By studying bits of rock scooped up by ancient glaciers, researchers have pinned down that recent glacial variability was driven, in part, by changes in the direction of Earth’s axis of rotation.
paleoclimatology & paleoceanography
“Landslide Graveyard” Holds Clues to Long-Term Tsunami Trends
A new project looks to unearth information about and learn from ancient underwater landslides buried deep beneath the seafloor to support New Zealand’s resilience to natural hazards.
Peat Uncovers a Uniquely Resilient Irish Community
Researchers reveal an abandoned settlement in Northern Ireland that showed unusual resilience during calamities including epidemics, famine, and climate change.
First Solar Wind Plasma Observations from the Tianwen-1 Mission
Solar wind plasma data captured by the Tianwen-1 probe while in transit to Mars represent an important step toward a new era of cooperative Martian space exploration.
Climate and Currents Shaped Japan’s Hunter-Gatherer Cultures
New climate records from a peat bog show how two neighboring cultures responded differently to shifts in climate and ocean currents.
Clues from the Sea Paint a Picture of Earth’s Water Cycle
New instrumentation and growing modeling needs in the Earth sciences are driving a renewed effort to compile and curate seawater oxygen isotope data in a centralized, accessible database.
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.
Incredible Journeys on the Crown of the Continent
Living in Geologic Time: The making, breaking, and backpacking of North America’s Continental Divide.
Higher Sea Surface Temperatures Could Lead to a Weaker Monsoon
Most climate models predict that the South Asian monsoon will strengthen with climate change, but new research indicates warmer ocean temperatures may lead to a drier phenomenon.
The Surprising Greenhouse Gas That Caused Volcanic Summer
Extended periods of volcanism known as flood basalt eruptions lead to volcanic winters, which are often followed by an extended period of warming. But it was more than just carbon dioxide that warmed the globe.