Earth
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EarthScientists Say: Heat dome
Typically, weather enters an area, storms through, then leaves. Here's what happens when steamy summer air gets stalled.
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AnimalsWhale pee is an ocean bounty
Some migrating cetaceans move thousands of miles to their breeding grounds, where whale urine fertilizes ocean waters with valuable nutrients.
By Laura Allen -
EnvironmentStudy uncovers secrets in water’s underground treks
Water's subterranean travels can be long, slow — and carry pollutants far from where they first got drawn into the Earth.
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SpaceScientists Say: Quasi-satellite
Unlike a true satellite, these tagalongs orbit outside a planet’s primary sphere of gravitational control.
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EnvironmentNew ocean sanctuaries house young coral and even flee peril
Two ISEF finalists want to foster growth of new coral reefs. So these teens designed and built self-navigating, undersea houseboats for coral larvae.
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EnvironmentEco-friendly sunscreen? That’s bananas!
Bananas make their own natural sunscreens. A teen thinks these could work to protect our skin as well, while being safe for aquatic life.
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EarthScientists Say: Caldera
These gigantic craters form when a volcanic eruption empties magma chambers underneath, allowing the mountain to crumble into the void.
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AnimalsFreshwater fish are in trouble: Here’s how we can help them
Human activities threaten the survival of many freshwater fish species. Research is now pointing to how we can best overcome those threats.
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ChemistryA new map of Africa sheds light on the origins of enslaved people
Mapping the element strontium across the continent is helping track down the birthplaces of enslaved Africans brought to the Americas.
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AnimalsSome fish have legs that can taste prey underfoot
Taste buds on those legs may explain why northern sea robins are so good at finding food that is buried in the sandy seafloor.
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AgricultureA secret climate superhero lies beneath our farms
Agriculture contributes to climate change. But changes to how farms manage soil might help remove carbon and other greenhouse gases from the air.
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EarthLet’s learn about the carbon cycle
The total amount of carbon on Earth doesn’t change. But what form those carbon atoms take is constantly changing.