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Sunrise over the Salma Plateau in Oman.
There's a 'ghost' plume lurking beneath the Middle East — and it might explain how India wound up where it is today Researchers have discovered an unusual plume of magma beneath Oman that may have changed the course of the Indian tectonic plate between 25 million and 40 million years ago.
A freezer compartment at the University of Zurich containing microbial samples.
'It is our obligation to future generations': Scientists want thousands of human poop samples for microbe 'doomsday vault' The founders of the Microbiota Vault, a project that aims to preserve microbial diversity, have announced that they are ready to grow their frozen microbe collection to 10,000 samples by 2029.
Aerial view of a dry river in Nevada, near Colorado River and Grand Canyon, USA.
Ancient groundwater records reveal worrying forecast for US Southwest Groundwater records from the last ice age indicate that aquifers in the U.S. Southwest are more sensitive to global warming than aquifers in the Pacific Northwest.

Latest about Planet Earth

Hurricane Erin and a James Webb Space Telescope photo of Uranus.

Science news this week: Storms rage on Earth and the sun, and a new moon is spotted around Uranus

By Ben Turner published

Science news this week Aug. 23, 2025: Our weekly roundup of the latest science in the news, as well as a few fascinating articles to keep you entertained over the weekend.

Science news this week
On a rare clear day, snowy mountains are reflected in the placid waters of a tranquil cove in the Antarctic Peninsula.

Abrupt changes taking place in Antarctica 'will affect the world for generations to come'

By Felicity McCormack, Jan Strugnell, Nerilie Abram, Ariaan Purich, Matthew England published

From sea ice to ocean currents, Antarctica is now undergoing abrupt changes — and they are likely to significantly intensify in the future.

Antarctica
The view of Earth's atmosphere from inside the cockpit of NASA’s WB57 research aircraft.

Toxic chemicals that pollute groundwater are formed up in the stratosphere, surprise findings show

By Stephanie Pappas published

Perchlorates, a group of toxic chemicals that pollute groundwater, first form on rare particles in the stratosphere, scientists have discovered.

Planet Earth

'This technology is possible today': Nuclear waste could be future power source and increase access to a rare fuel

By Perri Thaler published

One physicist says his design to use nuclear waste as fuel for nuclear fusion could help the U.S. be a leader in the fusion economy.

Nuclear Energy
Douglas Fir covered in moss temperate rainforest Quinalt Forest Olympic National Park Washington USA.

One of the world’s tallest trees — the centuries-old 'Doerner Fir' — is on fire in Oregon.

By Mindy Weisberger published

Oregon's tallest fir tree is on fire, and firefighters are racing to save it.

Planet Earth
Barn on Fickle Hill above Eureka Arcata Humboldt County, California.

Mystery quake that rocked Northern California in 1954 came from 'eerily quiet' Cascadia Subduction Zone

By Stephanie Pappas published

Scientists link a magnitude 6.5 earthquake that shook Humboldt Bay, California, 71 years ago to the "locked" Cascadia Subduction Zone.

Earthquakes

Lake Superior rocks reveal build up to giant collision that formed supercontinent Rodinia

By Aaron Sidder, Eos.org published

Using paleomagnetic samples collected along the shores of Lake Superior, a new study illuminates the movement of a billion-year-old paleocontinent as it crept south toward a tectonic collision.

Geology

Rocket-like jellyfish, regal Komodo dragon and harrowing whale rescue — see the stunning Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 finalists

By Perri Thaler published

Finalists in the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 competition capture beautiful images of animals and people oceans.

Rivers & Oceans

Tiny devices propelled by sunlight could explore a mysterious region of Earth's atmosphere

By Tereza Pultarova Partner Content Created With Space. published

"Being able to send something out there would enable us to take a lot more precise data than we currently can."

An astronaut photo of a giant caldera in Japan. A central cluster of volcanoes is surrounded by a ring of urban and agricultural land and a larger ring of ridges

Supervolcanic 'hell' caldera in Japan is home to 17 different volcanoes

By Harry Baker published

Earth from space A 2012 astronaut photo shows the striking beauty of Japan's Aso Caldera, a "supervolcanic" structure home to more than a dozen volcanoes and "hellish" hot springs. It was formed by several major eruptions spanning more than 200,000 years.

Earth from space
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