Jungle-piercing lidar surveys over ancient Maya sites give scientists the most extensive maps of lowland Maya civilization to date.
history
Severe Drought May Have Helped Hasten Ancient Maya’s Collapse
Chemical signatures from sediments in lake cores reveal that the centuries-long drought during the fall of Classic Maya civilization was worse than researchers had imagined.
500 Years of Atmospheric River Landfalls in Southwestern USA
A network of tree-ring chronologies has been used to develop the first reconstruction of atmospheric river landfalls on the US Pacific Coast over the last 500 years.
The Case of the Missing Lunar Heat Flow Data Is Finally Solved
Decades-old data analyzed for the first time suggest that astronauts’ disturbance of the Moon surface increased solar heat intake, warming the ground below.
Constraining Central Washington’s Potential Seismic Hazard
Fault geometry and slip rate analyses show deformation in the Yakima Fold Province accelerated in the Pleistocene and has remained elevated, offering new insights into earthquake recurrence intervals.
Tree Rings Tell a Tale of Wartime Privations
In occupied Norway during World War II, the German navy deployed thick chemical fog to protect a precious battleship. The effects are still detectable in trees.
Earth’s Radiation Belts: Celebrating Six Decades of Discovery
A recent celebration of the 60th anniversary of the launch of Explorer 1 reflected on the incredible progress and scientific insights from this and subsequent space missions.
Medieval Temperature Trends in Africa and Arabia
A synthesis of paleotemperature reconstructions from published case studies suggests warm onshore temperatures persisted across most of Afro-Arabia between 1000 and 1200 CE.
A Window into the Emerging Anthropocene…Through Art
Want a snapshot of how humans have been changing their landscapes since the Industrial Revolution? Look at artwork at a local museum, one geoscientist says.
Corn’s Ancestor Could Help It Go Green
The grandfather of modern corn may hold the key to reducing its need for chemical fertilizers.
