Barometric pressure, in addition to factors such as lithology and the depth of the water table, can influence patterns of natural gas that escapes to subsurface soils.
News
Podcast: A Nuclear Legacy Buried in Ice
The radioactive remains of nuclear testing during the Cold War and from nuclear disasters like Chernobyl are still with us and can be found in some of the remotest glaciers on Earth.
Climate Change Will Make Us Sicker and Lose Work Hours
Experts have given the United States a warning: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions, or suffer the consequences of lower productivity and a sicker population for generations to come.
Sparks May Reveal the Nature of Ash Plumes
In lab experiments and models, researchers uncover how ash can affect the standing shock waves of erupting volcanoes. Their findings may lead to new predictions of volcanic ash hazards.
Modeling How Groundwater Pumping Will Affect Aquatic Ecosystems
Regions with dry climates and heavy agricultural industries may be the most hard-hit.
Plankton Biodiversity Mapped Globally
A team of scientists sailed around the world to catalog the diversity of plankton species in the ocean. Their findings have important economic implications as climate warms.
Peatlands Are Drying Out Across Europe
Peatlands are some of the world’s largest reservoirs of soil carbon, but new research finds that in Europe they are drying out, putting them at risk of turning from carbon sinks to carbon sources.
Pets, Pot, Prokaryotes, and Other Recommended Reads
What Earth and space science stories are we recommending this week?
Mixed Reviews for Bill to Curb Ocean Plastics Pollution
Although the Save Our Seas supporters include industry and the Ocean Conservancy, some environmental groups say the legislation won’t solve the problem.
Toxic Algal Blooms Are Worsening with Climate Change
Researchers use remote sensing technology to carry out a global survey of large freshwater lakes.