Billions of years ago, a day on Earth was far shorter than the 24 hours we experience today. New geophysical research reveals that Earth did not slow down smoothly over time, as once assumed. Instead, the planet experienced long pauses in its rotational evolution, including a remarkable billion-year interval when each day lasted about 19 …
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Stanford researchers have identified a surprising and previously unknown connection between deep underwater earthquakes and the growth of massive phytoplankton blooms at the ocean surface. Phytoplankton are microscopic, plant-like organisms that float in sunlit surface waters and form the base of the marine food web. Beyond supporting ocean life, they play a critical role in …
Scientists are transforming our understanding of planetary origins with growing evidence that Earth’s largest reservoir of water may be hidden far below the surface, locked inside solid rock for billions of years. Long believed to be relatively dry beneath its crust, Earth is now thought to have formed with a substantial internal water supply that …
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Although earthquakes remain impossible to predict precisely, scientists are developing advanced computational models that significantly improve understanding of how seismic events interact with the Earth’s subsurface. A magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck Alaska on December 6, 2025, highlights the importance of this work. While large events are relatively rare, seismic activity is constant: roughly 55 …
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Astronomers have long suspected that the large-scale structure of the universe resembles a vast, interconnected web made of thread-like filaments composed of dark matter, gas, and galaxies. New observations now reveal that these structures do not merely act as static scaffolding for galaxies—they can also rotate on truly colossal scales. A recent study describes a …
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A new study led by Rutgers geodynamicist Yoshinori Miyazaki offers a compelling explanation for some of the most enigmatic structures hidden deep within Earth and connects them directly to the planet’s molten beginnings and long-term habitability. For decades, scientists have been puzzled by two massive anomalies located nearly 1,800 miles beneath the surface at the …
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Millions of human-made objects are currently orbiting Earth at speeds exceeding 15,000 miles per hour. These objects range from defunct satellites to fragments created by explosions and collisions between rockets and spacecraft. Collectively, they form what is commonly known as space debris, an ever-growing cloud of hazardous material surrounding the planet. As objects collide, they …
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As artificial intelligence researchers begin to confront the limitations of today’s dominant computing architectures, a radically different approach is gaining momentum: using living human brain cells as computational hardware. These experimental systems, often described as biocomputers, represent a convergence of neuroscience, biotechnology, and information science. Although still at an early stage, they have already demonstrated …
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