While studying tectonic plates and sand, Wright works on a program to make the geosciences more equitable.
geology
Sorting Minerals Differently Could Usher a New Era for Mineralogy
Grouping minerals by how they were formed yields insights into our planet’s evolution across billions of years.
JGR: Planets Author Aboard the International Space Station
NASA Astronaut and planetary geologist Dr. Jessica Watkins recently published her post-doctoral Mars research in JGR: Planets, just prior to heading to the International Space Station.
Holey Eclogite!
Scientists have found holes filled with minerals that indicate fluid-filled pores exist many tens of kilometers below Earth’s surface. But no, The Core fans, you still can’t get amethyst-laden geodes in the mantle.
Pluto’s Surface Was Recently Sculpted by Icy Volcanism
Geologically young regions of Pluto’s southern hemisphere were likely resurfaced by cryovolcanism, data from the New Horizons spacecraft reveal.
Is Earth’s Core Rusting?
If subduction carries hydrous minerals deep into Earth’s mantle, they may “rust” the iron outer core, forming vast sinks of oxygen that can later be returned to the atmosphere.
Cretaceous Charcoal Gives a Glimpse of Plant Evolution
New data from vegetal charcoal in northwest India supports the theory of paleowildfires as a global phenomenon and an evolutionary force for biodiversity.
A Puzzle Mat for Assembling Colombia’s Geologic History
A new database compiles all the available pieces of information about Colombia’s geochronology, offering scientists a consistent framework in which to view and study the data in a broader context.
Drones Discover Hidden Weaknesses of Collapsing Volcanoes
Understanding buried, hidden zones of structural weaknesses within Indonesia’s Merapi volcano can help to substantially advance our ability to predict catastrophic dome failures.
Geochemical Data from Polynesian Artifacts Pack Pofatu Database
A new resource may help match artifacts with their original stone sources—“a really a niche part of archaeology that requires geological expertise.”
