River and ocean news, features and articles
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Why is the Pacific Ocean so big?Look at any world map and you'll see that the Pacific is the largest ocean. But how did it get so big?
By Charles Q. Choi Published
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Groundwater in the Colorado River basin won't run out — but eventually we won’t be able to get at it, scientists warnThe Colorado River basin has lost a Lake Mead’s worth of water in the last 20 years — and scientists say we’re passing a "critical point" where pumping groundwater will become too expensive.
By Chris Simms Published
4 Commentsrivers-oceans -
Earth's oceans are a 'ticking time bomb' as acidity levels enter 'danger zone,' study suggestsResearchers have found that ocean acidification entered a "danger zone" in 2020, suggesting increased carbon dioxide levels have caused Earth to breach another planetary boundary.
By Patrick Pester Published
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Russian scientists discover a new island in the Caspian Sea — the world's largest inland body of waterResearchers have confirmed the existence of a new island in the northern part of the Caspian Sea, but they haven't managed to land on it yet.
By Sascha Pare Published
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Record-breaking piles of sargassum seaweed wash up on Caribbean beaches, with more on the wayRecord amounts of sargassum are floating in the Caribbean Sea and ending up on beaches from Puerto Rico to Guyana — but scientists aren't sure why there's so much of it in the first place.
By Sascha Pare Published
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Dinosaur age tsunami revealed from tiny chunks of Japanese amber, study findsAmber deposits in Japan show unique deformations that suggest trees were swept out to sea during a tsunami about 115 million years ago, giving paleontologists a new way to identify past tsunamis.
By Olivia Ferrari Published
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Jellyfish Lake: Palau's saltwater pool with a toxic bottom and surface waters brimming with millions of jellyfishPalau's Jellyfish Lake is home to millions of endemic golden jellies that live in the lake's top layer but never venture below 50 feet, where the water is saturated with poisonous gas.
By Sascha Pare Published
2 Commentsrivers-oceans -
Mysterious substance spotted swirling across the surface of the Baltic SeaEarth from space This 2018 satellite photo shows an unknown substance swirling across the Gulf of Gdańsk in Poland. Scientists were shocked to later discover what it really was.
By Harry Baker Published
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Corryvreckan whirlpool: Scotland's 'raging cauldron' that is named after a Norse king and said to house a witchThe Corryvreckan whirlpool is one of the largest whirlpools in the world, reaching speeds of 8.5 knots and producing a roaring sound that can be heard 10 miles away.
By Sascha Pare Published
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