Sand is a foundational element of our cities, our homes, our landscapes and seascapes. How we will interact with the material in the future, however, is less certain.
sand
Posted inNews
Can These Rocks Help Rein in Climate Change?
Spreading olivine on beaches could accelerate ocean uptake of carbon dioxide and potentially limit climate change. The concept and execution still face some scrutiny from scientists.
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.
Posted inEditors' Highlights
A Unique Glimpse at Sediment Erosion and Deposition by Wind
The Lut Desert in Iran is an exceptional natural laboratory to study how wind moves sediment across the landscape. A new study quantifies erosional and depositional sediment fluxes of the desert.
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How Does Sand Move? New Observations Challenge Prevailing Formulas
Research in the Azores finds a discrepancy between field observations of sediment transport and predictions made with commonly used mathematical formulas.
Posted inScience Updates
Planetary Dunes Tell of Otherworldly Winds
On Earth and throughout our solar system, ripples and dunes in sand and dust offer insights into how winds blow, liquid currents flow, and solid particles fly and bounce over the terrain.
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Satellites Spy on Sand Mining in the Mekong
Concrete, used in everything from streets to skyscrapers, needs sand, often mined from active rivers in developing countries with little oversight. Researchers can now use satellites to keep watch.
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Dunes Dance to a New Rhythm in Climate Change
Dunes may morph or creep in new directions in a warming world.
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Megaripples on Mars—How to Name Wind-Shaped Features on the Red Planet
New research suggests a more settled terminology for Martian aeolian landforms based on size and geomorphology.
Posted inScience Updates
Earth’s Continents Share an Ancient Crustal Ancestor
How did today’s continents come to be? Geological sleuths found clues in grains of sand.