Planet Earth news, feature and articles

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Collage representing a gas reservoir in Earth's crust with drilling equipment at the surface.
Earth's crust hides enough 'gold' hydrogen to power the world for tens of thousands of years, emerging research suggests Reservoirs of hydrogen gas that form naturally in Earth's crust could help humans decarbonize. The challenge now is finding these accumulations and working out how best to mine them, experts say.
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A photo of three men crouched around a hole in the ground emitting helium gas
A huge helium shortage is looming — but ancient rocks in Earth's crust may be hiding massive reservoirs 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.
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This photograph shows a view of the Zahara-El Gastor reservoir in Zahara de la Sierra in the southern province of Cadiz, during a drought episode on December 29, 2023.
Collapse of key Atlantic current could bring extreme drought to Europe for hundreds of years, study finds Scientists modeled Europe's future if a key Atlantic current were to collapse and found that the continent faces a much drier future.
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Latest about Planet Earth

A picture taken from orbit of the Gulf of Suez.

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.

Geology
Waves crashing into a cliff from top down.

Eruptions of ocean volcanoes may be the echoes of ancient continental breakups

By Stephanie Pappas published

Waves in Earth's mantle created by the rifting of continents may peel the planet's crust from below, feeding volcanoes in the middle of the ocean.

Volcanos

Earth's magnetic field has a weak spot — and it's getting bigger, putting astronauts and satellites at risk

By Tom Metcalfe, Eos.org published

This could be bad news for satellites and spacefarers.

Planet Earth
A photograph of a massive crack in the ground of Arizona's Willcox Basin.

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.

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Geology

Underwater volcano off Oregon coast likely won't erupt until mid-to-late 2026

By Sascha Pare published

Researchers thought that Axial Seamount might erupt in 2025, but recent data suggest the underwater volcano could take a bit longer to blow its top.

Volcanos

Gold and gems quiz: What do you know about sparkly treasures made by nature?

By Kristina Killgrove published

Think you know a lot about jewels? Can you make this whole quiz shimmer?

Planet Earth
A satellite photo of mountainous jungle with a barren, pale mountain situated in the center of the frame

Extreme 'paradise' volcano in Costa Rica is like a piece of ancient Mars on our doorstep

By Harry Baker published

Earth from space A 2025 satellite photo captures the stark contrast between the barren Poás volcano and the surrounding Costa Rican jungle. The volcano's super-acidic lake provides the perfect analog for studying how hardy microbes may have emerged on Mars billions of years ago.

Earth from space
Flight over untouched nature , coastline and rivers.

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.

2 Comments
Geology

Why do European cities have milder winters than those in North America, despite being at the same latitude?

By Jesse Steinmetz published

London is at the same latitude as Calgary, Alberta. So why is the Canadian city about 15 degrees Fahrenheit (8.3 degrees Celsius) cooler in January?

3 Comments
Weather

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.

Geology
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