This rainbow-like atmospheric phenomenon depends on a very specific set of circumstances. It is common on Earth and incredibly rare beyond it.
weird & wonderful
Mysterious Seafloor Pits May Be Made on Porpoise
Some shallow seafloor depressions off the coast of Germany that look like those associated with methane might instead be the work of porpoises.
Modern Microbial Mats Offer Glimpses of Other Times and Places
Comprising diverse groups of microbes, isolated but globally scattered mat ecosystems like those in Lake Huron may be analogues of life on early Earth and in other exotic environs.
Our Favorite Science Stories of 2023
What Earth and space science stories stood out this year?
Наконец-то найдено объяснение загадочным “камням дзен”
Лабораторные эксперименты позволили воссоздать тонкие ледяные пьедесталы, поддерживающие некоторые горные породы в природе, и выяснить, что сублимация играет ключевую роль в формировании этих редких и красивых структур.
Mars Has Far Fewer Minerals Than Earth Does
The development of plate tectonics and life on Earth provided avenues for mineral evolution that did not occur on Mars, resulting in relatively limited mineral diversity on the Red Planet.
Hunting Hurricanes
NOAA’s Hurricane Hunters risk their lives each time they fly into the eye of a storm to collect crucial data for forecasting, hurricane modeling, and research.
Eavesdropping on the Vibrations of Earth’s Magnetic Bubble
A NASA-funded crowdsourced science project has converted the unheard sounds resonating inside Earth’s magnetic shield into audible tracks, revealing an orchestra of whistles, wooshes, and chirps.
Godzilla Gets a Forever Home on the Ocean Floor
The world’s largest oceanic core complex is named after the reptilian monster from Japanese science fiction. Parts of the seabed feature were recently christened with the beast’s anatomy.
In New Zealand, Fish Are Helping Scientists Find Gold
Enormous amounts of gold lie buried beneath the rubble of New Zealand’s mountains, and scientists are using freshwater fish genetics to find it.
