Earth

Earth

Piercing a buried polar lake

Researchers in Antarctica drilled through a half-mile of ice to reach water that hasn’t had contact with the atmosphere for thousands of years.

Earth

Surprising hot springs

Scientists find shallow source of water for volcano’s hot springs.

Earth

Less ice, more seawater

Shrinking ice sheets contribute to rising sea levels, large-scale study confirms.

Environment

Trees on the edge

Serious drought is a threat to most trees, worldwide survey finds.

Climate

Twister science

Meteorologists are learning what makes a tornado.

Chemistry

Explainer: Ocean acidification

Here’s why shellfish and other animals in the sea suffer when the ocean is forced to absorb too much carbon dioxide.

Climate

The high life

The sky is full of microscopic life, some of which might even trigger rain or snow.

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.

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.

Earth

Earth’s big breakup

Powerful motions beneath the Indian Ocean unleashed a series of earthquakes near Sumatra.