Salt of the Earth: Vast Underground Salt Caverns Are Preserving Our History—and Just Might Power Our Future
From health spas to film storage, salt mine caverns have been put to use in surprising ways—and they’re now poised to contribute to the generation and storage of clean energy.
How the Rise of a Salty Blob Led to the Fall of the Last Ice Age
Scientists have long suspected that high salinity levels in the deep ocean were responsible for keeping carbon dioxide locked away during the last ice age. New research finds the strongest evidence yet.
Insights for Making Quick Clay Landslides Less Quick
In a quick clay landslide, solid soil liquefies suddenly, sometimes washing over entire towns. New modeling examines what kinds of salts could help stabilize these clays.
Snowball Earth’s Liquid Seas Dipped Way Below Freezing
Iron isotopes show that salty seawater pockets beneath the ice were as cold as −15°C.
Episodic Tales of Salt
When episodic pulses of road salt hit after a winter storm, the impact can be like a lightning strike for the environment.
What Salty Water Means for Wild Horses
New research monitors how saltwater intrusion is affecting the behaviors of Shackleford Banks’s wild horses.