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.
geology
Posted inNews
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.
Posted inNews
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.
Posted inFeatures
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.
Posted inNews
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.
Posted inScience Updates
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.
Posted inNews
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.
Posted inNews
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.”
Posted inEditors' Vox
High-Definition Imaging of the Subsurface with Cosmic Ray Muons
A new book describes muography, an imaging technique that can be used to visualize the internal density composition of geological structures.
Posted inNews
Good News: Rocks Crack Under Pressure from Mineral CO2 Storage
When carbon mineralizes in stone, each new fracture exposes more surfaces that can react with and trap CO2, enhancing a rock’s storage capacity.