Electromagnetic “Tug-of-War” Lights Up Jupiter’s Upper Atmosphere
New Leicester space research has revealed, for the first time, a complex ‘tug-of-war’ lights up aurorae in Jupiter’s upper atmosphere, using a combination of data…
Geophysics News
Widespread Megaripple Activity Detected Across the North Polar Region of Mars
Megaripples, intermediate-scale bedforms caused by the action of the wind, have been studied extensively and thought to be largely inactive relics of past climates, save…
Liquid Water Confirmed Beneath Martian South Polar Cap
A Southwest Research Institute scientist measured the properties of ice-brine mixtures as cold as -145 degrees Fahrenheit to help confirm that salty water likely exists…
Red Snow Phenomena: A Unique Balancing Act
Red snow is a unique phenomenon caused by blooms of red algae that live on the surface of snow. Now, researchers from Japan have developed…
Hot Jupiter Exoplanet Provides New Insights Into Seasons on a Planet Outside Our Solar System
Observations of a hot Jupiter may also advance our understanding of planet origins and evolution. Imagine being in a place where the winds are so…
Researchers Probe Earth’s Turbulent Past To Explain Where Oceans Came From
The origin of water on our planet is a hot question: Water has immense implications for plate tectonics, climate, the origin of life on Earth,…
Misled by a Mars Mirage: Hope for Present-Day Martian Groundwater Dries Up
Liquid water previously detected under Mars’ ice-covered south pole is probably just a dusty mirage, according to a new study of the red planet led…
Newly Discovered Carbon on Mars: Origin May Be Biologically Produced Methane
NASA’s Curiosity rover landed on Mars on August 6, 2012, and since then has roamed Gale Crater taking samples and sending the results back home…
Ironing Out the Interiors of Super-Earth Exoplanets
The discovery of more than 4,500 extra-solar planets has created a need for modeling their interior structure and dynamics. As it turns out, iron plays…
Earth’s Interior Is Cooling “Much Faster Than Expected”
Researchers at ETH Zurich have demonstrated in the lab how well a mineral common at the boundary between the Earth’s core and mantle conducts heat….
New Explanation Proposed for Moon’s Baffling Magnetic Mystery
A new study reveals how the diminutive Moon could have been an occasional magnetic powerhouse early in its history, a question that has confounded researchers…
Freezing of “Slushy” Ocean of Magma Led to Formation of the Moon’s Crust
Scientists have shown how the freezing of a ‘slushy’ ocean of magma may be responsible for the composition of the Moon’s crust. The scientists, from…
How Do Volcanoes Form? Scientists Find Surprisingly Cool “Hotspots” Under Earth’s Crust
The findings suggest current theories of how some volcanoes form may be too simple. The hotspots that created volcanic islands such as those of Hawaii,…
Remarkable Connection Discovered Between Supernovae and Life on Earth
A remarkable link between the number of nearby exploding stars, called supernovae and life on Earths has been discovered. Evidence demonstrates a close connection between…
Geomagnetic Storms Can Threaten Life on Earth – Swarm and Cluster Provide New Insights Into Space Weather
The notion of living in a bubble is usually associated with negative connotations, but all life on Earth is dependent on the safe bubble created…
Early Disaster Warning: Tsunamis’ Magnetic Fields Are Detectable Before Sea Level Change
Magnetic field information could provide earlier disaster warning to at-risk regions, potentially saving lives. A new study finds the magnetic field generated by a tsunami…
Possible Chemical Leftovers From Early Earth Sit Near the Planet’s Core
A simulation of the evolution of the Earth’s interior over time, showing the thermal (bottom), chemical (middle), and thermochemical evolution under the simulated conditions. The…
High-Speed Impacts May Have Shaped Venus’ History – And Explain Why It Is Uninhabitable
New modeling suggests fast collisions could explain why Earth is habitable while Venus is not. New modeling suggests large, high-speed impacts during Venus’ early history…
