New interpretations and mapping of all New Zealand’s offshore sedimentary basins offer clues about the evolution of Earth’s eighth continent.
paleoclimatology & paleoceanography
The JOIDES Resolution Embarks on Its Final Expedition
On the ship’s last cruise, scientists will collect data to help predict future effects of climate change.
Drilling into Antarctica’s Past
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet melted rapidly around 8,000 years ago. Could that event foretell the future?
Mars as a Driver of Deep-Sea Erosion
An analysis of breaks in deep-sea sediment links the geological record to a 2.4-million-year cycle that heats Earth and ventilates our oceans.
Passing Stars Shorten Earth’s Time Horizon
Stars in the solar neighborhood could jostle planetary orbits, making it harder to turn back the clock and examine Earth’s orbital or climate history.
Giant Impacts Might Have Triggered Snowball Earth Events
Running into the right space rock at the right time may have been enough to tip Earth into a runaway cold spell.
Roman Plagues Struck During Cool, Dry Periods
Marine sediments from the Gulf of Taranto offer a high-resolution look at climate during ancient disease outbreaks.
Oceans May Have Already Seen 1.7°C of Warming
The global warming clock started ticking decades earlier than current estimates assume, according to Caribbean sponges.
The Importance of Archiving the Seafloor
Marine geological sample repositories are vital for ocean science, climate change studies, and more. The value of their collections is growing amid efforts to meet rising demand for their services.
Looking for Climate Clues in China’s Great Wall
Looking for Climate Clues in China’s Great Wall
In northwestern China, desert conditions have preserved the farthest reaches of the Great Wall. Scientists are now exploring 2,000-year-old building materials for signs of the region’s past climate.
