Phys.org: Earth science

A new systematic review has revealed serious shortcomings in the evaluation of cyclone risk in Australia and worldwide. The research, which analyzed 94 studies on cyclone risk, warns that existing approaches may be failing to provide a full picture of the dangers communities face.

Sulfate-reducing bacteria break down a large proportion of the organic carbon in the oxygen-free zones of Earth, and in the seabed in particular. Among these important microbes, the Desulfobacteraceae family of bacteria stands out because its members are able to break down a wide variety of compounds—including some that are poorly degradable—to their end product, carbon dioxide (CO2).

It's a cold winter morning in the bleak and bare arable fields of the East Anglian fens. At the edge of a field, a scientist dips a long pole into a ditch. So, what is a climate researcher doing here?

In 2011, as Cyclone Yasi approached the Queensland coast, I sat in my home in the tropical far north of the state and worried what the future would hold. Would my family be OK? Would our home be destroyed? Would my workplace be damaged and my job uncertain? Would my community be devastated?

People in southeast Queensland and northern NSW have spent days racing to prepare their homes ahead of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, now expected to make landfall over several hours on Saturday.

The OLI (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 8 captured an image of Kachemak Bay's turbid, cloudy waters on September 20, 2024. This cloudiness comes from glacial flour: bits of pulverized rock ground down by glaciers that has the consistency of flour.

How tiny plastic particles enter the atmosphere is an important question, as airborne microplastics are a potential health threat. Using a global chemical transport model, researchers have provided evidence that, contrary to previous claims, the ocean is not a major source of microplastics to the atmosphere, but a significant sink.

Researchers from Los Alamos National Laboratory have discovered that cosmic-ray showers seem to play a pivotal role in triggering lightning flashes. The research is published in the journal JGR Atmospheres.

A first-of-its-kind study led by William & Mary's Batten School & VIMS is predicting estuaries along the East Coast of the U.S. will experience marine heat wave conditions for up to a third of the year by the end of the century. With estuaries serving as important nursery habitats for nearly 75% of all fish species and supporting more than 54 million jobs, this could have devastating consequences for marine ecosystems as well as the fisheries and communities that depend on them.

A swarm of earth tremors and fears of volcanic eruptions in January forced tens of thousands of people to move away from Awash Fentale, an area in the Afar region of Ethiopia. The area falls within a geologically active region of the Great Rift Valley that has experienced a number of earthquakes and volcanic events in the last 800 years. Two major volcanic eruptions occurred in 1250 and 1820 AD.

A new study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences sheds light on the complex relationship between methane emissions and the recovery of the stratospheric ozone layer. The research underscores how future increases in methane emissions could significantly influence ozone recovery, particularly in the polar regions.

At first glance, landscapes like the Great Plains and the Rockies may seem unchanging, but over geological time scales, they're dynamic systems. Plate tectonics raise mountains, while erosion—driven by glaciers, rain and wind—wears them down. But there's an often-overlooked factor in this process: the rock itself.

A new seismic study of Singapore could guide urban growth and renewable energy development in the coastal city nation, where 5.6 million residents live within an area of 734 square kilometers.

Some parts of Hawaii are sinking faster than others. That discovery, published in Communications Earth & Environment by researchers at the University of Hawaii (UH) at Mānoa, also highlights that as sea level rises, the infrastructure, businesses, and communities in these low-lying areas are at risk of flooding sooner than scientists anticipated, particularly in certain urban areas of O'ahu.

Hydrothermal alteration is a complex geological process that can later serve as an indicator of gold deposits for mineral explorers. The process sees hot and metal-rich fluids interact with surrounding rocks, causing chemical and mineralogical changes.

A type of artificial intelligence that mimics the functioning of the human brain could represent a powerful solution in automatically detecting wildfires, plummeting the time needed to mitigate their devastating effects, a new study finds.

Whether it's rivers cutting through earth, lava melting through rock, or water slicing through ice, channels all twist and bend in a seemingly similar back-and-forth manner. But a new study led by scientists at The University of Texas at Austin has discovered that channels carved by rivers actually have curves distinct to those cut by lava or ice.

Iron oxide minerals are found in rocks around the globe. Some are magnetic, and some of them rust—especially when exposed to water and oxygen. These characteristics provide clues about the history of these minerals.

On the abyssal plains, at depths between 3,000 and 6,000 meters, polymetallic nodules are scattered across millions of square kilometers, much like potatoes in a field. These mineral ores are formed over millions of years from metals dissolved in the ocean water or released during microbial degradation of organic material in the sediments. As global demand for critical metals, such as nickel, cobalt, and copper, grows, so too does the pressure to exploit these resources economically.

A new MIT-led study confirms that the Antarctic ozone layer is healing, as a direct result of global efforts to reduce ozone-depleting substances.