Read article: Ambipolar electric field helps shape Earth’s ionosphere Earth sciences Research update Ambipolar electric field helps shape Earth’s ionosphere Scientists make first ever measurements of a planet-wide field that could be as fundamental as gravity and magnetic fields
Read article: Why North America has a ‘tornado alley’ and South America doesn’t Earth sciences Blog Why North America has a ‘tornado alley’ and South America doesn’t There’s a scientific reason why Twisters is set in the US Great Plains rather than Argentina, and it has to do with the Gulf of Mexico
Read article: Hawaiian volcano erupted ‘like a stomp rocket’ Earth sciences Research update Hawaiian volcano erupted ‘like a stomp rocket’ Events at Kilauea in 2018 may have been triggered by a previously undescribed mechanism
Read article: Early Earth’s magnetic field strength was similar to today’s Earth sciences Research update Early Earth’s magnetic field strength was similar to today’s Relatively strong field may have protected life forms 3.7 billion years ago
Read article: Ancient lull in Earth’s magnetic field may have allowed large animals to evolve Earth sciences Research update Ancient lull in Earth’s magnetic field may have allowed large animals to evolve Period of ultra-weak field nearly 600 million years ago could have contributed to increase in oxygen levels that favoured complex life
Read article: Weathering and ocean burial of rocks could have triggered Earth’s ice ages Earth sciences Research update Weathering and ocean burial of rocks could have triggered Earth’s ice ages Layered clays called ophiolites trap carbon efficiently and may still be cooling the planet today
Read article: Mystery of how dolomite forms could be solved at long last Earth sciences Research update Mystery of how dolomite forms could be solved at long last Computer simulations and electron microscopy reveal mineral’s secret
Read article: Iron atoms in Earth’s inner core are on the move Earth sciences Research update Iron atoms in Earth’s inner core are on the move Result could shed light on the seismic and geodynamic processes at play deep inside our planet
Read article: Dangerous soil liquefaction can occur away from earthquake epicentres in drained conditions Earth sciences Research update Dangerous soil liquefaction can occur away from earthquake epicentres in drained conditions Discovery could also shed light on the history of earthquakes in a region
Read article: Zircons, plate tectonics and the mystery of life Earth sciences Feature Zircons, plate tectonics and the mystery of life James Dacey reports how new data from ancient crystals could transform our understanding of life on Earth
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