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Latest about Planet Earth
Forced closure of premier US weather-modeling institute could endanger millions of Americans
From high-wind forecasts and wildfire behavior to floods, aviation hazards, air quality and space weather, science developed at the National Center for Atmospheric Research informs decisions that aim to reduce risk.
Scars from ancient 'megaquakes' at Cascadia subduction zone discovered in deep-sea landslides
Large subduction-zone earthquakes leave scars on the continental slope in the deep sea.
Fragment of lost tectonic plate discovered where San Andreas and Cascadia faults meet
A hidden chunk of an ancient tectonic plate is stuck to the Pacific Ocean floor and sliding under North America, complicating earthquake risk at the Cascadia subduction zone.
New map of Antarctica reveals hidden world of lakes, valleys and mountains buried beneath miles of ice
The map shows diverse geological features shaping Antarctic glaciers from below, which can improve climate models of ice melt.
Scientists watch microscopic plant 'mouths' breathing in real time with palm-sized tool
Scientists say their Stomata In-Sight tool can observe plants "breathe," which could be used to bioengineer crops that require less water, making them potentially more resilient to climate change.
18 of Earth's biggest river deltas — including the Nile and Amazon — are sinking faster than global sea levels are rising
Worldwide, millions of people live in river deltas that are sinking faster than sea levels are rising, research suggests. This exacerbates the risk of catastrophic coastal flooding and land loss.
Mega-iceberg A23a, formerly the world's largest, turns into bright 'blue mush' as it finally dies after 40 years at sea
New satellite photos reveal that one of the world's largest and longest-lived icebergs, A23a, has developed vibrant blue striations on its surface. The striking snaps hint that the "megaberg" will soon disappear forever, ending a surprisingly eventful four-decade-long saga.
Parkfield, San Andreas, and the quest for a 'crystal ball' for predicting earthquakes before they happen
A small town in California was hit by earthquakes once every 22 years for over a century, setting the stage for a major seismic experiment in the 1980s and 90s. But the quake ended up being 11 years late. In this excerpt from "When Worlds Quake," geophysicist Hrvoje Tkalčić looks at why predicting earthquakes is so difficult.
Ethereal ice structures swirl alongside Chicago during extreme cold snap fueled by polar vortex
Earth from space A 2025 satellite image shows a series of ghostly ice swirls sculpted on the surface of Lake Michigan by strong winds during an extreme cold snap that covered Chicago in a blanket of snow.
