A study published in Nature Geoscience has revealed that lavas from volcanic hotspots such as Hawaii, Samoa, and Iceland come from a chemically uniform reservoir in Earth’s mantle composition, challenging prior assumptions about its diversity. Led by Dr. Matthijs Smit of the University of British Columbia and co-authored by Dr. Kooijman from the Swedish Museum of Natural History, the research shows that while lava may appear to have different chemical “flavors” at the surface, these differences arise during its ascent, as the magma interacts with various rocks, rather than from variations within the mantle itself.
Continue reading “Uniform Earth’s mantle composition in hotspot lavas”Precursory seismicity in earthquake prediction
A groundbreaking study by Társilo Girona, a research assistant professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Geophysical Institute, suggests that advance notice of major earthquakes could be possible by detecting precursory seismicity—low-level tectonic activity occurring days to months before significant quakes. This study, published in Nature Communications and co-authored by geologist Kyriaki Drymoni of Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich, used machine learning to identify patterns in the buildup of seismic activity. Their analysis focused on two notable earthquakes: the 2018 magnitude 7.1 Anchorage earthquake in Alaska and the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence in California.
Continue reading “Precursory seismicity in earthquake prediction”Ocean iron fertilization for carbon removal
As the need to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions becomes increasingly urgent, there is also a consensus on the necessity of removing CO2 already present in the atmosphere. Given the ocean’s immense capacity for carbon storage, it is a critical area of focus for marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR). One promising method is OIF (ocean iron fertilization), which aims to accelerate natural processes that sequester CO2 in the ocean.
Continue reading “Ocean iron fertilization for carbon removal”AI scientist: transforming the future of research
Researchers at Sakana.AI have introduced an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) model, dubbed the “AI Scientist”, that has the potential to revolutionize the scientific research process. This AI system can autonomously tackle various stages of research, including identifying problems, developing hypotheses, conducting experiments, analyzing results, and writing reports. In addition to the core AI, a secondary model has been integrated to peer-review and assess the quality of reports, ensuring that findings are accurate and reliable.
Continue reading “AI scientist: transforming the future of research”Discovery of Earth’s polar wind
After more than five decades since it was first proposed, scientists have finally detected the polar wind, an invisible force influencing how Earth’s atmosphere escapes from the poles. This significant breakthrough was achieved by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center’s principal investigator Glyn Collinson and his team, validating a phenomenon as fundamental to our planet as gravity and the magnetic field. Detected through the Endurance mission launched in May 2022 from the Svalbard Rocket Range in Norway, this discovery offers crucial insights into atmospheric dynamics and the polar wind’s role in shaping Earth’s upper atmosphere.
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Deep beneath Earth’s surface, at a depth of about 2,890 kilometers, lies the liquid metal core, a critical component of our planet responsible for generating the magnetic field that shields life from harmful solar winds. Scientists use seismic waves produced by earthquakes to probe the structure of this core, functioning much like an ultrasound, to visualize the hidden depths of the planet.
Continue reading “Donut-shaped discovery in Earth’s liquid metal core”Navigating future extreme weather events
Extreme weather events, by definition rare, have always demonstrated the climatic extremes our planet can endure, including ferocious storms, severe heatwaves, and intense cold snaps. However, with the rapid warming of Earth’s climate primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels, the spectrum of possible weather conditions—including extreme weather events—is expanding and altering. This alteration poses significant challenges to how we understand, predict, and adapt to these changes.
Continue reading “Navigating future extreme weather events”Unraveling the mystery of Earth’s heartbeat
Seismologists have uncovered a peculiar phenomenon that reveals Earth is not as passive as it appears. Every 26 seconds, a faint seismic tremor, often referred to as Earth’s heartbeat, pulses through the planet. These microseisms, which are akin to tiny earthquakes but not identical, have baffled scientists for decades. Despite numerous theories, the source of this mysterious pulse remains unidentified.
Continue reading “Unraveling the mystery of Earth’s heartbeat”Φsat-2 launch: A new era in AI Earth observation
On August 16, 2024, ESA launched Φsat-2, a pioneering cubesat designed to revolutionize AI Earth observation. This small yet powerful satellite was sent into orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California as part of the Transporter-11 rideshare mission, which also included ESA’s Arctic Weather Satellite. The successful deployment and initial communication from Φsat-2 marked a significant milestone in the application of artificial intelligence for Earth observation from space.
Continue reading “Φsat-2 launch: A new era in AI Earth observation”AI earthquake prediction breakthrough
Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have made significant strides in the field of AI earthquake prediction, potentially revolutionizing how we approach the mitigation of earthquake-related risks. The team developed an AI algorithm capable of predicting 70% of earthquakes a week before they occurred during a seven-month trial conducted in China. This trial represents a promising development in the use of artificial intelligence for earthquake forecasting, raising hopes that this technology could one day minimize the devastating impact of earthquakes on lives and economies.
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