Earth
- Climate
The high life
The sky is full of microscopic life, some of which might even trigger rain or snow.
By Douglas Fox - Climate
Evolution of a Frankenstorm
Huge, late October hurricane turned into a superstorm that savaged much of the eastern United States.
- Earth
Groundwater removal linked to quake
Pumping water from the ground in southeastern Spain may have triggered a deadly 2011 earthquake there.
- Climate
Watching our seas rise
Satellites, coral reefs, ancient Roman fishponds and sinking cities help us understand how humans are changing sea level.
By Douglas Fox - Environment
Exhaled air: A problem in buildings?
New studies suggest carbon dioxide that accumulates in classrooms could limit how well the brain processes information, lead to more student absences.
By Janet Raloff - Earth
Earth’s big breakup
Powerful motions beneath the Indian Ocean unleashed a series of earthquakes near Sumatra.
- Microbes
Living long beneath the sea
Microbes in the mud beneath the seafloor may live millions of years, redefining what it means to be old and alive.
- Chemistry
Making rocks into magnets
Lab experiments show one way that certain types of stones can morph into magnets.
By Sid Perkins - Oceans
Icy inns at Earth’s end
Intrepid researchers discover icebergs host large and lively communities of life.
- Climate
Seal scientists
Elephant seals help climate scientists understand deepwater heating around Antarctica.
- Climate
A record Arctic melt
Satellites show summer 2012 sea ice covering the Arctic Ocean shrunk to a record low.
- Climate
Hot summer for a cold island
A rare heat wave rolled over Greenland in July, thawing its ice and snow.