Fossils discovered at an early Miocene site in Kenya include a new type of early ape and offer clues about the environment inhabited by human ancestors.
Research Spotlights
Research spotlights are plain-language summaries of recent articles published in AGU’s suite of 24 journals.
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The Goldilocks Conditions for Wildfires
Twenty years of data from around the world show that areas that are not too dry and not too wet are most conducive to wildfire burning.
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Charting a Path from Fire Features to Health Outcomes
A new framework aims to better equip scientists, communities, and decisionmakers to characterize data and rapidly respond to wildland-urban interface fires and their effects on public health.
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Former Department of Energy Leader Reflects on a Changing Landscape
The first person of color and first Earth scientist to serve as director of the Department of Energy’s Office of Science reflects on her career as the new administration works to dismantle key diversity programs.
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On the Origins of Subantarctic Mode Waters
A modeling study shows how warm subtropical waters and cold Antarctic waters combine to form an Indo-Pacific water mass that plays a key role in Earth’s climate.
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How Greenland’s Glacial Troughs Influence Ocean Circulation
Glacial troughs in Antarctica promote mixing of warm and cold water, affecting global climate. A new study explores whether the same is true in troughs along Greenland’s coastline.
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Water Density Shifts Can Drive Rapid Changes in AMOC Strength
High-latitude variations in density, which appear to be driven by changes in atmospheric pressure, can propagate to midlatitudes and affect the current’s strength within just a year.
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Robotic Floats Quantify Sinking Carbon in the Southern Ocean
An estimated 2.69 billion tons of carbon are exported to the deep sea every year from the Southern Ocean.
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Simplicity May Be the Key to Understanding Soil Moisture
A pared-down model that considers only precipitation and net surface radiation seems to solve long-standing problems.