Desert regions to inform climate change
It is apparent that more climate extremes are occurring. Earlier snowmelts in high-altitude regions, severe forest fires and rain pulses followed by dry periods are becoming the norm.
Antarctic ice sheet study
Antarctica will be the largest source of future rise in sea level yet scientists know little about how this will unfold. New research shows how the Antarctic ice sheet advanced and retreated over the past 10,000 years.
Alarming Greenland ice melt
Several days of unusually warm weather in northern Greenland have triggered rapid melting, made apparent by the rivers of meltwater rushing into the ocean. Temperatures are around 60 degrees Fahrenheit – 10 degrees warmer than normal for this time of year.
Earth’s crust is dripping under the Andes
In South America, beneath the Andes mountains, the Earth’s crust is dripping into the planet’s interior. This has been occurring for millions of years-a long geological process that has produced visible wrinkling and other features on the surface.
Super-hydrous magmas
New research shows that colliding continental plates may draw down more water than previously thought. The results could explain the explosiveness of some volcanic eruptions, as well as the distribution of ore deposits such as copper, silver and gold.
Earth’s core is shifting
The Earth’s solid inner core spins at a slightly different rate than the rest of the planet. Research from about 20 years ago showed that it rotates a tiny bit faster, moving ahead of the rest of the planet by about a degree per year, which meant that it would lap the outer part of …