Earth's Systems

  1. Climate

    How to curb the climate heating by contrails

    Contrails are narrow clouds left behind in the sky by jets. They add to climate change. But a new study suggests a way to curb their contribution.

    By Stephen Ornes
  2. Environment

    Here’s one way to harvest water right out of the air

    Need water but you have no access to rain, lakes or groundwater? Materials known as metal-organic frameworks could be used to slurp that water from the air, new data show.

    By Sid Perkins
  3. Earth

    Newfound ‘dunes’ is among weirdest of northern lights

    There’s a new aurora dubbed the 'dunes.' It’s weird and joins the ranks of black auroras, STEVE and other odd natural light shows.

    By Maria Temming
  4. Climate

    Study appears to rule out volcanic burps as causing dino die-offs

    New data on when massive volcanic eruptions happened do not match when the dinosaur mass extinction took place.

    By Carolyn Gramling
  5. Physics

    How to temporarily ‘fossilize’ a soap bubble

    Here’s how to freeze a soap bubble in midair. Warning: The environment needs to be frosty, and even then it can take a certain amount of trial and error.

    By Matthew Cappucci
  6. Animals

    Australian fires have imperiled up to 100 species

    As massive wildfires consume huge swaths of Australia’s bush, untold species — many of them found nowhere else — are now threatened with extinction.

    By John Pickrell
  7. Climate

    5 things to know about the climate-saving benefits of tree planting

    A recent analysis of the benefits of massive efforts to plant more trees triggered a firestorm of controversy.

    By Susan Milius
  8. Climate

    Hotspots found for lightning’s superbolts

    A nine-year survey reveals where and when the most energetic lightning strikes — and it’s not what scientists expected.

    By Stephen Ornes
  9. Earth

    Explainer: Earth — layer by layer

    Explore the sizzling heat, unimaginable pressures — and some surprise diamonds — that sit beneath our feet. This is the side of Earth that you can’t see.

    By Beth Geiger
  10. Climate

    Explainer: Why some clouds glow in the dark

    A surprise space rock lit up the night sky over California — and left behind a rare type of cloud. Such glowing beauties may become more common with climate change.

    By Matthew Cappucci
  11. Climate

    Explainer: What is attribution science?

    A relatively new, developing field of science investigates possible links between climate change and extreme weather events.

    By Stephen Ornes
  12. Earth

    Explainer: Understanding geologic time

    Geologic time is unimaginably long. Geologists puzzle it out using a calendar called the Geologic Time Scale.

    By Beth Geiger