Which Earth and space science stories stood out this year?
Earth science
Posted inNews
The Great Unconformity or Great Unconformities?
Some scientists think the Great Unconformity was caused by Snowball Earth’s glaciations. Recent work suggests these phenomena might not be related.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
New Tectonic Plate Model Could Improve Earthquake Risk Assessment
A new model of tectonic plates in New Zealand may identify areas of increased earthquake likelihood.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
Why Do Fluvial Valleys Behave So Differently?
Source: AGU Advances Editors’ Highlights are summaries of recent papers by AGU’s journal editors. The shape of fluvial valleys results from the complex interaction between climate and the local environment. Our current knowledge suggests that river discharge and valley-wall lithology are the main controls on valley width. Yet, current models based on these observations fail […]
Posted inNews
Satellite Data Reveal Uptick in Cover Cropping on Farms
Over the course of a decade, farmers growing corn and soybeans in the U.S. Midwest increased their adoption of cover cropping—a tenet of so-called conservation agriculture—by fourfold.
Posted inResearch Spotlights
Groundwater Replenishes Much Faster Than Scientists Previously Thought
A new climate-based model indicates that scientists may be underestimating groundwater’s importance in sustaining streams and plant life.
Posted inNews
Stories Scribed on Palm Leaves Help Scientists Understand Ancient Eruption
Deposits from the 1257 Samalas eruption may contain artifacts of an ancient kingdom, according to scientists who link volcanology studies with histories written onto palm leaves.
Posted inNews
Third-Wettest Year in Arctic Wraps Up
The annual Arctic Report Card charts the rise in rain in northern latitudes and serves as a new “vital sign” of the region’s shifting climate.
Posted inNews
Geohazard Education Trainings Foster Resilience in Rural Alaska
National Science Foundation-funded teacher and community workshops boost disaster preparedness optimism among coastal Alaskan educators, whose communities face an array of natural hazards.