817-how-river-piracy-made-mount-everest-grow-even-taller/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 30 Sep 2024 17:00:36 +0100 Rapid erosion caused by a geological act of “piracy” tens of thousands of years ago may have raised Earth’s crust and elevated Mount Everest by as much as 50 metres 2449817-how-river-piracy-made-mount-everest-grow-even-taller|2449817 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2446762-these-maps-will-change-how-you-see-the-world/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 18 Sep 2024 19:00:30 +0100 Geographer Alastair Bonnett on his pick of the most diverse maps, from a collection of 100,000 galaxies to a 12th-century Chinese depiction of rivers on a grid 2446762-these-maps-will-change-how-you-see-the-world|2446762 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2448650-why-physicists-are-air-dropping-buoys-into-the-paths-of-hurricanes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 20 Sep 2024 20:00:49 +0100 A sprawling research program aims to improve hurricane forecasts by collecting data at the chaotic interface of ocean and atmosphere 2448650-why-physicists-are-air-dropping-buoys-into-the-paths-of-hurricanes|2448650 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2448198-earth-may-once-have-had-a-ring-like-saturn/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 17 Sep 2024 12:14:52 +0100 A ring of asteroid debris could have orbited Earth for tens of millions of years, and perhaps even have altered the planet's climate 2448198-earth-may-once-have-had-a-ring-like-saturn|2448198 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2447567-greenland-landslide-caused-freak-wave-that-shook-earth-for-nine-days/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 12 Sep 2024 20:00:02 +0100 Seismologists were mystified by a strange signal that persisted for nine days in 2023 – now its source has been identified as a standing wave caused by a landslide in Greenland 2447567-greenland-landslide-caused-freak-wave-that-shook-earth-for-nine-days|2447567 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26335080-200-cave-diver-explores-a-mexican-sinkhole-in-atmospheric-photograph/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 11 Sep 2024 19:00:00 +0100 This claustrophobia-inducing image is taken from photographer Martin Broen's new book Light in the Underworld, a collection of shots from the Yucatán’s cenotes, or sinkholes mg26335080-200-cave-diver-explores-a-mexican-sinkhole-in-atmospheric-photograph|2446888 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2445930-earthquakes-may-explain-how-huge-gold-nuggets-form-in-quartz-rock/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 02 Sep 2024 17:00:44 +0100 Quartz crystals produce electricity when they are deformed by mechanical stress, which may explain how enormous chunks of gold can form in inert rock 2445930-earthquakes-may-explain-how-huge-gold-nuggets-form-in-quartz-rock|2445930 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26335051-600-a-dramatic-twist-to-the-gaia-hypothesis/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 21 Aug 2024 19:00:00 +0100 James Lovelock's hypothesis that our planet is a living entity is well known. Ferris Jabr's new book Becoming Earth takes it a step further mg26335051-600-a-dramatic-twist-to-the-gaia-hypothesis|2444606 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2444394-part-of-the-atlantic-is-cooling-at-record-speed-and-nobody-knows-why/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 19 Aug 2024 23:24:41 +0100 After over a year of record-high global sea temperatures, the equatorial Atlantic is cooling off more quickly than ever recorded, which could impact weather around the world 2444394-part-of-the-atlantic-is-cooling-at-record-speed-and-nobody-knows-why|2444394 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26335040-700-dramatic-images-show-the-dark-side-of-cobalt-mining-boom/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 14 Aug 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Pascal Maitre's photos from the Democratic Republic of Congo detail the problems arising as demand for cobalt grows mg26335040-700-dramatic-images-show-the-dark-side-of-cobalt-mining-boom|2443422 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2443192-record-breaking-drill-core-reaches-1-2-kilometres-into-earths-mantle/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 08 Aug 2024 20:00:17 +0100 A scientific drilling ship has burrowed further into Earth’s mantle than ever before, obtaining new clues about the processes that feed oceanic volcanoes and the possible origins of life 2443192-record-breaking-drill-core-reaches-1-2-kilometres-into-earths-mantle|2443192 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26335030-500-new-scientist-recommends-twisters-action-sequel-with-added-tornadoes/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 07 Aug 2024 19:00:00 +0100 The books, TV, games and more that New Scientist staff have enjoyed this week mg26335030-500-new-scientist-recommends-twisters-action-sequel-with-added-tornadoes|2442750 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26335030-200-mangrove-forests-celebrated-in-stunning-photographs/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 07 Aug 2024 19:00:00 +0100 See some of the top entries to this year's Mangrove Photography Awards, showing the beauty and fragility of these unique ecosystems mg26335030-200-mangrove-forests-celebrated-in-stunning-photographs|2442747 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26335030-300-ambitious-story-of-how-life-shapes-earth-ends-superb-trilogy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 07 Aug 2024 19:00:00 +0100 The dynamics of how plants and animals change Earth is central to this last book in a trilogy by Other Minds author and "scuba-diving philosopher" Peter Godfrey-Smith mg26335030-300-ambitious-story-of-how-life-shapes-earth-ends-superb-trilogy|2442748 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26335011-300-epic-images-show-old-mines-transformed-into-a-library-lab-and-museum/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 24 Jul 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Amazing images of an open-air library, underground lab and design museum show the reincarnation of dead mines, captured in a new book, 102 Things to Do With a Hole in the Ground mg26335011-300-epic-images-show-old-mines-transformed-into-a-library-lab-and-museum|2440618 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2440460-shock-discovery-reveals-deep-sea-nodules-are-a-source-of-oxygen/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 22 Jul 2024 17:00:12 +0100 Sea-floor nodules raise oxygen levels in the deep ocean, suggesting they may have a valuable role in ecosystems and adding to concerns about the impact of deep-sea mining 2440460-shock-discovery-reveals-deep-sea-nodules-are-a-source-of-oxygen|2440460 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26334990-400-what-would-earth-look-like-in-25-years-i-asked-the-experts/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 10 Jul 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Exhausted by today's political and environmental instability, Annalee Newitz investigated what a future Earth might look like. Get ready for green mining, soft cities and robo-taxis mg26334990-400-what-would-earth-look-like-in-25-years-i-asked-the-experts|2438719 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2437470-record-amount-of-water-from-2022-tonga-eruption-is-still-in-atmosphere/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 28 Jun 2024 14:00:55 +0100 Millions of tonnes of water vapour have been lingering in the atmosphere since the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted in 2022– possibly contributing to global warming 2437470-record-amount-of-water-from-2022-tonga-eruption-is-still-in-atmosphere|2437470 https://www.newscientist.com/video/2436383-watch-philippines-typhoon-disaster-film-winner-of-earth-photo-24-award/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Sat, 22 Jun 2024 11:00:52 +0100 Dreams of the Ravaged is a short documentary film about three young survivors of super-typhoon Odette (also known as Rai), a tropical cyclone that hit the Philippines in 2021 and killed over 400 people. The film, directed by Breech Asher Harani , recently won the New Scientist Editors Award at the Earth Photo 2024 competition, … 2436383-watch-philippines-typhoon-disaster-film-winner-of-earth-photo-24-award|2436383 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234960-400-photos-of-a-rusting-alaskan-river-win-new-scientist-editors-award/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 19 Jun 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Taylor Roades's images of a river in north-west Alaska that has turned orange because of global warming have won the New Scientist Editors Award at the Earth Photo competition mg26234960-400-photos-of-a-rusting-alaskan-river-win-new-scientist-editors-award|2435743 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2433106-is-north-america-set-for-another-bad-wildfire-smoke-season/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 27 May 2024 13:00:54 +0100 Smoke from wildfires burning in Canada and Mexico is already worsening air quality in the US, but some signs suggest clearer skies than last year 2433106-is-north-america-set-for-another-bad-wildfire-smoke-season|2433106 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2432921-hot-atlantic-sets-the-stage-for-extreme-hurricane-season/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 23 May 2024 20:51:27 +0100 This year could bring up to 25 named tropical storms in the Atlantic Ocean due to a shift to La Niña conditions, says the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2432921-hot-atlantic-sets-the-stage-for-extreme-hurricane-season|2432921 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2431907-snow-and-rising-sea-levels-may-have-triggered-japans-earthquake-swarm/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 21 May 2024 16:00:54 +0100 In an ongoing swarm of earthquakes that began hitting Japan in 2020, the shifting weight of surface water may have spurred the shaking 2431907-snow-and-rising-sea-levels-may-have-triggered-japans-earthquake-swarm|2431907 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234900-100-why-criticisms-of-the-proposed-anthropocene-epoch-miss-the-point/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 08 May 2024 19:00:00 +0100 A proposal to define the Anthropocene as a geological epoch was rejected this March, but humanity's impact on Earth is real, whether formalised or not, says Jan Zalasiewicz mg26234900-100-why-criticisms-of-the-proposed-anthropocene-epoch-miss-the-point|2429712 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234890-100-can-these-awesome-rocks-become-central-asias-first-unesco-geopark/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 30 Apr 2024 17:00:00 +0100 Long feted by fossil hunters and geologists, if UNESCO recognises the extraordinary rock formation at Madygen in Kyrgyzstan, it will soon be a player on the world stage mg26234890-100-can-these-awesome-rocks-become-central-asias-first-unesco-geopark|2428620 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26234881-300-these-photos-show-how-a-warmer-climate-is-damaging-earths-waters/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 24 Apr 2024 19:00:00 +0100 Photographer Diane Tuft has documented how global warming is affecting bodies of water around the world mg26234881-300-these-photos-show-how-a-warmer-climate-is-damaging-earths-waters|2427861 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/2426572-extreme-heat-in-2023-linked-to-drastic-slump-in-growth-of-marine-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Fri, 19 Apr 2024 07:00:51 +0100 Last year’s marine heatwaves saw an unprecedented decline in the growth of phytoplankton and algae, which many animals in the oceans depend on for food 2426572-extreme-heat-in-2023-linked-to-drastic-slump-in-growth-of-marine-life|2426572 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426795-geoscientists-are-using-telecom-dark-fibres-to-map-earths-innards/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 15 Apr 2024 21:00:28 +0100 The networks of fibre optic cables that criss-cross the planet could be used to better understand what’s happening inside it 2426795-geoscientists-are-using-telecom-dark-fibres-to-map-earths-innards|2426795 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2426530-deadly-upwellings-of-cold-water-pose-threat-to-migratory-sharks/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 15 Apr 2024 17:00:05 +0100 Climate change is making extreme cold upwellings more common in certain regions of the world, and these events can be catastrophic for animals such as bull sharks 2426530-deadly-upwellings-of-cold-water-pose-threat-to-migratory-sharks|2426530 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2423902-huge-crater-in-india-hints-at-major-meteorite-impact-4000-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 26 Mar 2024 08:00:18 +0000 The Luna structure, a 1.8-kilometre-wide depression in north-west India, may have been caused by the largest meteorite to strike Earth in the past 50,000 years 2423902-huge-crater-in-india-hints-at-major-meteorite-impact-4000-years-ago|2423902 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134830-100-why-supersonic-diamond-spewing-volcanoes-might-be-coming-back-to-life/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Strange volcanoes called kimberlites bring diamonds up from Earth's depths. Scientists have always struggled to understand why they switched off millions of years ago – but perhaps they didn't mg26134830-100-why-supersonic-diamond-spewing-volcanoes-might-be-coming-back-to-life|2422556 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2423726-sulphur-dioxide-from-iceland-volcano-eruption-has-reached-the-uk/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 21 Mar 2024 17:38:34 +0000 A huge plume of sulphur dioxide from the latest eruption in Iceland is drifting across Europe, but it isn't expected to cause any significant harm 2423726-sulphur-dioxide-from-iceland-volcano-eruption-has-reached-the-uk|2423726 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134823-200-its-time-to-accept-that-we-are-in-the-anthropocene-once-and-for-all/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 13 Mar 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Humans are drastically changing the planet and the Anthropocene is a useful tool to help us deal with that – so let's stop quibbling over definitions mg26134823-200-its-time-to-accept-that-we-are-in-the-anthropocene-once-and-for-all|2422029 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134810-300-stark-haunting-images-show-kazakhstans-former-nuclear-testing-ground/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 06 Mar 2024 18:00:00 +0000 These stunning photographs are all shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Awards 2024 mg26134810-300-stark-haunting-images-show-kazakhstans-former-nuclear-testing-ground|2420267 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2420732-surprise-decision-not-to-define-the-anthropocene-shocks-scientists/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 05 Mar 2024 20:28:14 +0000 A proposal to define the Anthropocene, a geologic epoch defined by human activity, has been rejected – surprising even scientists who consulted the voting group 2420732-surprise-decision-not-to-define-the-anthropocene-shocks-scientists|2420732 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2420411-eerie-green-sunsets-after-1883-krakatoa-eruption-finally-explained/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 04 Mar 2024 22:07:04 +0000 Mysterious green sunsets were reported after the massive eruption of Krakatoa in 1883 – now simulations show how they were created and just how rare they are 2420411-eerie-green-sunsets-after-1883-krakatoa-eruption-finally-explained|2420411 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134793-600-stark-mountain-landscapes-exposed-in-canada-as-glaciers-shrink/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 21 Feb 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Global warming means many of the world’s ancient rivers of ice will be gone within decades, threatening ecosystems that rely on their meltwater, a looming crisis that photographer Edward Burtynsky highlights in his work mg26134793-600-stark-mountain-landscapes-exposed-in-canada-as-glaciers-shrink|2417984 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2418306-largest-volcanic-eruption-in-recorded-history-happened-7300-years-ago/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 21 Feb 2024 13:58:06 +0000 The Kikai-Akahoya eruption of an underwater volcano off the coast of Japan ejected enough material to fill Lake Tahoe twice, three times as much as the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815 2418306-largest-volcanic-eruption-in-recorded-history-happened-7300-years-ago|2418306 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2416727-bacteria-could-help-turn-co2-to-rock-under-extreme-conditions/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 14 Feb 2024 14:57:50 +0000 Microbes that rapidly convert CO2 to rock could lock away the greenhouse gas in deep underground storage sites, such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs 2416727-bacteria-could-help-turn-co2-to-rock-under-extreme-conditions|2416727 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2416365-giant-magma-flow-in-iceland-was-the-fastest-ever-recorded/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 08 Feb 2024 19:00:27 +0000 As a 15-kilometre crack formed ahead of the recent eruptions, magma flowed into it at the highest rate observed anywhere in the world 2416365-giant-magma-flow-in-iceland-was-the-fastest-ever-recorded|2416365 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2416060-huge-deposit-of-natural-hydrogen-gas-detected-deep-in-albanian-mine/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 08 Feb 2024 19:00:05 +0000 Companies are searching all over the world for deposits of geologic hydrogen that could be used as clean fuel, and a mine in Albania could give them clues about where to look 2416060-huge-deposit-of-natural-hydrogen-gas-detected-deep-in-albanian-mine|2416060 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2416333-enormous-underwater-mountains-discovered-off-west-coast-of-americas/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Thu, 08 Feb 2024 14:00:29 +0000 An ocean research vessel has just discovered four underwater mountains, the tallest almost 3 kilometres high, that might be hotspots of deep-sea life 2416333-enormous-underwater-mountains-discovered-off-west-coast-of-americas|2416333 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2415868-ocean-thunderstorms-generate-the-most-intense-lightning-ever-observed/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 06 Feb 2024 15:00:49 +0000 An analysis of satellite observations has identified some extreme thunderstorms over the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Mexico with lightning flashes so frequent that the sky would appear continuously lit 2415868-ocean-thunderstorms-generate-the-most-intense-lightning-ever-observed|2415868 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2415697-lightning-during-volcanic-eruptions-may-have-sparked-life-on-earth/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 05 Feb 2024 20:00:41 +0000 Lightning strikes during volcanic eruptions could have provided nitrogen in a form that was needed by early life forms 2415697-lightning-during-volcanic-eruptions-may-have-sparked-life-on-earth|2415697 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134750-200-lithium-mining-looks-set-to-reshape-bolivias-salar-de-uyuni-salt-flat/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 24 Jan 2024 18:00:00 +0000 Photographer Matjaz Krivic has been charting the effects of lithium mining on locals in the world's largest salt flat in Bolivia since 2016 mg26134750-200-lithium-mining-looks-set-to-reshape-bolivias-salar-de-uyuni-salt-flat|2413418 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2412072-siberias-mysterious-exploding-craters-may-be-caused-by-hot-gas/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Mon, 15 Jan 2024 08:00:20 +0000 Several enormous craters left by explosions have been spotted in Siberia over the past 15 years, and a new explanation links them to hot gas – and climate change 2412072-siberias-mysterious-exploding-craters-may-be-caused-by-hot-gas|2412072 https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26134722-100-worlds-first-tunnel-to-a-magma-chamber-could-unleash-unlimited-energy/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 03 Jan 2024 14:00:00 +0000 In Iceland, scientists are planning to drill two boreholes to a reservoir of liquid rock. One will give us our first direct measurements of magma – the other could supercharge geothermal power mg26134722-100-worlds-first-tunnel-to-a-magma-chamber-could-unleash-unlimited-energy|2410316 https://www.newscientist.com/article/2410467-vast-submerged-area-near-australia-may-once-have-hosted-500000-people/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Tue, 02 Jan 2024 14:13:45 +0000 An area of the seabed north of Australia has been mapped in detail for the first time, revealing that large numbers of people could have lived there until it was inundated by rising seas 2410467-vast-submerged-area-near-australia-may-once-have-hosted-500000-people|2410467 https://www.newscientist.com/article/0-see-a-dazzling-collection-of-the-years-best-northern-lights-pictures/?utm_campaign=RSS%7CNSNS&utm_source=NSNS&utm_medium=RSS&utm_content=earth Wed, 27 Dec 2023 18:00:00 +0000 This spectacular selection of images is taken from the winners of the Northern Lights Photographer of the Year competition, run by Capture the Atlas 0-see-a-dazzling-collection-of-the-years-best-northern-lights-pictures|2409797