A new analysis of a fossil found in 1889 has unveiled the presence of zeolites—and an entirely new mineralization method.
geochemistry
Hawai’i’s Depleted Peridotite Delivers More Magma
The source for the isotopically-enriched Hawaiian magmas contains peridotites that experienced near-surface melting prior incorporation in the plume.
Extreme Heat and Rain Turned These Arctic Lakes Brown
Scientists are stunned by the changes in multiple Arctic lakes, all transforming in the same way.
Ceres’s Organics Might Not Be Homegrown After All
Scientists have been unable to determine whether the dwarf planet’s organics were produced by its own chemical processes or delivered by asteroids. New evidence implicates asteroids.
Wildfires Raise Concern About Remobilized Radioactive Contamination
Researchers collected soil and ash after the 2020 wildfires in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Chemical tests suggested that the fires made it easier for contaminants to wash into nearby rivers.
Ice Core Records Shed Light on a Volcanic Mystery
By analyzing sulfur and volcanic ash entrained in ice cores, researchers pinpointed a caldera in the remote Kuril Islands as the site of an unidentified 19th century eruption.
Magma Diversity in Iceland
Iceland’s recent basalt eruptions originated at the crust-mantle boundary and show chemical variability over remarkably short timescales of weeks, suggesting exchanges between diverse magma sources.
Nebraska High Schoolers Test Well Water Quality
The Know Your Well program gives high school students experience in hands-on STEM research while providing community members information about their water quality.
Pluto’s Small Moons Are Unlike Any Other
The strange blend of surface chemistry on Nix and Hydra raises big question about the evolution of the Pluto system.
Hot Spot Lavas Around the World May Have Something in Common
A global study of lavas from volcanic hot spots suggests that contrary to accepted wisdom, Earth’s deep mantle may have the same composition throughout. Not everyone is convinced, however.