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A huge helium shortage is looming — but ancient rocks in Earth's crust may be hiding massive reservoirs
By Sascha Pare published
For decades, helium has been produced with natural gas, generating huge carbon emissions. Now, geologists are looking for new helium sources — and finding enormous "carbon-free" reservoirs that could revolutionize the industry.

Trio of 'black mesas' leftover from Paleozoic era spawn rare sand dunes in the Sahara
By Harry Baker published
Earth from space A 2023 astronaut photo shows three dark hills, or mesas, towering above part of the Sahara desert in southern Mauritania. The structures are remnants of a single Paleozoic era formation, and have helped to create a series of striking sand dunes.

Sistema Ox Bel Ha: A vast hidden system that's the longest underwater cave in the world
By James Price published
This incredible submerged cave network is the longest of its kind in the world and plays a vital role in the region.

A gulf separating Africa and Asia is still pulling apart — 5 million years after scientists thought it had stopped
By Stephanie Pappas published
The Arabian and African tectonic plates failed to pull apart 28 million years ago at the Gulf of Suez, but the area hasn't stopped rifting.

Parts of Arizona are being sucked dry, with areas of land sinking 6 inches per year, satellite data reveals
By Skyler Ware published
Groundwater extraction has caused parts of the Willcox Basin to subside by up to 12 feet since the 1950s. New research reveals that some areas sunk by 3 feet in just 4 years.

Breakup of ancient supercontinent Nuna created 'incubators' for complex life, study finds
By Sascha Pare published
Ancient supercontinent Nuna's breakup around 1.5 billion years ago set off a chain of events that made Earth more habitable, new research suggests.

Triple Divide Peak: Montana's unique liquid 'crossroads' where water can flow into three oceans
By Sascha Pare published
Triple Divide Peak in Montana is the only place on Earth where water can flow into one of three different oceans, according to some definitions.

Greenland is twisting, tensing and shrinking due to the 'ghosts' of melted ice sheets
By Sascha Pare published
Earth's mantle is so gooey, it takes eons for material that has been displaced by the weight of ice sheets to flow back. And Greenland is very much still processing its glacial past, a new study shows.

Eternal Flame Falls: New York's mini waterfall that hides a grotto filled with undying fire
By Sascha Pare published
Eternal Flame Falls sits on a bed of shale rocks rich in organic matter. As this matter breaks down, it produces highly flammable natural gas that escapes through cracks in the ground.

Rare half-pink rough diamond with 'astounding' weight of 37.4 carats discovered in Botswana
By Sascha Pare published
Experts at a laboratory in Botswana managed by the Gemological Institute of America recently examined an extraordinary natural diamond with two distinct color zones.
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