GeoSpace
Random temperature fluctuations may have made Earth habitable
Random temperature fluctuations in the mantle and on the planet's surface could be the reason Earth is a habitable world with moving tectonic plates while other terrestrial planets in the solar system are inhospitable worlds, according to new research.
Commercial oyster farming could help increase biodiversity in Delaware Bay, scientists say
Commercial oyster aquacultures can restore lost biodiversity by cleaning up polluted waterways, according to new research.
Hot springs in California host snapshot of early Earth conditions
Conditions in the hot alkaline springs of Paoha Island in Mono Lake, California, could be similar to Earth's pre-oxygen environment billions of years ago, researchers reported at the 2016 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in San Francisco.
Horse hair can help improve accuracy of climate data
In a new study, researchers used horsehair to determine that latitude influences certain climate measurements.
Humidity may cloud sediment deposits used to study storms
Using sediment as an indicator of past hurricanes may not work well in hot, humid environments, a new study finds.
Iconic bristlecone pines may not survive global climate change
Bristlecone pines–including Methusaleh, one of the world's oldest trees–have lived in North America's Great Basin for thousands of years. But warming temperatures due to climate change could cause trouble for the ancient trees by tipping the ecological balance in favor of the conifer's neighbor, the limber pine, said scientists at the 2016 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting.
New study differentiates between Utah's natural and induced earthquakes
Mining activity caused nearly half of all earthquakes in Utah over the past three decades, according to a new study.
Research Spotlights
Oil Residues Accelerate Coastal Wetland Losses
Coastal wetland loss after an oil spill can be more extensive than after a hurricane, according to a new study in Geophysical Research Letters.
Notorious Ocean Current Is Far Stronger Than Previously Thought
The Antarctic Circumpolar Current is the only ocean current to circle the planet and the largest wind-driven current on Earth. It's also 30 percent more powerful than scientists realized, researchers report in a new study in Geophysical Research Letters.
How Global Warming's Effect on Clouds May Make It Rain Harder
More clustering of clouds due to higher temperatures increases the likelihood of heavy downpours, according to a new study in Geophysical Research Letters.
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Story Source: Materials provided by Scienmag