The discovery of tridymite in Mars’s Gale Crater triggered debate about the rare mineral’s origins. A research team recently suggested a scenario with explosive implications.
geology
Posted inNews
Satellite Images Reveal a New View of Ancient Earth’s Rivers
A new method shows a key relationship between the width and makeup of Earth’s river channels over time. The technique could be applied to other terrestrial bodies, such as Mars.
Posted inFeatures
Vashan Wright: A Champion for DEI in the Geosciences
While studying tectonic plates and sand, Wright works on a program to make the geosciences more equitable.
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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.
Posted inEditors' Vox
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.