The key to better predictions of atmospheric temperature trends in the tropics may lie in more accurate measurements of sea surface temperatures.
unsolved mysteries
Why Does the Aurora Flare Up?
The spectacular auroras that circle Earth's geomagnetic poles and burst with colorful displays during geomagnetic storms have mystified humanity for millennia. Now scientists are uncovering their secrets.
Satellite Data Yield Detailed Picture of the Lunar Wake
Researchers use satellite data to characterize the physical properties of the lunar wake and the processes that govern it.
Tiny Mineral Grains Could Drive Plate Tectonics
Scientists turn to granular scales to explain how plate tectonics may have evolved billions of years ago.
Exploring How Wind Blows Sand on Dunes
Sand dunes migrate—so why haven’t some budged in 60 years?
Research Shines Light on Asthenosphere's Contribution to Hot Spots
What role does the asthenosphere play in midplate volcanism?
A Dearth of Hurricanes Cannot Explain Maya Collapse
Mud layers in a stalagmite from a cave on the Yucatán Peninsula show hurricane activity was steady or elevated throughout the Maya collapse.
Thin Precollision Crust Can Explain Aspects of Indo-Asian Convergence
The paradoxical thickness of the Tibetan Plateau has puzzled scientists for decades. Now new research offers up an explanation for this mystery.
Low Heliosphere Pressure Drives Wide CMEs in Weak Solar Cycles
Why are coronal mass ejections from the current solar cycle wider than others? Researchers investigate.