Some types of algal blooms produce dangerous toxins, while others are relatively harmless to humans.
News
A Global Map of Human Sewage in Coastal Ecosystems
Prodigious quantities of nitrogen from human waste flow into coastal waters, a study of nearly 135,000 watersheds reveals.
How the Armero Tragedy Changed Volcanology in Colombia
The deadly eruption of Nevado del Ruiz in 1985 made Colombian volcanologists realize that studying natural phenomena was irrelevant if they could not share their knowledge to avoid predictable tragedies.
New Sensor Aids Rare Earth Extraction from Acid Mine Drainage
Rare earth elements appear in more than 200 consumer products. The race is on to source these elements from abundant and environmentally damaging mining waste.
Microplastics Morph Cell Metabolism
Microplastics get into our bodies, potentially altering how certain cells convert sugar into energy, especially in the gut. Continued ingestion could cause chronic problems.
Mars from the InSight Out
There’s a seismometer on Mars, and it’s been busy! Download our free illustrated poster.
Mammoths Lost Their Steppe Habitat to Climate Change
Ancient plant and animal DNA buried in Arctic sediments preserve a 50,000-year history of Arctic ecosystems, suggesting that climate change contributed to mammoth extinction.
Roman-Era Millstone and Mixer Makers Knew Their Rocks
The geochemistry of basalt millstones and mixers from the city of Volubilis suggests a local origin—and that rocks were picked for specific purposes, from crushing olives to mixing dough.
Sobreviviendo en la periferia de una ciudad de terremotos
La Ciudad de México es una de las áreas urbanas más propensas a desastres del mundo. Después de un terremoto, las comunidades marginadas que viven en la periferia de la ciudad están expuestas a más peligros que el simple derrumbe de edificios.
Identifying an Eruption “Tipping Point” in Hot Spot Volcanoes
By analyzing lava samples, researchers show how chemical processes that occur during magma’s ascent to the surface may contribute to a volcano’s eruptible state.
